10 Aug 2010 | Text and Photos by Benjamin G. Kline
Threesome
The Mini has enjoyed unchallenged success for the better part of the new millennia. That it seems is about to come under some difficulty as Citroen introduces the DS3. Despite their different nationalities though, they do share the same 1.6-litre heart. But how does the DS3 fare?
In recent years, the Mini has been facing a constant and persistent onslaught from manufacturers unveiling new models to compete directly with it. From Fiat’s runaway success 500 remake to Audi’s latest A1, they all want a piece of the Mini’s pie.
Now, the French have joined fray with the latest Citroen DS3. And just a flip through the sales brochure is clear indication that the French are going directly for the Mini’s jugular with this one. The new car offers a substantial amount of customisable options that rival the Mini..
Exterior
Though based on the Citroen C3, the two look nothing alike despite the same underpinnings. The DS3′s design manages to be familiar yet refreshing without looking like an exact copy of the Mini.
Though with the front, the designers have opted to poach much of the front fascia from the C3 base car. They did however throw in some styling differences like a redesigned front grille that manages to incorporate the Citroen insignia in a rather interesting way. Other differences are the current fad daytime running lights. It does however lend a certain degree of macho poise to the metrosexual car.
The French designers however did take some styling cues off the Mini. Like the Mini, the DS3 comes with a floating roof design that’s a hallmark of the Mini. Combine the blacked out pillars with a striking red body colour (like on the test car), and you have a post-modern city car. Another Mini-like feature are the door mounted side mirrors that, also like the Mini can be customised to a colour of your choice.
Aimed at the style conscious individual, the DS3 comes with a rather long and extensive list of customisable options. Besides the usual body colour options, you can specify the roof colour (with or without graphics), the side mirror housings and three different sets of wheel design. If that’s not enough options for individuality, you can even specify the colour for the centre rim cap. Now that’s what I call custom!
Knowing that you might be overwhelmed with the limitless combinations you can have, there’s even a touch screen configurator available at the local showroom to help with the decision making.
Interior
The list of customisable options though doesn’t stop there. On the inside, you can specify the dashboard colours with such evocative names as Boticelli Blue, Aden Red or just plain Black. Though personally, the Boticelli Blue doesn’t quite agree with me but the Black surely did. The polished Piano Black dashboard and brushed metal pieces spread across the interior made me feel like I was back lounging on Swissotel’s 71st floor New Asia Bar. To further perpetuate the lounge atmosphere of the interior, the Citroen even comes with its own set of fragrances that you can plug directly into the interior climate system.
The seats in this chic-mobile are comfortable though I’m not a fan of the rake adjustable only steering wheel. Just beyond sits the stylish instrument cluster that looks great in the day but numbingly gorgeous at night. Despite the stylish dashboard, the centre console is dominated with bits from the Peugeot-Citroen relationship that you’ll find in most other Peugeot models as well.
In the rear, despite the car being touted as a five seater, on longer journeys I wouldn’t recommend sitting three in the back as it would get cramped pretty quickly. Two would be perfectly fine for long journeys with the legroom being slightly better than in the Mini for my frame. Boot capacity stands at 285 litres which doesn’t sound like much but when compared with the Mini’s 160 litres, is plenty. Even more space can be availed with the 60/40 folding rear bench.
The Drive
At highway speeds, the car is rather comfortable to cruise in. Taking the bumps and undulations in its stride with little effect on its composure. Though when hurried, its 1.6-litre 120bhp heart that’s shared with the Mini shows its displeasure with the noise intruding into the cabin. Making it known that this French supermini doesn’t like to be hurried and would much prefer to just cruise along.
On the smaller roads, the car’s dimensions becomes apparent over uneven surfaces with some of the suspension’s displeasure transmitted to the driver and passenger. The DS3 however does feels slightly sharper to drive than the C3. No doubt helped by the lower ride height and stiffer damping.
Conclusion
Citroen has made a pretty convincing effort at wooing fans of the iconic Mini. Considering the Mini’s population in the local market, drivers seeking further individuality from the crowd might consider the Citroen with its conservative population.
If this base model 1.6-litre is anything to go by, the Anglo-German Mini is in for some serious bruising this year as the more powerful blown version of the DS3 comes to our shores. But the real test would begin when the DS3-R, Citroen’s answer to the Cooper S, is released.
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