Launch Report Citroen C3

Interior Launch Report Citroen Picasso

New Launch Report Citroen C3

And it looks nothing whatever like a trilobite It's not quite as impressive in that respect as the Fiesta, or indeed the Volkswagen Polo, but it is certainly a major improvement (or a "huge leap" - Citroen's words again) over what has gone before. The new C3, which is almost exactly the same size as a Ford Fiesta, feels like the work of a company which is at its ease with larger and more luxurious cars.

Launch Report Citroen Pluriel

Launch Report Citroen DS3

In particular it felt very cheap indeed, and its design, described by Citroen at the time as "friendly-looking, distinctive and stylish", made it look, to me at least, like a trilobite. The current C3, now well into the coughing-up-blood stage, appeared in 2002, and it wasn't much cop even back then. I imagine it will be a while before anyone at Citroen is prepared to say this without insisting on anonymity, but it strikes me that the new C3's launch date of 15 January 2010 won't be a moment too soon.