Queenslanders will get their first sight of the world's safest car, a vehicle that is designed to protect people both inside and outside the car in the event of an accident, when Citroen pulls the covers off the Citroen C6 at the Brisbane International Motor Show in March (3rd-12th March 2006) to reveal the safest car ever tested by the Euro-NCAP organisation - the toughest independent safety testers in the world.

"The Citroën C6 doesn't just look after those people lucky enough to be inside," says Miles Williams, General Manager for Citroën in Australia. "This is the first car in the world to have an active safety system specifically designed to protect pedestrians in the event of an accident. Building on the systems that debuted in the Citroën C4, the new C6 takes this a stage further with a bonnet that pops upwards in the event of an accident with a pedestrian with the specific aim of reducing pedestrian injuries."

Citroën developed the active bonnet system as a response to the design problem of the engine stopping a bonnet from flexing and, therefore, absorbing the impact of a pedestrian. Many injuries are caused by the pedestrian landing on the bonnet and hitting the 'hard points' of the drivetrain that are just under the bonnet.

When the Citroën C6 detects a pedestrian impact, via a fibre optic system at the front of the car, two pyrotechnic bolts release the bonnet, allowing it to not just move upwards by 65 mm but also to be mounted on impact absorbing springs. This entire process happens in just 40 milliseconds.

Nor is this the only safety and technical innovation in the Citroën C6. It has nine airbags, a head-up instrument display that puts essential driver information on the windscreen right in front of the driver, active suspension that reacts to bumps in the road, active headrestraints, a speed sensitive rear wing, lane departure warning system, front and rear peripheral radar, low pressure diffusion ventilation, laminated side windows and two advanced engines, including a 2.7 litre V6 turbo diesel.

Euro-NCAP awarded the Citroën C6 the first-ever four star award for pedestrian safety which, combined with five stars for occupant safety and four stars for child safety, provides the C6 with the best-ever result. It also adds to Citroën's remarkable record of top-scoring cars in the Euro-NCAP tests with the Berlingo, C2, C3, C3 Pluriel, C4 and C5 all at or near the top of their classes.

"The Citroën C6 is the epitome of everything Citroën stands for," says Miles Williams. "It uses fresh and innovative thinking to solve traditional automotive problems and deliver new solutions. The C6 offers a new level of space and unmatched comfort and luxury and its styling sets it apart from everything else in the market. Stylish, technically advanced, economical and extremely safe: The C6 could only be a Citroën!"

Full details of the Citroën C6, along with its Australian specification and pricing will be announced when it goes on sale in Australia in the middle of 2006.

Citroen C6

Citroën, long renown for its diesel engine prowess, has added an advanced new turbo diesel variant of the award winning Citroën C4 to its Australian range that promises open road fuel consumption as low as 4.7 l/100 km and a range in excess of 1,200 km and it will be one of the French car maker's Brisbane Motor Show stars.

"The Citroën C5 HDi has proven to be an outstanding success for Citroën in Australia," explains Miles Williams, General Manager for Citroën in Australia. "We now plan to build on this success with the C4. It has an advanced, light and compact diesel engine that delivers sparkling performance and outstanding fuel economy, as well as low emissions. This combination, allied to the existing C4 advantages and technology, will force many so-called environmentally friendly cars to look to their credentials!"

The new 1.6 HDi engine supplies a maximum torque of 240 Nm at 1,750 rpm and this torque figure can be increased to 260 Nm at 1,750 rpm, thanks to the overboost function. For strong bursts of acceleration, the "overboost" function kicks in, delivering up to 20 Nm of additional torque by increasing the fuel injection rate when it is most needed during acceleration.

This new engine therefore combines a fast response with a linear increase in power, and excellent acceleration at low engine speeds. The HDi 110 features a second-generation injection system delivering injection pressure of 1,650 bars, controlled by piezoelectric-type injectors.

A variable-displacement turbocharger enhances driving pleasure and performance. This engine makes full use of the potential offered by the common-rail system with its multiple injection technology and the enhanced management of fuel injection into each cylinder, providing four injections per engine cycle:

• Two pilot injections to reduce combustion noise.
• Two main injections to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions at source.

As a result of its low fuel consumption - 4.7 l/100 km over a standard combined cycle - and its 60-litre tank, this engine offers a range of more than 1,200 km. CO2 emissions are also very low at 125 g/km.

"The Citroën C4 HDi will enable its owners to enjoy all of the benefits of diesel car ownership without any of the compromises," says Miles Williams. "This means the C4 HDi has all the advanced safety features, spacious interior, award-winning design features and comfort that have made the C4 so successful."

"At the same time it has the fuel economy, low emissions and long range of a diesel with the superb performance provided by an advanced diesel engine," says Mr Williams. "We fully expect the C4 HDi to match the success of the C5 HDi and it could become the top selling Citroën variant in Australia."

Citroen C4 hatch

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