Citroen's latest concept car, displayed at the Frankfurt Motor Show, continues the MPV/lounge on wheels idea started with the C-AirLounge concept from the 2003 Frankfurt Show. The new concept car is called the C-SportLounge, and as the name suggests leans towards sportiness more than luxury.

The exterior of the C-SportLounge certainly looks the part, with an aggressive front-end punctuated by air vents and oversized triangular headlights. The lights spear back over the flared front arch to lead into the aluminium B-pillar. The rear doors open backwards, Mazda RX-8 style, allowing a single large opening into the cockpit.

Despite the MPV-like one-box shape, the interior seats only four people, with acres of space and four individual seats. The steering wheel, centre console and paddle shift all move as one to keep all controls equidistant from each other. As expected, the instruments are concept car cool, and the huge windscreen and glass roof serve to offer the occupants a light and airy atmosphere. Though the seats and overall style is of a sporty car, Citroen has gone to great lengths to give the interior a luxury car feel.

So what does the C-SportLounge mean to the man on the street? Well, the Picasso MPV is long overdue an update, and this concept car may well hint at some of the new car's design features. The boomerang-shaped rear lights are becoming a bit of a Citroen design hallmark, and the French company is finally returning to its daring roots, with unique new cars such as the C6. This concept bodes well for the next Citroen MPV. Let's hope it has more than four seats though.

Shane O' Donoghue - 11 Aug 2005