Citroen Supercars

Written by Luke@Shmee150

Citroen has released some impressive concepts in the last few years. Let’s take a look at a couple of my favourites: the Survolt and GTbyCitroen.

Citroen Survolt

Looking at the Survolt, Citroen’s electric supercar concept that debuted in Geneva in 2010, my first impression is that the Batmobile had a lovechild with the Volkswagen Beetle. This may not sound like the most flattering of descriptions, nor the most pleasant of unions, but the result is rather impressive.

The Survolt is all muscle and bold curves, with its chunky front and rear, low stance and sweeping roofline. It’s a car you’d expect to make a big noise when the engine starts and produce breathtaking power. Well, being electric it doesn’t sound impressive, but it certainly delivers on performance. Citroen has big motorsport ambitions for the Survolt – they’ve endowed it with 300bhp electric motors that take the car from 0-62mph in under 5.0 seconds and reach a top speed of 160mph.

Citroen has pitched the Survolt as the beginning of its new vision that “embodies a previously unthinkable alliance” – namely eco-friendliness and performance. The combination of impeccable environmental credentials and this sort of power on a racing car means that a greener future is looking pretty good, even for the pessimists. You can have a look at the Survolt here:

GTbyCitroen is the product of a collaboration between Citroen and Polyphony Digital – the firm behind Gran Turismo. Initially intended for the computer screen, the GT was meant to thrill gamers, but Citroen decided to go ahead and build the real thing anyway.

Like the Survolt, GTbyCitroen looks suitably futuristic. Taut lines and a low stance give you the impression of looking at a vehicle that is sitting on an explosion of power, which could be unleashed at any moment. It’s so aerodynamic that the roofline is almost flat and the mobile rear spoiler and

air diffuser actively reduce drag.

The engine start-up doesn’t disappoint. There is a guttural roar followed by a constant purr, then the GT leaps into action. The 560bhp V8 engine has no official figures attached to it, but rumour suggests a 0-62mph of 4 seconds. Driving it is like a NASA sponsored operation – only the pedal layout shares a similarity with other road-going cars. You can see the GT in action here:

You won’t find either of these in a dealership like Parks Citroen anytime soon, but these concepts may give birth to a future design language for Citroen.


by Luke