Citroen is getting ever closer to the production of a small crossover with the Cactus show car, the second time we’ve seen the name appear on one of the automaker’s concepts.
Though a very different proposition than the C-Cactus unveiled at the 2007 edition of the German show, the Cactus is a more realistic — and production feasible — next step in Citroen’s vision for a small eco-friendly vehicle that harkens back to its roots. This is also why an image of the company’s founder, Andre Citroen, is tattooed on the front seat.
We caught up with Citroen design director Thierry Metroz on the show floor and he confirmed that the concept is 90 percent production ready. The new car is slated to be called the C4 Cactus when it launches early next year.
While this concept is less of a flight of fancy for the French automaker than its C-Cactus precursor, we can’t help but think of the iconic Mehari when we see the Cactus. It has some very interesting, utilitarian design elements that are designed in a way that renders it simple, thoughtful and appealing, though without feeling cheap — something we can’t say about the Mehari.
Watch our exclusive video interview with the Cactus concept’s project manager Mark LLoyd.
