Calling a very small car a "roller skate" has been an ongoing joke for many years. We've been hearing it since the days of the Nash Metropolitan, through the Geo Metro years, right on up through today, many times in reference to the smart fortwo. Judging from the photograph above, though, somebody has gone and taken the joke to a whole new level.

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We're driving, driving, driving like it's nineteen-ninety-nine. Well, not exactly, but Citroën says that owners of its cars in the UK may actually be driving for less money per mile on average than they did eight years ago. Here in the states, gas was über-cheap in the year 2K, but in the UK, where both petrol and diesel has always been more expensive, the price was quite a bit steeper due to fuel protests in September of that year. In fact, Citroën claims that the increased efficiency of its models more than makes up for the increase in the price of gas that took place between the year 2000 and today, even when adjusted for inflation.

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Now that the 2008 Beijing Motor Show is underway, we’re getting a chance to see how a lot of those sketches and renderings we saw ahead of the festivities translate into actual cars. One of the concepts we were curious about was the collaborative effort between Citroën and sports apparel maker Kappa. Not only is the red-and-white C2 Kappa concept faithful to the drawing released last month, it’s also pretty cool.The C2 Kappa is lowered and fully kitted, sporting a unique front fascia that tones down the base car’s oversized headlamps and adds aggressive Kappa-emblazoned grillework below the bumper.

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Citroen has picked up double honours at this year’s What Diesel awards, taking home the Best MPV accolade for its Grand C4 Picasso for the second year running. The Company also won the newest and coveted title of Best Green Manufacturer, in recognition of its impressive environmental credentials.

Up against Ford’s S-Max and the Mazda5, Citroen’s Grand C4 Picasso clinched the Best MPV title, with the judges heaping praise on the car’s style, practicality, sophistication and build quality. After the Citroen C4 Picasso’s 2007 Car of the Year win, this year’s success further underlines Citroen’s expertise in manufacturing exceptional family vehicles.

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The new Citroen C5 is closely based on the C5 Airscape concept, first seen at the 2008 Frankfurt show. And in design terms it is very obviously influenced by the Teutonic feel of the Airscape.

Mechanically it is closely related to the C6, however, so in essence what we’re talking about is a cheaper, more traditional-looking version of the excellent (and quirky) C6.

In its marketing spiel for the C5, Citroën claims its new Mondeo rival is “Reassuringly German. Unmistakably Citroën.” Considering how overtly ‘French’ Citroën has appeared over the years, it’s surprising and perhaps also a touch disappointing to discover the influence of Germany within the genes of the all-new C5.

Look closely and you can detect it in most aspects of the car. Not merely in its admittedly handsome Teutonic looks but also in its marketing thrust, its interior… you name it, the C5 oozes with calculated Germanic appeal.

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Citroen has today released a facelifted version of their C2 small car in Europe. The Citroen C2 has been on the market since 2003 selling more than 480,000 units to date. The Citroen C2 facelift follows the Citroen C3 Pluriel and C8.

The C2 is from now on equipped with a restyled and slightly larger lower-front bumper, now featuring dual-color inserts while a new chrome strip surrounds the grille. A new exterior color is added into the mix too, Manitoba Grey.

The Citroen C2 also receives one technology upgrade, the 1.4 liter 16v 90 hp petrol powered C2 now comes with Citroen's Stop&Start system. The Stop&Start feature will shut down an idle engine (for instance at a traffic light) and restart again when the driver lifts the brake pedal. Citroen claims that this technology will save city drivers up to 10% in fuel, during rush-hour traffic even up to 15%. The Citroen C2 will from now on also be available with the HDi 110 FAP engine. This diesel powered C2 will be one of the marques most economical cars, needing just 4.4 liters of diesel per 100 km (or 53 mpg) while emitting 119 g/km of CO2.

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French carmakers Peugeot and Citroen could be developing a second SUV model based around Mitsubishi running gear, just as they did with the current 4007 and C7 cars which are based on the Outlander midsize SUV. Mitsubishi is planning to launch its own compact SUV along the lines of last year’s Concept-cX and this is the vehicle that will likely spawn sister-versions for the French carmakers.

Peugeot is also working on a new crossover model based on its 308 hatch but this car will be positioned as a premium product and will be able to seat seven. Likely to be called the 3008, the new SUV would be offered in both FWD and AWD configurations and would be aimed at rival soft-roaders like the Toyota’s new Urban Cruiser and Ford’s Kuga. Mitsubishi’s Concept-cX featured an ultra-clean 1.9L turbodiesel engine as well as the carmaker’s new dual clutch SST automated manual transmission. The new model will enter production early next year at Mitsubishi’s Okazaki plant in Japan alongside its Outlander big brother.

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In recent years Citroën has created an exceptional range of new models that have been both praised and rewarded for their visual appeal, accomplished design, environmental credentials, innovative technology and reassuring safety features.

Amongst the latest models, the C4 Picasso has become the benchmark family MPV; the C-Crosser is recognised as one of the most stylish 4x4s on the market, the C1 as one of the most environmentally friendly cars available, and the super sleek C6 heralded as one of the safest cars on the road today, as well as being one of the most distinctive looking.

Now Citroën is making business and family motoring even more alluring as it introduces the brand new C5. Benefiting from a completely new approach by Citroën’s designers, the spacious C5 is the successful combination of French flair with Teutonic-like levels of quality, coupled with the highest standards of comfort, innovation and in-car technology for which the Company is renowned.

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Keen to dip a toe into the thriving small 4x4 segment, the PSA group have been canny enough to minimise its exposure to risk.

Instead of gambling millions of Euros on developing an SUV from scratch it struck a deal with Japanese firm Mitsubishi for rights to rebadge the Outlander.

Good plan, but there was a problem. The diesel lurking under the Mitsubishi bonnet had been borrowed from arch-enemy Volkswagen, something that didn't rest easy with a French firm that prides itself on its own diesel engines. There was only one solution: the Outlander was re-engineered to take the firm's 156bhp 2.2 HDI.

As well as the new engine Citroen tweaked the suspension to suit European roads, while inside, the cabin plastics were upgraded.

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Citroen really has got junior MPVs down to a fine art. The C4 Picasso represents attractive and innovative fam­ily transport, and it’s great value, too.

But the French firm believes there is room for a more exclusive variant – one that blends all the style with greater luxury. Enter the new range-topping C4 Picasso Lounge.

Designed solely for sale in the UK market, the Lounge is only available with the 2.0-litre HDi diesel engine mated to a six-speed automatic trans­mission. It adds £1,900 to the price of the Exclusive model on which it’s based – which means the newcomer weighs in at a rather hefty £23,995.

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Citroen is to launch its C5 Tourer estate. The new-generation C5 saloon goes on sale in the UK 1 April, and the Tourer will follow in June.

Just like the four-door, the Tourer has been comprehensively restyled, with a curvier outline and a wider, roomier cabin. The Tourer is 5cm longer than the saloon, and 6.5cm longer than the outgoing C5 estate - already a cavernous load-lugger.

The new C5 is built on a shortened version of the C6 saloon's underpinnings (with some elements shared with the Peugeot 607) and is an altogether larger, more upmarket-feeling car than its predecessor but still uses 60% of its components. Petrol engines for the range will be a 127bhp 1.8, a 143bhp 2.2 and a 215bhp 3.0 V6, though the V6 may not be offered in the UK.

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Citroe?n has today revealed the new Citroe?n C2-R2 MAX. The car is aimed at motorsport customers, and will be sold in kit form by Citroe?n Sport’s customer division. Before taking to the world’s special stages, Simon Jean-Joseph and Se?bastien Ogier launched the all-new C2-R2 MAX at Satory’s Val d’Or circuit.

The new car, which will be homologated by the FIA on the 1st March 2008, was designed to the new FIA ‘Group R’ regulations. Jean-Franc?ois Lie?ne?re?, Citroe?n Sport’s customer competition manager, explained: « We felt that it was necessary to expand the range of our competition cars, as we saw a gap between our two best-selling C2 rally variants: the C2 Super 1600 and the C2-R2.

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A trio of special editions are on the way from Citroen – take a look at the firm’s new Code models. Based on the top-spec versions of teh C1, C2 and C3 Pluriel, the special editions come with leather trim, alloy wheels and chrome interior trim.

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Citroën is taking the Compact MPV to new levels of luxury with the introduction of the Lounge, a very special edition of the Company’s multi-award winning C4 Picasso, created uniquely for the UK market. The marque’s popular family car has been given a prestigious upgrade to create a stylish and distinctive vehicle that combines a sleek and dynamic exterior with a spacious and luxurious interior.

Perfect for those looking to travel in style, the C4 Picasso Lounge is full of exclusive equipment such as full black leather upholstery for the four large individual armchair style seats, chrome wheels and a vast panoramic sunroof to ensure that Citroen’s top of the range Lounge stands out from the crowd.

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Citroen is putting its new 173bhp/295 lb ft 2.2 HDI diesel engine in the C8 large MPV. It's good for 122mph, 0-60mph in 11.7 seconds, 34.4mpg and 218 g/km of carbon dioxide; an auto gearbox only will be offered in the UK...

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