Opel will build Citroen C5 successor

[GB]

Opel will build Citroen C5 successor

RENNES, France -- General Motors Co.'s Opel unit will build the Citroen C5 successor as part of the U.S. automaker's alliance with PSA/Peugeot-Citroen, according to an official at the French company.

Under current plans, production of the replacement C5 midsized sedan will move to a GM plant, Jean-Luc Perrard, head of PSA's factory in Rennes, France, told regional newspaper Ouest France.

Rennes builds the C5, alongside the Citroen C6 and Peugeot 508 midsized cars. Production volume was 182,300 last year.

Perrard did not say which Opel factory would build the C5 replacement, codenamed the X8. Opel's plant in Ruesselsheim, Germany, builds the brand's Insignia midsized car.

Perrard told the newspaper that the Rennes factory may build other Peugeot and Citroen models to compensate for the loss of the C5. He dismissed union fears that the factory will close in 2016 when the C5 replacement is due and said investments of 40 million euros are planned for the site.

As part of their partnership, GM and PSA have previously said that midsized cars such as the Opel Insignia and Citroen C5 and Peugeot 508 would draw on GM platforms while subcompact cars such as the Opel Corsa and Citroen C3 would be based on PSA technology.

A PSA spokesman said that plans have yet to be finalized. "The alliance working groups will communicate their final plans before the end of the year," the spokesman said. "It is too early to draw any conclusions."

PSA employs 5,500 people at Rennes, compared with about 12,000 workers there over three years ago, which makes it likely that PSA is on track to close the plant, a union official told Automotive News Europe.



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[SaabC5]

Oh well, thats the beginning of the end for Citroen then.....look how they managed to kill off Saab in 10 years by gradually taking away all that made Saab individual. Look for a sterilised Citroen made from the leftover parts bin from GM in the near future.

[Norlander]

When we eventually need to replace our present cars (ZX and C5 mk.1),
looks like we will have to go Skoda. Don't want a GM car any more than gm-crops!

[Peter.N.]

Do you think it will have nice bouncy suspension like the '50s american cars?

Peter

[GB]

And according to German Auto Bild magazine this is what it's supposed to look like

[Northern_Mike]

I don't worry about the future of Citroen. It's perfectly safe. Should we be worried about Ford, or Vauxhall or Fiat because they share parts and platforms? I think not...

Saab were the master of their own demise. Their range, when GM bought in was outdated - don't get me wrong, I loved all 4 of my Saab 900 T16s, especially the tweaked Ruby with 225BHP... but by 1992/3, they were outdated, didn't handle that well at all compared to modern sports saloons or hatches (a C900 is longer than a Xantia!). Then when GM bought in, they should have stuck to the game plan and just made money for a few years, instead of trying to develop more weird stuff that people didn't want. They were given figures to stick to, ignored them, and went bust. The 2003 9-5 HOT Aero was actually not a bad car - a guy at work was selling one before xmas and I thought about buying it. The rear end didn't handle at all though. Great engine, poor execution. Much like the C900 really - the gearbox was woefully weak even in the non-turbo cars, the driving position was odd, they were too narrow, and rotted in odd places. I loved them though...

[red_dwarfers]

It is a shame that all this platform sharing is going on. I'm sure there are many upsides and I realise things change due to demand but it's a pity that I won't be able to look a the C5 replacement and say 'PSA designed and built most of that'.

I haven't done much research into it yet but I guess this is similar in some respects to the Peugeot takeover of Citroen. One day we're going to end up with two main companies, Valkswagensoft and Opelfruit (see what I did there )

[GB]

One day we're going to end up with two main companies, Valkswagensoft and Opelfruit (see what I did there )

And don't forget about Dongfeng (Citroen joint venture) competing with Roewe, Geely, Chery, BYD, Lifan, Chang'an, Hafei, Jianghuai, Brilliance, Maple, Landwind, Gonow and Great Wall Motors! Oh, and Long Won!

They are all competing with Chinese Citroen DongFeng C-Triomphe

And C2

And C4


I guess that explains the sudden influx of Chinese Lexia/Proxia knock offs.

PS
Rugged Citroens have good reputation in China.

[Sulla]

As long as it doesn't turn out like the Vauxhall Insignia then I wont be too fussed. Saying that I doubt I will own one for a while, when the Xantia eventually bites the dust I will have a look at a C5, it will have to be the Exclusive though as I need one with spheres.

I also quite fancy a Skoda Octavia/Superb, I have driven a few as hire cars for work and they have all been a joy to drive. Not bad looking now either!

[CitroJim]

Sad, very sad...

What's sadder is that all the designs look almost identical to each other. No individuality, no inspiration. Just endless bland functionality.

It underlines that cars are just becoming (or indeed have become) white goods, like washing machines or fridges.

Nothing to get remotely excited or passionate about, jut a box on wheels to go from A to B

Don't get me started

[myglaren]

It's all very depressing.



Without hydraulics a Citroen is just another car - white goods, as you put it Jim.

[Norlander]

There's at least two government ministers look spookily like that; guess they
must have fallen off a production line before the plasti-skin spray booth....

[charentejohn]

I assume the Citroen with the 'lowered' roof in GB's photo is left hand drive ? If not then the seat ergonomics and lumbar support are just not going to work properly at all.

Hopefully the brands will retain their reputations, here in France that is - Renault = sporty Peugeot = indestructible Citroen = design / innovation. Why I bought a Xantia, modern but with an interesting twist. My wife's new (2005) C3 I also like, so many clever touches, especially the air vents and radio controls.

The brand should be ok if GM only build them from a kit of parts / plans and don't get involved in design.

[BX]

Yeah! 1.6hdi now in Ford Mazda Volvo Fiat & Suzuki. 1.4 hdi has even wandered into the Toyota Aygo along with FORD & Mazda. Some Corollas had DW8 engines. Fiat Ducato with 2.2 Transit engine. Fiat ulysse & Scudo built by PSA. Both petrol & Diesel engines for MINI as a result of BMW-PSA cooperation. Opel 1.3, 1.9 & their latest 2.0 diesel engines from Fiat. One version of corsa on Punto platform. Opel Nissan & Renault vans totally Renault but RHD versions assembled in one of GMs factories in the UK from kits supplied from France. Mitsubishi diesel engines over the years from Mitsubishi, VW, PSA & Renault. Of course there is also the Renault-Nissan alliance. Volvo owns Renault trucks. Ford Ka - Fiat 500. Where does it end?????

[onthecut]

Only just spotted this.

Might not be too bad going with GM ---- as long as they base it on the VXR8 ! Might finally get a Cit with a proper big engine ! A Hydractive / Activa version of this properly grunty motor really would be a nice marriage. Should add, by the way, I think the VXR has the next most comfy seats I've been in since my XMs.

Mike.