Citroen has joined forces with a leading Australian surfing brand to create a new flagship that gets “enhanced exterior styling and a unique interior design” as standard.
Called the ‘C3 Aircross Rip Curl’, order books are now open and prices start at £23,815 for a model that replaces ‘Shine Plus’ as the range-topper in the small crossover line-up.
The car is the third collaboration between the Rip Curl brand and the C3 Aircross SUV range. This new 2022 ‘Rip Curl’ version is based on the existing ‘Shine Plus’ trim, with additional styling and interior upgrades.
On the outside, the new ‘Rip Curl’ model comes with 17-inch ‘Origami’ black alloy wheels, plus all-season tyres for added grip. Aimed at water sport enthusiasts, Citroen says this imbues confidence “in the most challenging of driving conditions” and can be increased by specifying the company’s e-based ‘Grip Control’ system with hill descent control.
An ‘Anodised Blue’ colour pack consisting of blue skid plate inserts at the front and blue door mirrors is paired with ’Rip Curl’ decals around the exterior. Customers have four body colours to choose from, ranging from ‘Polar White’, ‘Perla Nera Black’, ‘Platinum Grey’ and ‘Cumulus Grey’.
The blue colour theme of the exterior continues inside, with ‘Rip Curl’ sapphire blue leather-effect and cloth upholstery, and ‘Urban Blue Ambience’ present within the cabin.
Citroen’s ‘Advanced Comfort’ seats, the dashboard, centre console and air vent surrounds all feature blue splashes of colour, with the bespoke blue floor mats unique to ‘Rip Curl’ models.
Other standard features on the C3 Aircross Rip Curl include a panoramic sunroof with an electric sunblind, a ‘Sight and Sound’ pack incorporating an up-graded stereo, a colour head-up display and part digital driver binnacle.
In terms of engine choice, a 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder turbo petrol in two states of tune are available: the ‘PureTech 110’ version is mated to a 6-speed manual and the ‘PureTech 130’ a 6-speed automatic. A 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder turbo diesel is also an option and is available exclusively with a 6-speed manual.
