Citroen Launches Xsara Picasso
The New Citroen Xsara Picasso – An Alternative to the Sedan
The New Citroen Picasso was officially launched tonight by Datuk Seri Dr. Lim Keng Yaik, Minister of Energy, Water and Communications, in the French Embassy at Jalan Ampang. Also present of course was the French Ambassador to Malaysia, H.E Jacques Lapouge. After the usual speeches, the Citroen Xsara Picasso was unveiled in a flurry of smoke and flying giant balloons, to the delight of more than 300 guests gathered on the lawn of the French Embassy. Preceding the launch was an ‘invasion’ by a group of male dancers dressed as jungle warriors, who brandished burning torches and demonstrated some fire-breathing acts. This was followed by a more modern group of girls in can-cans and tinsel; much more pleasing to the eye.
Fully imported from Citroen as a CBU, the Citroen Xsara Picasso is classified as an MPV, and is a full 5-seater, unique in that it actually has 5 individual seats, two for the driver and front passenger, and three at the rear, in a row. Twelve attractive colours are available, but the popular colours are silver, red, and light green. Launched a couple of years ago in France, the Citroen Xsara Picasso underwent a face-lift in the beginning of this year. It was only available in left hand drive until recently and explains why there was such a long delay between the original launch in France and it’s introduction here.
At a press conference held after the unveiling, Mr. Tham Kien Wah, General Manager of Directional Sdn Bhd, the official importers of the Citroen Xsara Picasso, stated that the first batch of 100 units ordered for the launch have mostly been snapped up. That comes as no surprise, because the Xsara Picasso comes loaded with specifications that are almost too good to be true.
For starters, the engine is a DOHC 2.0 litre unit that delivers 137 horsepower at 6000 rpm, and torque is respectable at 190Nm at 4100 rpm. The gearbox features an automatic transmission with a manual shift option, and a sports mode for more exuberant driving. In addition, the auto gearbox is auto-adaptive, and can adapt itself to suit individual driving styles. In practice, it translates into more positive transmission of power to the road, and better response to throttle demands.
The suspension is a legacy from the successful ZX series, and handling was found to be excellent during a media preview test drive held recently. Brakes are ventilated discs at the front, and drums at the rear. ABS is standard.
In terms of looks, the Citroen Xsara Picasso is an attractive vehicle. Its unconventional shape makes it stand out; it is an MPV, yet it does not look like one. The beautiful thing about it is that the shape kind of grows on you, and the longer you look at it, the better it looks. At RM110,000 (price on the road), it does offer a very good value proposition, and if you are looking at buying a 2.0 litre sedan, you might want to take a look at this baby too. More on the Picasso when we do a full test.
