Citroën announced today that it has teamed up with the Marine nationale to celebrate its 400th anniversary and, to mark the occasion, has unveiled the C3 Aircross Marine nationale show car, a rugged and adventurous version of the C3 Aircross, designed for operations in extreme conditions.
The teams at Citroën Design and the Marine nationale have devised a design inspired by the naval world. The bodywork is painted in a deep storm blue, chosen for its ability to evoke the ocean, and the grey roof to recall the colour of ship hulls. This contrasts with the roof, finished in glossy light grey – a reference to the white foam in a ship’s wake and cloudy seaside skies.
Graphic customization includes a black sticker bearing the message ‘400 years of the Marine nationale‘ are positioned in the door sills and tricolour anchor adorned cockades decorate the c-pillars.
Further naval styling elements give it an adventurous look whilst also serving a practical purpose, such as its redesigned bumpers, slatted fog lights (a direct nod to the lamps used by sailors to communicate in Morse code between ships), widened wheel arches with 17 -inch wheels fitted with 275 mm knobbly tires and a roof rack designed to carry diving equipment.
This functional approach extends even to the accessories: the tow hooks have been redesigned to mimic the shape of boat mooring cleats, whilst the straps are a distinctive Infra Red colour, signalling their functional role with immediate visual clarity.
Citroën’s signature InfraRed colour is featured on the exterior logo as well as on the logo on the steering wheel. The highly stylish interior offers an immersive and sensory experience, with direct references to life on board submarines.
It is at night that the experience truly comes into its own: the cabin is then illuminated in a deep red, emulating the lighting used on board submarines to help the crew maintain their sense of the day/night cycle. The light grey fabric used on the upper part of the seats has been specially designed to reflect the red night -time light, creating a striking visual effect that immerses passengers in a uniform, hushed atmosphere. The seat cushions are embossed with a pattern that evokes comfort. ‘400 years’ logos in PVC – giving a nod to the world of sportswear – personalize the front seats while a tricolour blue -white -red trim borders the dashboard, adding a subtle institutional touch that ties the entire interior design together.
Citroën is proud to point out that this show car remains true to its DNA: devising bold, meaningful concepts that are firmly rooted in real-world use.
The choice of the C3 Aircross is no coincidence. It highlights the qualities of this compact yet very spacious and robust SUV, which can accommodate up to seven people in a length of 4.40 metres and is available with a range of powertrain options.
Design Team:
- Alicia Kate Mouilleron, Design Project Manager
- Antoine Gaillot, Head of Advanced Design
- Armand Hervé, Interior Designer
- Alix Bovy, CMF Designer (Colour, Material & Finish)