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RAY MASSEY: Citroen's British boss looks to the future as the French car firm celebrates centenary


When Citroen launched its first car 100 years ago, many women in Britain didn’t even have the vote, never mind representation on the company’s board.

Today, the French carmaker is led by Englishwoman Linda Jackson, who has been spearheading its centenary celebrations in Paris, where I joined her to view past, present and future models.

The emphasis was on comfort. 

Future vision: Citroen's  latest concept car - the 19_19 autonomous cruiser - launched to coincide with the French firm's centenary

Future vision: Citroen’s  latest concept car – the 19_19 autonomous cruiser – launched to coincide with the French firm’s centenary

I drove the classic 2CV, created pre-war, of which more than five million were built from 1948 to 1990. Its suspension is so comfortable, you can tackle speed-humps without feeling them.

The Traction Avant, built from 1934 until 1957 and favoured by French gangsters and the occupying German Gestapo, is comfort on wheels.

As are the Citroen DS used by President De Gaulle in the Sixties, the sharply styled XM built from 1989 to 2000, and the futuristic CX favoured by ex-French premier Jacques Chirac.

Citroen is led by Englishwoman Linda Jackson who believes female customers are key, as they make up half of Citroen clients and play a part in 85% of all car purchase decisions

Citroen is led by Englishwoman Linda Jackson who believes female customers are key, as they make up half of Citroen clients and play a part in 85% of all car purchase decisions

Some 100 significant models — right up to the latest concept 19_19 autonomous cruiser and AMI One urban car-sharer — were lining a street just a croissant’s throw from the Eiffel Tower, from where Mrs Jackson explained her strategy.

She stressed: ‘We don’t want to produce a new 2CV. It was right then, but we have to progress and be innovative. 

‘Our founder Andre Citroen was a visionary. He introduced creches for women employees, and canteens. 

Ray got to drive this classic 2CV, created pre-war, of which more than five million were built from 1948 to 1990

Ray got to drive this classic 2CV, created pre-war, of which more than five million were built from 1948 to 1990

Feeling comfortable also extends into the showroom, she said: ‘Today we want to encourage more female salespersons in our showrooms. Women customers don’t like the hard sell. They find it aggressive.’ 

The Coventry-born chief executive says: ‘We want to take a much more modern approach to comfort.

It’s not just about suspension. It’s also about plenty of storage space and connectivity over the internet . . . interior design that is not cluttered, and moving away from lots of buttons.’  

The Traction Avant, built from 1934 until 1957 and favoured by French gangsters and the occupying German Gestapo, is comfort on wheels

The Traction Avant, built from 1934 until 1957 and favoured by French gangsters and the occupying German Gestapo, is comfort on wheels

She added that female customers are key, because they make up half of Citroen clients and play a part in 85 per cent of all car purchase decisions.

Caine learned to drive on the Italian Job 

Sir Michael Caine didn’t have a driving licence when he appeared in The Italian Job, he revealed at a screening of the 1969 film classic at the Mini factory in Oxford this week.

He said at the event, held to mark 60 years of the car that stars in it: ‘I learned to drive on the movie.’

Plus, as female customers tend not to like the ‘hard sell’, Citroen is planning to have more saleswomen in its showrooms. 

Citroen will soon be introducing into the UK their own women’s version of Trip Advisor, or Trust Pilot, where female customers can go online to tell the firm about their experience with dealers and rate the sales person.

There will also be a shift away from car ownership towards car-sharing, Linda believes.

  • Some 100 talented women in the motor industry were also honoured in London this week, at Autocar magazine’s Great British Women In The Car Industry: Rising Stars awards 2019. Ford’s Emma King was the overall winner.

Peugeot to launch an electric  2008 suv

Peugeot is planning to electrify Britain’s compact SUV market with its 2008 range (above).

Peugeot's fully electric e-2008 is expected to start at around £27,000 once the maximum government grant of £3,500 for 'green' low-emission cars has been deducted

Peugeot’s fully electric e-2008 is expected to start at around £27,000 once the maximum government grant of £3,500 for ‘green’ low-emission cars has been deducted

Buyers have the choice of petrol, diesel and a new, all-electric battery-powered e-2008, when they hit UK roads early next year.

The fully electric e-2008 is expected to start at around £27,000 once the maximum government grant of £3,500 for ‘green’ low-emission cars has been deducted.

The all-electric e-2008 crossover is powered by a 100kW electric motor and a 50kWh battery, giving it a range of 193 miles.

Nissan’s electric ice-cream van

Here’s a scoop: Nissan has unveiled an electric ice-cream van that doesn’t pollute as it serves up cones and wafers.

The carmaker has teamed up with the environmentally aware ice-cream maker Mackie’s of Scotland to provide a ‘green’ vehicle they think will take some licking.

Cool runnings: Unlike traditional ice-cream vans that run their diesel engines on idle to supply power, the Nissan uses lithium ion battery packs.

Cool runnings: Unlike traditional ice-cream vans that run their diesel engines on idle to supply power, the Nissan uses lithium ion battery packs.

‘Mr Whipp-E’ (left) is based on a Nissan e-NV200 van and starts at £32,700. With a range of 124 miles, it is equipped with a ‘soft-serve’ ice cream machine, fridge, freezer and solar panels.

Unlike traditional ice-cream vans that run their diesel engines on idle to supply power, the Nissan uses lithium ion battery packs. 

And instead of chimes, it will silently ‘tweet’ its location on social media. It comes as some councils seek to ban idling diesel ice-cream vans to reduce harmful emissions.

 

 



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