The humble second-gen C3's small petrol engines weren't pure PSA — Citroën co-developed its "Prince" engine family with an unlikely partner: BMW.
Lead trim: 1.1i 8V · up to 118 hp
Citroën C3SC · 2009–2016
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Citroën C3 yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThe humble second-gen C3's small petrol engines weren't pure PSA — Citroën co-developed its "Prince" engine family with an unlikely partner: BMW.
Revealed on 29 June 2009 and shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show that September, with a new body, a 108-degree panoramic windscreen (except on the entry VT) and lights, bonnet and dashboard components shared with the DS3. It is longer and wider than the old car, built on the PSA PF1 platform at Poissy and Aulnay (Porto Real in Brazil to 2020), with a drag coefficient of 0.307 and, in the instrument display, no temperature gauge but a red/blue warning lamp. The old TU engines were carried over, joined by the new "Prince" range developed with BMW: double-overhead-cam 16-valve VTi engines with on-demand oil and water pumps and BMW injection and ignition technology. Euro NCAP scored the 1.4 diesel 83% for adult occupants in 2009. A 100 PS 1.6 HDi with a five-speed gearbox joined by 2016, and the third generation replaced it.
Collectors Spotted in the Citroën C3 Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Citroën C3 yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
7 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1i 8V | 2009–2016 | 1.1 L Inline-4 | 60 hp | 70 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
| 1.4 HDi 8V diesel | 2009–2016 | 1.4 L Inline-4 | 69 hp | 118 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
| 1.4 VTi 16V | 2009–2016 | 1.4 L Inline-4 | 94 hp | 100 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
| 1.4i 8V | 2009–2016 | 1.4 L Inline-4 | 74 hp | 87 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
| 1.6 HDi 16V diesel (110 PS) | 2009–2015 | 1.6 L Inline-4 | 108 hp | 199 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
| 1.6 HDi 16V diesel (90 PS) | 2009–2016 | 1.6 L Inline-4 | 89 hp | 170 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
| 1.6 VTi 16V | 2009–2016 | 1.6 L Inline-4 | 118 hp | 118 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
This is the first C3 ever built with Citroën’s Advanced Comfort Suspension and seats — decades into the nameplate, Citroën finally gave it the comfort tech the brand is known for.
The C3 sold in India and Latin America shares a name but not a platform with Europe's — built on Stellantis's low-cost Smart Car Platform instead, completely unrelated underneath.
The humble second-gen C3's small petrol engines weren't pure PSA — Citroën co-developed its "Prince" engine family with an unlikely partner: BMW.
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