Space monster

WHEN car manufacturers unveil their latest to the motoring press then, generally, the presentation speeches overflow with superlatives, whether it is the technical staff or marketing teams making the pitch. It is expected of them, of course, and most of the time it is pretty tedious stuff.

However, there is one manufacturer's UK press and marketing department where most of the rules are broken. This is at Citroen, where the press officers adopt an amusing and generally theatrical approach, with lots of cross-floor banter, yet still provide the all-important message that Citroen bosses want the Press to hear.

Take the launch of the C5 estate. After raving on about how the C5 had the biggest boot in its class, capable of carrying everything plus the kitchen sink, there suddenly appeared one of the country's strongest men clutching a large washing machine to his chest, which he popped into the boot... effortlessly.

It was an important point, and cleverly made.

On another occasion earlier this year, when the saloon version was unveiled, the Press presentation was "ambushed" by a well-known comedian, who cried out in disbelief with wicked humour at many of the sales points being made, before being eventually "won-over".

However, it has to be said that most of the superlatives used to introduce the C5 are not over the top. In the case of the estate, they are all pretty well justified.

The estate market in this country is fast-growing, for example a 50-per cent increase over the last five years, with overall sales expected to top 75,000 this year alone. Customers thinking about entering the estate space race have an incredible choice, whether it is from Ford, Volkswagen or Renault, all of whom have launched estates in recent months.

Citroen alone is offering 17 models in its C5 range, 10 of them economical diesels and seven petrol, altogether spanning four specification levels, the LX with prices ranging from £15,595 to £18,000, the SX priced from £17,095 to £20,700, the Exclusive priced between £18,580 to £21,900 and the Exclusive SE with a starting price of £21,880 rising to the flagship £25,200.

Where the C5 estate stands out from its competitors is in its technology. For example, all the models feature the touch-button sill height adjustment, an opening tailgate window, as well as a combined parcel shelf and retractable boot cover.

Loading the 663-litre boot is made easy using the height adjusting button which sits in the boot area. With the sill height at its lowest, the driver only has to lift a heavy or awkward load 493mm off the ground and into the boot. On the other hand, when loading a heavy item off a platform or trolley, the sill height can be set at 653mm. When the hatchback or rear window is closed the sill height returns to its normal height of 564mm. In measurements that most oldies can understand, the total height variation is 6.5-inches. Incidentally, the sill is protected by a metal finisher, built to withstand severe knocks.

And if the boot alone is not big enough, then by folding down the rear seats, the space can be increased to a cavernous 1,658-litres.

The boot area features a reversible boot mat, with a hard-wearing washable finish on one side and carpet on the other, a floor mounted net for keeping a firm grip on loose objects and securing straps, as well as a couple of hidden compartments. There is also a strong vertical net, that can be fixed behind either the front or rear seats, to stop loose items flying forwards in the event of emergency braking.

Unfortunately, I was not provided with a washing machine to test the estate's carrying capabilities, but playing with the boot-hoist button provided a few minutes' entertainment.

On top of all this, Citroen has given the C5 estate a self-levelling suspension, called Hydractive 3, which automatically lowers the vehicle at motorway speeds to improve aerodynamics, stability and economy.

The estate's engines, four petrol and three diesel, include direct injection petrol, common rail (clean and economical) direct injection diesel, many of them matched to sequential, or clutchless, automatic gearboxes.

Depending on what is wanted, the power range is wide and useful: for example the petrol runners are a 117hp 1.8i 16V unit, a 138hp 2.0i 16V engine, an advanced 143hp 2.0-litre HPi direct injection and a a range-topping 210hp 3.0-litre V6.

However, nowhere has the growth in estate popularity been registered more than with diesels, and Citroen is offering three for the estate, all clean and therefore likely to benefit from tax rebate: a frugal 90hp 2.0-litre HDi, the 110hp 2.0-litre HDi as well as a ultra clean 136hp 2.2-litre HPi direct injection.

Like the saloon model, the estate C5 is an excellent performer, with an impressive ride quality.

The entire estate range features a three-year warranty, 12-year anti-corrosion warranty and three-year paint warranty along with extended service intervals of 20,000 miles for the petrol engines and 12,500 for diesels.

Also fleet managers should be attracted to a reduction of 40 per cent servicing costs over 100,000 miles in comparison to the Xantia estate that it replaces. Also insurance ratings start five groups lower than the Xantia.

Compared with the saloon version, the estate is 14cms (5.5-inches) longer, but otherwise shares all that makes the C5 a very interesting car to own and drive.

For example features include light sensitive headlamps, remote control operation of the windows and sunroof, sunlight sensitive air conditioning, folding wing mirrors, voice activated satellite navigation and well as a number of optional extras including on-board computer, low tyre pressure with overspeed warning, and Trafficmaster Oracle, the system designed to alert to traffic jams ahead.

Overall, the C5 is a big car, with a long wheelbase, wide track and exceptional height. It is taller than the Xantia by 76 millimetres.