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    Citroen rethinks small cars with tiny six-seat supermini

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    Citroën has revealed a tiny, innovative six-seat family car that aims to prove that "the return of the MPV is absolutely not boring".Called the ELO – its name taken from the second letters of rest, play and work – the radical new concept shows how car interiors can be reinvented to offer impressive levels of space and flexibility in a compact footprint.At 4.1 metres long, the ELO is shorter than even Citroën's current C3 city car, but has room for one more passenger and even has a back seat as wide as that in the flagship C5 Aircross SUV.Unwrapping the show car at Citroën's Paris HQ, company boss Xavier Chardon hailed it as a statement of intent for how the brand plans to challenge the established conventions of car design as it moves into a new era."Everybody thought that the MPV would be dead because they have SUVs," he said, adding that such cars are generally perceived to be "cooler, fresher, younger..."But Citroën, he added, "is shaping habits and coming with new entrants" which aim to serve as alternatives to SUVs and crossovers, with smaller footprints but similarly practical and roomy cabins - as demonstrated by the ELO."It is the perfect manifesto for how life can feel better with Citroën."That sentiment was echoed by head designer Pierre Leclerc, who said the ELO follows in the footsteps of the legendary 2CV people's car – and latterly the diminutive Ami city car – in using a novel interior concept to "create an incredible lifestyle"."All the studies show us that people want their car as a third place to live, because they want freedom but also privacy," he said. Skoda Elroq 9 Skoda Elroq Toyota bZ4X 7 Toyota bZ4X BMW iX3 BMW iX3 Mercedes C-Class 8 Mercedes C-Class Used McLaren 570S 2015-2019 review 10 Used McLaren 570S 2015-2019 review View all car reviews"The brief of this project was very simple: we wanted to revolutionise the interior in a very small platform."One of the headline features of this radical new cabin concept is a novel three-by-three interior configuration, with a McLaren F1-style central driving position.Leclerq said this is a logical format for urban motoring – "if you're in the centre, you're going to have good visibility towards the outside" – and added that it can be a boon on longer trips, too: "The kids want to drive next to mama or papa when they go on vacation."The driver's seat features its own suspension, in the form of foam blocks inside its frame, and comes with a desk attachment for working on the go. The front passenger chairs, meanwhile, can be removed and stowed inside the rear row when they aren't needed.The rear seats were inspired by the pop-out camping furniture stocked by French sporting goods retailer Decathlon, with which Citroën collaborated to design the ELO. Although the row of seats itself is fixed, the bases can be removed and feature fold-out legs for use outside the car.The seatbacks can be folded flat too, providing a floor for a pair of single mattresses suspended from the ELO's ceiling. The same hooks that support these mattresses can also be used to fit a projector screen for watching films while inside the car.Citroën said its intention is for the ELO to function as a "base camp". As such, plug sockets and an air pump are integrated into the flanks of the floor, accessible while the sliding doors are open, and an awning can be mounted across these doors to provide shade.Meanwhile, the extrusions on the front and rear running lights are topped with a grid-like anti-slip surface, enabling them to be used as trays for dinner plates.The same texture is used on the top of the dashboard, so phones can be placed vertically next to the driver while they are connected to the ELO's wide head-up display screen.But Citroën contends that there is no traditional 'dashboard' as such. The driver is instead cocooned by the fascia into their own compartment, with the front passengers offset slightly behind this panel.Physical buttons have been kept to a minimum. The electric motor starter and hazard light switch are mounted on the steering column, while secondary functions are controlled using a pair of video game-style joysticks that are mounted on the steering wheel.According to Citroën, providing a large glasshouse to let lots of natural light into the interior - was a priority for the ELO, manifesting in a bubble-like front screen and a low shoulder line.Citroën wouldn't comment on the production potential of the ELO, as parent firm Stellantis has yet to confirm whether its current or future electric car platforms could support the six-seat layout.It does, however, build on the innovative thinking started with the Oli concept in 2022 and could have significant ramifications for Citroën's sibling brands. Fiat, for example, used three-by-three seating in the 1998 Multipla and a production version of the ELO could open the door for a retro revival of that cult-classic family hauler.Chardon said the concept "conveys our vision of what Citroën should be", with the brand having suffered something of an identity crisis in recent years. Chardon previously admitted to Autocar that there is confusion around the brand's positioning, and the ELO appears to be intended to answer many of these questions."It ticks all the boxes of what has been the brand's DNA for more than 100 years and what I want to nurture in the coming years: creative, bold, accessible, responsible, ingenious and dedicated to wellbeing," said Chardon.Join our WhatsApp community and be the first to read about the latest news and reviews wowing the car world. Our community is the best, easiest and most direct place to tap into the minds of Autocar, and if you join you’ll also be treated to unique WhatsApp content. You can leave at any time after joining - check our full privacy policy here.As part of Autocar’s news desk, Charlie plays a key role in the title’s coverage of new car launches and industry events. He’s also a regular contributor to its social media channels, creating content for Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook and Twitter.Charlie joined Autocar in July 2022 after a nine-month stint as an apprentice with sister publication What Car?, during which he acquired his gold-standard NCTJ diploma with the Press Association.He is the proud owner of a Mk4 Mazda MX-5 but still feels pangs of guilt over selling his first car, a Fiat Panda 100HP." Chardon previously admitted to Autocar that there is confusion around the brand's positioning," That's what happens when a once innovative brand, is relagated to being a budget brand to compete with Dacia.Yes, I must admit that I would almost certainly buy it...if it were like that.  The trouble is that such concept cars NEVER make it to fruition...EVER!  I am led to believe that these exercises are merely design and practicality musings, but I still don't really grasp why companies bother to spend money and time promoting them.  All they ever do is act as a wind-up.  'Look, this is what we can do...but we're not gonna.' Skoda Elroq 9 Skoda Elroq Toyota bZ4X 7 Toyota bZ4X BMW iX3 BMW iX3 Mercedes C-Class 8 Mercedes C-Class Used McLaren 570S 2015-2019 review 10 Used McLaren 570S 2015-2019 review View all car reviews
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