[Doonite]

Originally Posted by vellatechie

You mean door handles from BMW and Porsche?
https://www.topgear.com.my/features/...in-style-again

This topic keeps on getting brought up.

Those door handles on BMW & Porsche serve the purpose of better aerodynamics and even if they didn't, they have the brand image to carry it. (Say, they are going for the retro look)

On Citreon? It's just cheap cost cutting and people should defending it IMHO.

[shresan23]

I would like to offer a polarizing opinion on this.

I kind of agree with their pricing. Citroen knows where and what they are. Mendelow worked well here i guess. Citroen knows that they are not going to create havoc here, but at the same time, they want to make the brand known to people and that is it. That seems like the medium term goal. They just want to be on the same breath as Maruti, Hyundai, Toyota, Tata, Kia, Skoda, Volkswagen.

The first base variant aims to achieve just that. Aggressively priced, to attract those, who want to experience the Coupe magic, but are not willing to shell out extra money for all the gimmicks.

The engine in Citroen is nothing to write home about. Nothing revolutionary. Just enough to fulfil the practical needs of the public.

I am starting to see what Citroen is upto here. Citroen is looking to mirror the reliabilty factor of Toyota. That is why, i think, they are wilfully omitting a few features, that are more prone to cause problems. They dont want to be yet another brand that shells out cars that mimick the existing cars. They want to make a stand and a name for themselves. While the car community might know the prowess of Citroen abroad, here, the general public, doesnt. I have spoken to multiple locals who havent heard of the brand at all. They have a clean slate here and Citroen knows that and that is why i think, they have scope here.

(sidenote. MG didnt understand that and that is why i think they arent moving according to their plan)

Also, if you take a close look at the brochure, the difference between the two turbo variants, practically, is alloy wheels and some beige leatherette and that winged headrest.

Sure it may be a bit overpriced, but where else will you get such a spacious car that has so many necessary and bling features and a turbo engine that, is no nonsense. A bit underpowered, granted, but capable and gives pretty good mileage.

(Auto AC, Android Auto and touchscreen infotainment, digital info cluster etc.,)

The hyundai and tata variant cacaphony will let you spin around in confusion, that is for sure.

Again this is not about sales numbers. Dont get me wrong. Citroen has no scope when it comes to reaching the sheer numbers of hyundai and maruti. But, they are not here to just float either.

Only time will tell.

(also, i think citroen aims to sell more of the plus variant rather than the you or the max variant. Makes more sense that way)

[shortbread]

It's essential to recognize that while Stellantis may find profitability in selling a few hundred Citroens monthly in India, exporting cars and selling engines, this approach poses significant challenges for dealers who cannot sustain their businesses by selling 5-10 Citroens every month. Citroen lacks a legacy customer base in India to support service operations, making it crucial for the brand to drive substantial sales to maintain dealership viability.

Thus, launches like Basalt are vital; they should focus on boosting showroom traffic and increasing sales volumes. Establishing a robust presence for Citroen in India hinges on developing a strong and sustainable dealership network, necessitating a strategy to significantly ramp up current sales figures. Hoping Basalt does just that.

[digitalnirvana]

Horrible pricing if I'm being honest, they never learn do they?

1. Build an also-ran product (no standout features, always half a step behind the others)
2. Launch at highly ambitious prices that cannot drive volumes
3. Steep discounts to clear inventory and dealers barely survive
4. Damage to the brand and the product

Repeat ad infinitum.

The C3 could have been my next beater car but I have no faith in a company that makes the most basic of mistakes time and time again.

[self_driven]

Originally Posted by vellatechie

You mean door handles from BMW and Porsche?

That's a very good cover-up. It makes me wonder where the large keyhole on the driver's side comes from, is that from a Ferrari 488 or a Pagani Huayra?

[Pennant1970]

Originally Posted by Sk8r

I think the flap type door handles has garnered unnecessary attention. They’re good to see and not an eye sore. Let’s move on from this.
There is more to a car more than just the type of door handles.

Used to be that the "flap type" was preferred. I had my mechanic fabricate them from metal for our Standard 10. Of course, this was in the late 1980s!

Seriously, I still prefer them - both in looks and use. Moreover, Citroen has always been known to be quirky and pathbreakers. Their specialty has always been the suspension design and settings over the years. I still dream of a DS from the 1960s!

Anyway, it's better to be different from the herd - though the herd may refrain from giving you their money!

[lemedico]

The pricing is respectable and provided the network of dealers was strong, this car would sell. However I feel this is more suited to the buyers in tier two and three cities, where the company lacks dealerships to begin with.

[W.A.G.7]

Well, the price of the variants is one aspect. I think if you like the car, you would anyway buy the appropriate variant for whatever price you can afford. For me, I still feel it is overpriced. If Citroën is thinking of a price hike in October, then unfortunately they will struggle to move even 500 units of the showroom floor as someone pointed out above. Let’s wait and watch both the Basalt and the Tata Curvv in the next 2-3 months. The future will reveal itself!

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by W.A.G.7

Well, the price of the variants is one aspect. I think if you like the car, you would anyway buy the appropriate variant for whatever price you can afford. For me, I still feel it is overpriced. If Citroën is thinking of a price hike in October, then unfortunately they will struggle to move even 500 units of the showroom floor as someone pointed out above. Let’s wait and watch both the Basalt and the Tata Curvv in the next 2-3 months. The future will reveal itself!

I agree with your POV. Today's Customer is very discerning unlike earlier customers who were focused on a single USP such as Fuel efficiency in case of Maruti Suzuki cars Today, Customer wants more and he will consider a brand and it's car from more than one angle.

When I look at a Brand, I consider it's brand value as perceived in the market, the build quality, crash safety rating, fuel efficiency, ride handling, stability and comfort, availability of spares & its price, after sales service history, service network, looks, features, price, resale value, ownership experience etc. I am not looking at any one aspect in particular, but summing up all relevant parameters and see if the car suits me or not.

I looked at Citroen Basalt with interest because of its Coupe shape (which has always fascinated me).
The build quality is a suspect and crash rating of their cars (internationally) don't inspire confidence.
Engine is mediocre and nothing great to speak about.
Suspension and ride quality is fantastic and Citroen are known for that. French go extra length to fine tune the cabin comfort with great finesse.
Features in car are rudimentary.
Citroen is just following the crowd, and not doing anything new, unique or great. Infact they are lagging behind as they are following other brands.
Brand recollection is very poor with regard to Citroen. Other than the auto enthusiasts, not many know or have heard about the brand.
Service network is not upto the expectation. So is the spares availablity.
Resale value not known as the brand is new and have sold very less cars in Indian market.
So, the question is, Why should I buy Citroen Basalt and not some other XYZ from other brand that excels in many of the above parameters?

Someone mentioned that if the sales remain poor in the coming months/years, Citroen may do a Ford / Chevrolet in India. I heard that Stellantis, the parent company of Jeep and Citroen has invested heavily in plants in India and that they are profitable with their auto export business and sitting on a pile of money. So, Citroen may not pull the plug on India as they have an alternate revenue source and their outgo in selling the brand and car is very less. The conclusion being that they could be in for a long haul in India and can withstand the roadblocks they have been hitting constantly with regular frequency. So, Citroen could be an 'also ran' in India for some foreseeable future. However that does not bode well for the average customer with other brands making strides, leaps and bounds with every new model.

As I said, I looked at Citroen Basalt with great interest, Visited their showroom last week. No display car nor test drive car was available, The SA doesn't know when the display car will arrive, all the calls have been from my end and they haven't followed up nor shown any inclination to sell their car yet. They have no answer to many queries and that's not confidence inspiring to plomp a million rupees on the table.

In Contract, the Maruti and Mahindra SA are bombarding me with calls and messages. The Mahindra SA brought different variant of the same car (manual & auto and TCMpfi & TGDi engines) to my home for test drive from his showroom about 15 Kms away. They want to sell the car. Citroen Dealer is long way away from this level of customer service and providing customer delight.

[ItsMeTheCarBoi]

Citroen just hasn't got it right.

When Indians venture into this 'premium' segment, they will want that sense of luxury. The buyers in this segment will demand for safety for sure. They will admire safety + features, not the lack of it. And this car, excels in none. It's safety is poor ( according to its sibling's crash tests ) and its features are nothing to write about.

Then what can this live on? The feel- good factor and pricing. Things like those flappy door handles, a polarizing face (my opinion), no cruise control and quality take that feel- good factor away. Pricing is not at all great when you see the features on offer.

Add to that the customer service and coverage of Citroen, I
will prefer the Curvv or even an Altroz anyday over this.

I don't see this car doing great sales numbers anywhere in the future.

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by Sk8r

I think the flap type door handles has garnered unnecessary attention. They’re good to see and not an eye sore. Let’s move on from this.
There is more to a car more than just the type of door handles.

It all started in the early Basalt days, when one of those YouTube influencer mentioned his personal preference or his dislike to the flap type door handle and chastised it as cheap. The tyre size of 16" was also ridiculed.

Thereafter, every YouTube Influencer/ auto expert picked up the cue and never failed to mention how cheap the flap type door handle look and how odd the 16" tyres look. It's like an old Gramophone where 'His Master's Voice' keeps repeating over and over and over again.

Personally I like them for it's simple functionality.

You want to open the door, you reach out to the door handle and pull it. That's what you do with flap type door handle.

The other flush tyre door handle, you press the handle to pop out and then you pull the door. That's 2 activity push and pull. Not something that I like.

Function over Form. Practical over Cosmetic. Simple design language that worked earlier and still works.

Brushing aside all the pros and cons, the looks and the feel, as long as it does the job for what it was built for, and as long as it's not radically different and displeasing and impractical for it's intended usage, we should be just fine with it.

And anyday, I don't think that the door handle design will be a deal breaker for me. I would reserve my deal breaker criteria for important factors such as poor crash safety rating and/or poor after sales service and easy affordable spares availability.

[Vinod_nair]

The Kanpur dealer shared Basalt PL:
I'm sure lots of car enthusiasts will be waiting for Curvv price to be revealed before taking a call.

[rnaduthota]

Originally Posted by self_driven

Imagine using those flappy door handles every day after paying 15 lakh rupees. So much for a car with design as its USP.

These flap-type door handles may not look good, but they are very easy to operate, especially for elderly people. Our Tata Nano has this type of door handle, and my parents find it more comfortable to use compared to the pull-out type handles on the Tata Nexon.

Citroen Basalt Prices Revealed[/b]

Excellent pricing. However, I do not think it will significantly boost sales. The only way to improve sales would be to have the car achieve an excellent crash rating score. Price-sensitive buyers, even with this pricing, choose Maruti.

[Raghu M]

Originally Posted by andafunda

[*] Most buyers outside of forums such as Team-BHP don't care about great engines and sorted dynamics. Otherwise the VW twins would outsell Creta/Seltos by many times over. This is similar to the fanfare for Google Pixel among geek forums. Outside, not many people care.[/list]

This point is just spot on!! The average Indian customer doesn't care about the engine options or the handling dynamics of a car. All they want is - my car is better than Sharmaji's. It has 2 features more than his. It starts and ends there!

[Aquitej]

Does anyone has the variant wise features list?
The brochure from Citroen site doesn't have it.