The current generation of C3, the third of the name, was launched in 2016 and restyled in 2020.
The third generation Citroën C3 will soon celebrate its eighth birthday. The model is therefore aging, but surprisingly its commercial performance remains strong, with a flattering fourth place in the ranking of best sellers in France in 2023.
While awaiting its replacement by a new, quite different generation, the current C3 is changing its name. It is now called C3 Origin, not to be confused with the special C3 Origins series, with an s this time, which was launched in 2019. This change of name is however not synonymous with any new features for the third generation of the model, nor price change. It always starts at €16,590, excluding a penalty of €170.
Unlike the Fiat Pandina, Renault Clio Campus, Clio Collection and other Clio Génération, this Citroën C3 Origin will not aim to play overtime once its replacement arrives at the dealership.
A handover before summer
She “will slowly die out before summer. One C3 replaces another”explained Thierry Blanchard, B segment product director at Citroën, to The Argus. As a reminder, if the new C3 was first presented in the ë-C3 electric version, it will also be entitled to gasoline versions, notably hybrids, from the summer. On the other hand, the current generation diesel offering will bow out, although it has been one of the factors in the good performance of its sales over time, while a growing number of rivals abandon diesel.
The fourth generation C3, here in the ë-C3 electric version, is inspired by SUVs with an elevated look. © Citroën
If the current C3 is changing its name even though it will not coexist with the thermal version of its replacement, it is perhaps because the electric ë-C3 is already on the market. Sold from €23,300 excluding bonuses, deliveries should begin before summer. It has little to do with the current C3, since it is derived from a C3 model notably sold in India, but with profound developments.