At a time when it is about to celebrate 30 years of production and marketing of this type of vehicle in Europe, Citroën has just announced the farewell to the MPV segment. Decision that will be fulfilled with the end of production of the Grand C4 Spacetourer, already for July…
The information was conveyed by Citroën itself, which, as would be expected, pointed its finger at the growth in demand for crossovers and SUVs, to the detriment of the once highly valued MPVs. Although simply stating that the reasons are due to “the change in expectations in terms of modernity, style and use”, which ended up leading to “clients moving away from the MPV market”.
According to Automotive News Europe, the Citroën Grand C4 Spacetourer will leave the assembly line at the beginning of July, thus putting an end to a story that began in the last century, more specifically, in 1994, the year in which the Evasion was launched. A proposal that, having undergone a facelift in the middle of its life cycle, in 1998, remained on sale until 2002, ending with a total of more than 120 thousand units sold.
Born in 2018, the Citroën Grand C4 Spacetourer now announces its end
Also in 2002, the successor, christened the C8, appeared and, after remaining on the market for a total of 12 months, ended up selling a little more than the Evasion – 150,000 units. Although the commercialization of MPVs, at Citroën, has effectively exploded with the Xsara Picasso, a proposal that sold a total of 180 thousand vehicles… in just the first year of commercialization!
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A minivan that, in a way, revolutionized the segment, the Xsara Picasso remained in service until 2012, the year in which the model received its deserved rest, but with a truly colossal number of units sold: 1.76 million units.
However, and even before that solemn moment, in 2006, the French brand unveiled the C4 Picasso, which would have a second generation in 2013, and which, in 2018, would receive a new name: C4 Spacetourer. At this point, he would also see a “big brother” arrive, precisely, the Grand C4 Spacetourer.
The Evasion was Citroën’s debut proposal in the MPV segment.
Finally, and after, in 2020, the end of the five-seater version was announced, this time, it is the larger seven-seater variant, which receives the right to rest.
The 2007 reference
With an already long history in the segment, Citroën ended up having 2007 as the best year over these nearly three decades. The year in which it sold a total of 115,000 Xsara Picasso units and 215,000 C4 Picasso vehicles.
Even today, units of the famous Citroën Xsara Picasso are circulating in Portugal
However, despite the decision now taken, the truth is that Citroën has not completely abandoned the larger families and those in need of more space, as it continues to market both the Berlingo and the Spacetourer. Two proposals based on commercial vehicles, it’s true, but that still manage to meet the needs of this type of customer. Including electric power trains.
