Concept cars do not come more glamorous and futuristic than the 2006 C-Metisse!
As the trend in the mainstraeam car business moves to ‘expectation-management’ and production-intent concepts only,the car-loving public is somewhat starved of truly fresh ideas. Proportions and technology that is 10, 20 or maybe even 30 years out. That is something that few thinly-veiled preview concepts cannot, by definition, preview.
This makes sense on the one hand. You do not want car shoppers to have a huge sense of disappointment at the production model versus a concept. On the other hand, where is the awe? Where is the mystery and the optimism of the future?
As such, seeing a true dream car is now even special and memorable — even almost a decade since this C-Metisse bowed in 2006.
The proportions are sinfully long, elegant and low. Ultra cab-backward stance plus a fast-wagon silhouette make this C-Metisse the perfect artsy alternative to the S-Class of the day.
A full carbon-fiber monocoque let the designers take wild liberties with the doors and passenger packaging. Extreme stiffness thanks to the racing tub makes butterfly front doors possible — but these are nothing versus the back seat. These vertical-incline rear doors first motor out from the bodywork on a dedicated strut/hinge. Then once out from the bodywork, the rear doors can motor upward to open a giant entryway to the twin buckets in back.
Visibility might be atrocious with this style traditionally, but the latest advanced cameras and proximity sensors let the C-Metisse do things never before imagined from a shooting brake limo.
Ultimately, this concept helped define the brand’s style evolution of the day… with a nose similar to the C-Metisse appearing on a few current Citroen models.
That nose is at once quite impressive and very strange. First strange thing? The huge wings carved out of the soft CFRP bumper, living outside the main grille and lamps of the Metisse face. Second oddity is how flowing, organic and soft these nose details are versus the sheer and very hard surfacing everywhere else on the exterior design.
Quirky? Dreamy? Influential and important?
Yep, just another dreamcar from Citroen’s concept department…!
Concept Flashback – 2006 Citroen C-METISSE
Tom Burkart is the founder and managing editor of Car-Revs-Daily.com, an innovative and rapidly-expanding automotive news magazine.
He holds a Journalism JBA degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Tom currently resides in Charleston, South Carolina with his two amazing dogs, Drake and Tank.
Mr. Burkart is available for all questions and concerns by email Tom(at)car-revs-daily.com.