Citroen will trim the 5dr Saxo range to make room for the new C3, positioned between Saxo and Xsara. It will go on sale in the UK early next year but it could miss the March plate change.

The company insists the 5dr C3 is not a Saxo replacement. Only 10% of Saxo sales were 5dr and more than 40% were sporty VTR, VTS or Furio versions. C3 will be launched with 1.4- and 1.6-litre petrol engines.

Worldwide, Citroen hopes to sell 360,000 Saxo and C3 next year and 200,000 C3 in a full year of production. C3 will be built at Aulnay, near Paris and Vilaverde in Spain.

The bizarre C-Crosser concept (unlikely to be built) is a test bed for technologies which may be in Citroen's first sports utility vehicle. They include variable height suspension and controls without physical links.