Citroën has launched its new Stop & Start in the UK at no extra cost in the C3 line-up.

Promising to slash urban fuel bills by up to 15% whilst also reducing emissions, the new model will be priced at £10,000.

The C3 Stop & Start introduces technology which automatically switches the engine off whenever the vehicle comes to a halt, helping to save fuel, reduce noise levels and reduce CO2 emissions.

When testing the vehicle in Paris, Citroën engineers recorded a 15% reduction in urban fuel consumption, while an independent test carried out in the UK returned a 27% improvement.

The new Stop & Start system stops the engine a split second before the car comes to a standstill and then almost silently restarts it in just 400 milliseconds – twice as quickly as a traditional starter motor and even more quietly – the moment the driver takes their foot off the brake pedal, allowing the driver to accelerate away as normal.

With a recommended retail price of £11,445, which is reduced further by the availability throughout December of a £1,500 cashback offer, the C3 Stop & Start carries no price premium over the 1.4i SX model, with optional parking assistance, which it replaces.