Citroën’s cheapest new model is now the C3 YOU!, but buyers will only be able to purchase the new £12,995 hatchback online.

The Stellantis owned French car brand has said that its new entry-level model has been introduced in a bid to offer owners of the now discontinued C1 city car the option of stepping-up its range into something larger and better equipped.

But a statement issued by Citroën revealed that, while car retailers will be “pleased to assist customers with the online purchase process”, the vehicle will not be available to buy in UK showrooms.

Instead, the C3 YOU! Will be offered exclusively online via the Citroën Store.

Eurig Druce, Citroën’s UK managing director, said: “New C3 YOU! – with its starting price from just £12,995 – is inspired by Citroën UK’s on-going commitment to ‘Fair Pricing’.

“This is a brand new five-door B-segment supermini at a used car price. It’s an offer that represents undeniable value for our customers.

“Yes, the Citroën C1 has finished its production run, but together Citroën Ami Electric and C3 YOU! combine to offer customers a choice of compact and affordable new vehicles that they can relish.”

Citroën’s Fair Pricing policy ushered in reduced list prices and greater transparency on December 1, 2020.

Citroën also introduced a new fixed-price C-Series model range at the same time.

Available in showrooms, or with the added bonus of a five-year warranty offered exclusively to customers of the brand’s Citroën Store and Virtual Showroom online retail offering, the C-Series offers a “haggle-free online price difference of £3,175 with the additional two years of warranty into the bargain”, Druce told AM in an OEM profile feature last year.

Asked at the time what the incentive is for customers walking into a dealership to buy a new C3 – rather than heading online – Druce said: “Our strategy is to have bricks and clicks. Not every customer is ready to buy online.

“The C-Series is available in showrooms as well. In terms of an online transaction what we cannot do is have a negotiation.”

Druce added: “We’re trying to offer the two scenarios, something a customer might require in a showroom and something that will suit a customer buying online.”

The new C3 YOU! is exclusively available with a 1.2-litre three-cylinder PureTech 83 petrol engine, claiming up to 54mpg (WLTP) fuel economy.

Along with a 300-litre boot, other key features of the new C3 YOU! are LED headlights, body-coloured bumpers and door handles, Bluetooth smartphone connectivity, a five-inch central touchscreen and DAB digital radio.

Its standard safety equipment includes Hill Start Assist, tyre pressure monitoring, a video-based lane departure warning system and speed sign recognition and recommendation.

C3 YOU! also comes with cruise control and speed limiter, as well as a ‘Coffee Break Alert’ feature to ensure the safety and comfort of everyone on-board on longer journeys.

Citroen retailers will have a new flagship C5 model to sell in 2022, promising greater margins than the affordable C3.

Franchisees are now accepting orders for the new C5 X, which is priced from £26,490.

The new model is said to combine the benefits of a saloon, estate and SUV and will act as the brand’s flagship model when it arrives in showrooms in late spring.