A year after the launch of the C4 Cactus, Citroen are unveiling their new Cactus M Concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Taking large amounts of inspiration from the Aircross concept which was revealed earlier this year at the Shanghai Motor Show, the Citroen Cactus M Concept is a permanently open-top vehicle, with only a canvas material serving as protection from the elements. This material can also be used to double up as a tent.
Whilst clearly based on the Cactus aesthetically, particularly at the front and rear, the centre section of this new concept has had a complete redesign. Away from the new roof arrangement, it now has two longer doors rather than the four door setup in the outgoing Cactus. These doors also have the air bumps as found on the current model. Citroen also say styling inspiration has been lifted from the Citroen Mehari off-road vehicle, which was available from 1968 to 1988.
With the ability to double up as a tent and a pair of standard sized surfboards available there are no prizes for guessing the target demographic for the M Concept. A more basic, fabric free interior is found on the inside, making it waterproof for regular beach-goers. There are also drainage holes under the floor mats so it can be hosed down and the seats and dashboard are made with wetsuit material so occupants won’t need to dry themselves.
Once the tent arrangement has been setup and the rear seats dropped and boot lid folded down, there is then sleep capacity for two and stands at a height of 1.80m, which is comfortable to stand in for most people. People wishing to get into the back of the car can also make use of the step carved into the side of the body.
Power is delivered through a 1.2-litre petrol engine which develops 108bhp and a respectable fuel economy of 58.9mpg, although you may not see those figures when driving along the sand to set up camp.
