Citroen Uncovers Quirky Aircross Crossover Concept for Shanghai Show

Set for reveal at the 2015 Shanghai Motor Show later this month, the Citroën Aircross is a refreshing take on the usual crossover. Where the rest of the industry is trending towards sharp angles and flat surfaces, the Aircross concept is decidedly more rounded and bulbous, accented by unique details. The concept's "alloy bumps," for example, fill a honeycomb structure similar to the air bumps on the C4 Cactus but filled with aluminum foam. Metallic accents are found on the hood and rear side window, and the narrow headlights recall the C4 Picasso minivan.

Inside it's at least as innovative, with a cabin focused on comfort. The sofa-like seats are upholstered in white leather with orange trim and a mesh fabric upper portion. The dashboard features two 12-inch widescreen displays, one of which can be undocked and passed around the cabin. Each sofa-like seat has its own speakers and microphones to create separate audio environments, and there are cameras on the outside to document road trips.

The whole things is about the size of an Audi Q5 (give or take an inch here or there), rides on 22-inch wheels with custom Continental rubber and packs a plug-in hybrid powertrain. A gasoline-burning 1.6-liter turbo four produces 218 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque, while an electric motor at the rear wheels provides an extra 95 hp and 147 lb-ft to give it a 0-62 time of 4.5 seconds.

It's an altogether more Citroën-like take on the crossover than the existing C4 Aircross and the Mitsubishi-based C-Crosser that came before it. The question now is whether parent company Peugeot will give it the green light.