Citroen Tries New Marketing Tack with Cactus M

Citroen has not said whether it will build the Cactus M, which was unveiled at the Frankfurt auto show last month, but winners of a Web competition will be able to drive the car and spend the night in its integrated tent during a "beach weekend."

Citroen is staging the competition in seven European markets including France, Germany, the UK, Italy and Spain.

Citroen said the Cactus M, which is painted in striking Hawaii Blue, was “inspired by the surfing spirit.”

The concept has features useful to help wash off sea water and sand such as waterproof fabric inside the car and a cabin that can be hosed down, thanks to the drainage outlets integrated in the foot wells.

The concept is a two-door but passengers can get into the rear seats by climbing over the sides of the car using built in steps on either side.

The rear seats fold down to make a bed and the car has an inflatable tent that can be used a bivouac for two people, "extending the outdoor experience," Citroen says.

The Cactus M takes inspiration from the brand’s iconic lightweight Mehari beach buggy built from 1968 to 1987. The Mehari was used as everything from a beach buggy by holidaymakers to a light truck used by farmers to get around their fields.

Citroen CEO Linda Jackson told Automotive News Europe earlier this year that she could imagine reviving the Mehari as a "fun" car but she was less forthcoming in Frankfurt, saying only: "We have sold 100,000 units of the Citroen Cactus in the first full year and we decided we wanted to take it even further."

Media reports say the Cactus M hints at a production SUV version of the C4 Cactus. It is the second compact SUV concept created by Citroen from the C4 Cactus following the Aircross concept unveiled at the Shanghai auto show in April.