The production of Citroen C3 Pluriel and VW Beetle Convertible after seven years ceased - two trip which never really wanted to grow up. We say goodbye on a small trip to the sunset with a test.
The wind has long being blown the final heat. Weeks ago was clear that it would soon come to this farewell, and yet he meets a then somewhat unprepared, to half past eleven on a more or less sunny Monday morning. Since Citroen C3 Pluriel and VW stand side by side Beetle Convertible for a last exit in the parking lot: two summer cars in the autumn of their lives.In both, there was a wurdeloses Herumgedruckse of months to its predictable end. It culminated in the quite ridiculous line of reasoning, the retro cars would look very old. Oh what? But while the VW Beetle will have a successor, the farewell of the Citroen C3 Pluriel is is a final. Because he comes from a time past where Citroen had even the courage to be misunderstood. Today they build good cars such as the C4, which you can do not misunderstand with the best will, as loud as he roars: "I would like to a Gulf."
Also the beetle in a strangely courageous for VW era, remains alien to many customers. You expect to almost upset the spherical a golf is how much cheaper and more spacious. And never uberrei?en that it was always somewhat more favourable to have no unusual taste. Since September 1998 it comes as a sedan, but he finds his true destiny only from February 2003 - as a convertible. As one of a few models, the VW stylists have missed him with still no golf VI face. What they probably also tortures such as the technician the fact that he - not a bit cross modular - be the generation Golf IV is one.
They remind the blue instrument illumination, switches, levers, and the drive. Under the old 1, 2.8 liter Funfventiler Turbo, the VW verkuppelt with a flutschigen five speed box round front hood Wastegate twitters. So harmoniously, as these two aggregates complement each other, it should not work according to the Downsizing-and DSG missionaries. The only weakness of the engine is in its power, because the half performance almost better is the beetle.
Then he would be at the level of the Citroen C3 Pluriel, who dresses in the style of the Charleston duck somewhat presumptuously as special model, you can stop it but in their favor rather little power there. Although 20 years old, is his 1400 still for the most enjoyable small benzinern. In cooperation with the eternal lyre, shortly stepped built, it attracts the Pluriel Merry, on the country. After the first kilometers already, it falls again on what is the C3 for a klapperiges car - and what for a wonderful klapperiges. Even with fully-fitted roof Gallery shakes and verwindet he is very considerably.
The trembling of the roof sheets increases, if the top is carded to the rear. Then fear, that it likes to could be the "sloping roof line" still serious with the by designers such as incorrectly used term, and remembers a quote: "some falls just off in the Interior, and it may console only ducks friends"", that it is never something really important." 31 Years ago wrote the 2CV-Kenner Klaus Westrup, today, it applies the Citroen C3 Pluriel, which proves to be so as only legitimate heir of ducks.
To do this we needed the whole modular acrobatics of a roof not, the French engineering clenches. However, it sometimes works if one does not so exactly the instructions enclosed folder. It explains the rebuilding work style and dramatic boarding passes in aircraft that explain the behavior of must in 30 richly illustrated steps. Even Citroen admits that 95 percent of all C3 Pluriel owners have never removed that per twelve kilograms heavy roof sheets. In the remaining five the singularity of the event should prevail - of ambitionierte automotive photographer times except (you know who I mean, Hans-Dieter).
So creaks, schunkelt and gondelt of the Citroen C3 Pluriel his competitors well ahead and along the River. Even at a mild pace it blows violently in two, the mandatory flower in the plastic vase is flapping in the VW. She survived all these years and helps with that of the VW Beetle matures by the beetles imitation to a real character actor. He is Wolfsburg court jester. And Volkswagen, a serious company, whose Experten could probably provide a 17-page treatise on the importance of the new A pillars flocking to the Passat B7 needs one like him. The special role of the VW Beetle convertibles in the model clan underlines also the prospectus - the only cool the range. On the two-page spread entitled "beautiful prospects as standard" about it boggles as Viewer of a young lady by the passenger window directly onto the soft covered capacity.
His own top touches the VW Beetle Convertible in a few seconds electrically to the rear, piles up there in the best tradition of beetles to a small mountain it the tarpaulin should - already cover because its bulky shape about occupied half of the 201 liter luggage compartment, the other takes the wind deflector. While the structure of the storm brake otherwise is a deterioration of the good manners of the convertible, he recommends here. Because only at the end of the deep mixer carrier - just ahead of the horizon - rises the short, steep A pillar with a windshield. This name makes little honor, because they hardly reject the ride storm which to roll on roads as hurricane by the car.
In dense SCHOTT it travels to pleasant velvety on the deep mounted seats of the VW Beetle. To its informal nature is also not quite rock-solid Verwindungsfestigkeit, its rather relaxed as high-precision steering and the somewhat aged compound crank rear axle. But because an ehrgeiz zerfressenes ego starting him, allowing others the Crown at the to curves of pylons. Thus, he is sometimes incomprehensible lack of understanding. Men know this feeling to the 30, which is still must justify, because their lives not is broken, that they have never received a certificate at the Federal Youth Games.
Tenths of a second are the wrong rate for Citroen C3 Pluriel and VW Beetle Convertible, their time unit are summer. Seven of them have durchbummelt in the style of the large Oscar Wilde, who advised: "Never move on tomorrow what you can do even the day after tomorrow" (by the way only, to repeat: "I give further advice principle;") ("it is the only thing you can do"). Tomorrow the two convertibles are no longer be new, day after tomorrow for classic.
Therefore Citroen C3 Pluriel and VW retire beetle convertible roofs, hilarious as the Sun hiding behind the hills, and stroll along Riverside home. And the wind smells course after winter, but he sauselt warm: this is not the end of a love. It's not even the beginning of the end. It is only the end of the beginning.
