AD_MAGAZINE_348

16 September 2018 | AutoData LAUNCH » C4 CACTUS a few times in search for coherence. All quite interesting style effects and after some time walking around the vehicle the perception is of a verywell-designed aesthetic combination. And here it is a parenthesis about this SUV’s birth to present a great achieve- ment of the professionals involved in its development in Brazil: The Citroën C4 Cactus is the result of unprecedented efforts from the French brand’s engine- ering and design in Latin America. These professionals, installed in the PSA’s hea- dquarters, in São Paulo, SP, are the ones who created the global solution for this model. During a visit in Brazil, the vice pre- sident of design at PSA understood that the work done by the Brazilian team could be globally applied in the Cactus model, according to Ana Theresa Borsari. This way, Latin America was responsible for the development of a brand new vehi- cle for the first time, involving nearly four hundred professionals. This happened in 2014. The following year, that design went to the European version, where the C4 Cactus is a medium hatch. “The leadership of a global project shows the maturity that the company has in the region. And the brands’ commitment in the development of these markets”, affirms Borsari. The local development for the global application also happened in the PSA’s factory in Porto Real, RJ, which has recei- ved R$ 580 million over the last two years for modernization, such as the installation of welding robots with laser measurement and a new assembly system that uses kits of parts in strategic positions of the line to accelerate the production pace. All the process took 620 thousand work hours with 165 prototypes running one million kilometers in validation tests. In addition to that, the teams of the fac- tory spent almost ten thousand hours in training. “Unlike the European hatch model, the development of brakes and full sus- pension, springs and shock absorbers, “The sale is just the sale. The vehicle’s life-cycle goes from 10 to 15 times at the dealership. The time for the real customer’s experience with the brand is there.” Ana Theresa Borsari, general director of Peugeot and Citroën the dealership to conquer customers. Citroën is also launching Seguro Co- nectado (Connected Insurance), a ser- vice developed in partnership with Sura Seguros and offered by a brand for the first time in Brazil. Through the installa- tion of a hardware in the car, Seguro Co- nectado offers information via app about the customer’s way of driving, allowing, according to the manufacturer, annual discounts of up to 20%. NEW GENERATION 1 The aftermarket strategy, as original as it may seem, would not be enough to change the thinking of the Brazilian pu- blic, who believes that a Citroën vehicle is a constant visitor at a workshop or that its price is quite reduced over the years. This is where the C4 Cactus comes in, according to Borsari: “The proposal for a new generation of compact SUVs that Cactus brings is already an attractive- ness factor for the customer. This vehicle makes us dream and will be our ambas- sador for this new phase”. At first sight, the C4 Cactus seems to have an extravagant personality by the three lines of headlights at the front, or the unusual big rubbery detail at the bottom of the doors. Even the back of the car, which is possible to feel like there’s too much volume and creases on the trunk lid and bumper, makes the eyes blink Christian Castanho