Citroen Basalt Spotted Testing in India Without Camouflage

The Citroen Basalt Coupe SUV, soon to be launched in India, has been spotted without any disguise for the first time. The Basalt concept was unveiled in March, and now the production model is slated to hit Indian roads later this year.

The leaked image reveals its unique design elements, such as square LED headlights, a sleek coupe-style roof, and rugged cladding on the doors and rear bumper. While interior photos are not available yet, it’s expected to share features with its siblings, the Citroen C3 hatchback and C3 Aircross SUV.

The Citroen Basalt Vision bears a strong resemblance to Citroen's C3 Aircross compact SUV, especially at the front. This similarity is because both vehicles use the same Smart Car chassis. While the Basalt Vision has its own C3 split headlight design, it chooses projector headlamps instead of regular halogen ones. The air vents below keep the squared-off shape seen in the Aircross, while the fog lights have a more angular look.

When you glance at the side view, you can see similarities between the Basalt Vision and the C3 Aircross in their body shapes, like the creases on the fenders, the lower door cut-outs, and the square wheel arches. Beyond the B-Pillar, the roofline slopes down smoothly and finishes with a spoiler at the back, which is the first noticeable difference between the two.

With a larger square-shaped tail-light design similar to the Citroen C3 Aircross, the Basalt Vision has updated features inside. The rear bumper is mostly covered in cladding, making it look tougher, and there's also a skid plate adding to its rugged appearance. While we don't have all the details about the Basalt's interior yet, it's likely to have the same dashboard as the C3 Aircross.

Powered by the same 110bhp, 1.2-liter turbo-petrol engine found in current C-Cubed models, the Basalt Vision will come with both automatic and manual transmission options. There's also an electric version planned to be added to the lineup about six months after the petrol model is launched. Citroen aims to bring the Basalt to India in the second half of 2024. Positioned above the Citroen C3 Aircross, this SUV-coupe will compete with upcoming models like the Tata Curvv.