Long-overdue Citroën Basalt almost ready for South Africa

Basalt will become Citroën South Africa’s new flagship. Picture: Citroën Stellantis South Africa has confirmed that the long delayed Citroën Basalt will make its arrival at the end of the first quarter of the year. Made specifically for developing markets, the Basalt debuted two years ago as the step-up from the C3 Aircross.

Built alongside the latter and the regular C3 in India, the coupe-styled Basalt also becomes the second non-commercial Citroën model after the quadracycle Ami not to have a name starting with the letter “C”. Part of Citroën’s so-called C-Cubed programme, the Basalt rides on the so-called Smart Car platform, with dimensions of 4 352mm in overall length, a wheelbase of 2 651mm, height of 1 593mm and width of 1 756mm. In India, the same powertrains as the C3 Aircross, modelled on the 1.2 litre three-cylinder PureTech engine, are offered.

For the normally aspirated unit, outputs are 60kW/115Nm and 81kW/205Nm for the turbocharged variant. A five-speed manual is standard on the former, with the latter having either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic. “The Basalt is positioned to appeal to young professionals and growing families seeking a more expressive alternative to conventional offerings, while remaining accessible to own and operate,” Stellantis said in a statement.

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While no further details were announced, expect more in the coming months, including possible specification hints. This includes pricing, which is anticipated to start around R420 000 based on the flagship C3 Aircross’ R388 900 sticker.

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