Citroen Revolte: A 2CV for the 21st century

On Tuesday, Citroen unveiled a brand new supermini at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The Revolte comes straight from the automotive oven, bringing with it, according to Citroen, 'luxury, ecology and a touch of cheek'.

From what we can see, the French company seems to have hit all three nails firmly on the head, but its choice of name for this vehicle leaves something to be desired. We suspect it was intended to conjure up notions of an uprising against convention, but it could just as easily mean 'nauseate'. What's wrong with 'backlash'? Perhaps that means something rude in French.

We digress. The Revolte is actually a really pleasing car to look at. Its silhouette is designed to evoke the classic Citroen 2CV, yet its flared wheel arches give it a hint of Volkswagen Beetle, its rump supplies a dash of Chrysler PT Cruiser, and its front end is clearly inspired by the GT by Citroen concept car made famous in Gran Turismo. The curvier-than-Beyonce suicide doors are a good touch, as is the bonkers, iridescent purple paintwork on the machine unveiled this morning.

Citroen hasn't neglected the interior. The steering wheel resembles something out of a futuristic spacecraft, the pedals are moulded in the shape of the Citroen logo, the dashboard looks as if it's actually given birth to the touchscreen, and there's even a baby seat with suede-finished racing harnesses.

The Revolte isn't just a pretty face, either. The car has an eye on clean motoring, thanks to its rechargeable hybrid drivetrain, comprising a small gasoline engine and an electric motor, both of which are capable of driving the car independently of each other. Citroen has yet to leak performance figures, but the company says the Revolte is a 'lively' performer with 'strong acceleration'.

We're going to keep a close eye on this one. It's already one of our favourite cars from the Frankfurt Motor Show. We suggest you do the same -- go check out the pictures in our lovely gallery.