2017 Citroen C4:: teaser sketches may hint at new hatch

Officially, these sketches hint at the new ‘C-Quatre’ C4 sedan for China, which will replace that market’s C4 L model in the year ahead.

It is believed however that this new model’s front-end styling will be shared with the next C4 hatch, expected to debut in Europe toward the end of 2016.

Such a move would represent a continuation of the French carmaker’s current strategy of offering a C4 hatch in western markets and a sedan version - with largely identical front-end looks - for the sedan-hungry Chinese market.

Importantly, the new C4 will mark an evolved new styling direction for the Citroen brand, as it moves away from the offshoot DS brand in the years ahead.

While DS will represent the future of luxury for the brand, Citroen-badged models are expected to represent a more budget-friendly volume-selling option.

Whether or not these sketches are a preview of the next C4, we can expect both the Chinese and future Australian-market models to be built on the same Common Module Platform that PSA Peugeot Citroen is developing with its partner, Dongfeng Motor Corporation.

That new $280 million architecture will eventually underpin a number of volume-focused light and small cars across the Peugeot, Citroen, DS and Dongfeng brands, the companies confirmed in April.

PSA’s larger EMP2 platform, which underpins the new Peugeot 308 and the Citroen C4 Picasso, is expected to appear beneath the next-generation replacements for the midsized 508 and C5.

Expect this new concept to move toward production for the Chinese market in the year, with the new C4 - identical in its styling or not - to follow toward the end of 2016.