Just as Amélie traipsed around like a Parisian Polyanna, we can always count on Citroën’s Gallic whimsy to liven up an auto show. The Tubik, a luxurious reinterpretation of the fabled H Van, does not disappoint.
Citroën envisions the Tubik as the group transit component of its Multicity platform, a connected transit service that integrates all modes of transit including planes, trains and automobiles. Passengers will enjoy a “lounge-style cocoon” interior that seats up to nine people in easily reconfigurable front- and rear-facing seats.
In other words, it’s the same kind of conversion van your aunt and uncle take on long drives down to Florida, but instead of crushed velvet captain’s chairs and Venetian blinds, the seats are made of felt and silk and the floor is leather.
For creature comforts, the Tubik offers both a flat screen display and a panoramic window. We sure hope those rear-facing felt seats are coated in Scotchgard, as the interior design sounds like a surefire recipe for carsickness.
The whimsy doesn’t stop in the passenger cabin. Up front, the driver is ensconced in what the designers refer to as a “cyclotron.” It’s not a particle accelerator, but it does have a gas pedal, steering wheel, seat and heads-up display. Geordi La Forge glasses are optional for passengers and driver.
Of course, it’s a hybrid. The exterior design emphasizes the dual diesel-electric drivetrain with a two-tone paintjob in pearl white and silver. Though it’s about as aerodynamic as a loaf of bread, Citroen says the Tubik has CO2 emissions on par with a full-size sedan.
The whole thing is just slightly less trippy than the Merry Pranksters’ bus, and that’s why we love it.
SOURCE: Wired Autopia