Sublog 01: Citroën's Funeral

Citroën’s Funeral vs. Renault’s Factory:

Rétromobile 2025 Shows Who’s Really Moving Forward

Rétromobile 2025 wasn't just about the cars—it was about how the brands presented themselves. Renault took the stage with an industrially inspired, technical stand that radiated innovation, while Citroën turned its booth into a dark, nostalgic shrine. One brand showed how it evolves. The other seemed desperate to remind everyone of its past glory—with a floating DS, a vertical DS, and a DS trying to take off like a plane.

As someone who has admired Citroën for years, I walked into their stand hoping for a vision, an ambition, a spark of life. What I found was something else entirely—a brand so obsessed with the past that it seemed to have no future left.

Citroën’s Strategy: A DS Circus in a Mausoleum, But Who Owns the History?

Before even seeing a car, Citroën’s booth design set an unsettling tone. With black corners, an enclosed layout, and a funereal atmosphere, the space felt more like a crypt than a celebration. Walking into the stand felt like entering a mausoleum where Citroën’s past was being worshipped rather than built upon.

And what did they choose to display inside this gloomy setting?

• A DS floating on red balloons, re-enacting the 1959 advertisement.
• A DS standing vertically, like a gravestone for Citroën’s daring spirit.
• A DS "taking off" like an airplane, as if desperately trying to escape the stand’s suffocating nostalgia.

Standing there, looking at these symbolic, art-installation-like displays, I couldn’t help but wonder: Is this what Citroën has become? A brand that turns its own history into a museum piece rather than pushing forward?

The SM Tribute: The One Bright Spot (But Missing at Rétromobile)

There is one glimmer of hope in all of this: the SM tribute project. Unlike the confused DS nostalgia, the SM tribute represents an actual path forward—one that doesn’t just worship the past, but reinterprets it for a new era.

The original SM was Citroën at its best: a car that wasn’t just luxurious, but technologically groundbreaking, pairing Citroën’s hydropneumatic genius with Maserati’s performance pedigree. A proper SM-inspired successor, infused with cutting-edge engineering and true Citroën DNA, could be the statement car Citroën desperately needs.

The biggest problem? It wasn’t shown at Rétromobile. While Citroën doubled down on floating DS nostalgia, the one project that actually understands what Citroën could be in the modern era was nowhere to be seen.

Renault’s Strategy: A Factory of Innovation

In stark contrast, Renault’s booth was an architectural statement, directly inspired by the industrial precision of Renault’s legendary factories. This was a technical, structured, and modern environment, setting the perfect stage for a display that balanced history with progress.

Renault’s lineup included:

• Classic Renault 4, 5, and 17, celebrating Renault’s strong heritage.
• Their modern electric counterparts, proving that Renault doesn’t just admire its past—it evolves it.
• The Filante Record 2025, a futuristic, aerodynamic EV concept inspired by Renault’s past speed records but built with today’s technology.

It was refreshing—a brand that knows where it came from, but more importantly, knows where it’s going.

Conclusion: Citroën Floats, Renault Drives, and DS Steals

 

I left Rétromobile with a mix of admiration and frustration. Admiration for Renault, which managed to honor its past while showcasing a clear vision for the future. But frustration—deep frustration—for Citroën, which seems lost in its own past, hijacked by a brand that doesn’t understand it, and unsure of how to move forward.

Citroën, find your voice again. Stop floating. Stop letting DS Automobiles steal your history. And for Déesse’s sake, bring the SM tribute to the forefront—it’s the one thing that actually understands what Citroën is supposed to be. Meanwhile, Caselani’s body kits, reinterpreting Citroën's classic designs on modern vans, show that there are still people out there who understand the gap and dare to fill it. If an independent coachbuilder can capture Citroën’s spirit, why can’t Citroën itself?

Surprise us. Amaze us. Make us dream. Because I know you still can. And I refuse to give up hope.