CITROEN is predicting massive sales for its new C3 Picasso range, which comes with a choice of four engines and three trim levels, starting with the 1.4-litre petrol model in VT trim costing from £11,495.
Also in the line-up is a more powerful 1.6-litre petrol version plus a pair of 1.6-litre diesels with power outputs of 92bhp and 110bhp.
At the top of the range is the 1.6HDi 16V 110hp Exclusive, which costs from £15,595.
According to CAP, which predicts future residual values, the sheer versatility of the newcomer means that it is likely to retain a greater proportion of its original value than most rivals.
Measuring 4.08m long, 1.73m wide and 1.62m tall, the newcomer is deceptively spacious and boasts split-folding rear seats that slide independently and can be folded away in one motion using seatback-mounted controls whilst a mobile boot floor provides a level loading space up to the first row seat back.
The front passenger seat can also be folded completely flat to increase the load length and to create a table top,
Unusually, there is a three-part windscreen that creates one of the largest glazed areas in the segment plus a panoramic glass roof.
The French firm has also put its new C1 range on sale with minor modifications for 2009.
The entry-level three-door 1.0-litre C1Vibe becomes the C1 VT and costs from £7,595 whilst the five-door version is £7,945.
The 1.4-litre diesel model costs £9,395 and is available in five-door form only.
The French firm says that the one-litre petrol version of the revised C1 is the cleanest car in the UK with a CO2 figure of just 106g/km and economy of 62.8mpg.
The C1 is also available with a 1.4-litre diesel option.
The company is inviting buyers to splash out on a new version of the C1, which offers a boat-load of extra equipment for less than its normal price.
The Splash special edition is based on the entry-level 1.0i VT model, which normally makes do with only the bare essentials.
In order to get air conditioning, central locking, side airbags and electric front windows buyers usually have to choose the more expensive VTR model, which has them all as standard plus split-folding rear seats and ISOFIX child mounting seat points.
The Splash model gets the air-con, central locking and power windows plus two new colours that are exclusive to this model, Electra Blue and Lipizan White.
It costs £7,345, which is £550 more than the VT and uses Citroen's one-litre petrol engine that achieves 60mpg economy with CO2 emissions of just 106g/km and has an insurance rating of the lowest group one.
The larger C2 models cost from £8,700 and include petrol engine options of 1.1, 1.4 and 1.6 in addition to diesel units of 1.4 and 1.6 with economy of up to 65mpg and CO2 emissions as low as just 113g/km