Although announced back in June, this was the first time CDN saw the new C3 in the metal. First impressions are good: it has a tauter profile than the rather ‘humpy' look of the outgoing C3 but keeps the signature flick-up in the beltline behind the rear door. There's a new chunkiness to the rear end that's appealing, with tail lamps that extend onto the tailgate and the new chevron logo used with ‘Citroën' script prominently displayed to add a quality touch. The car is much better surfaced too, one area where the old C3 was woefully poor.

Comparing to the new DS3, it keeps the same front end including the hood and lamps, and uses the same IP. The interior has lots of showroom appeal, and it's clear the budget has been focused on the upper IP, with judicious use of glossy inserts and chrome in the most visible tactile areas. Three heavily-cowled instruments are set beneath a novel floating binnacle hood and there are quality features such as a center armrest for front seats and a two-way adjustable sports steering wheel with a flattened base and silver inserts, like those found on Audi's S-line.

The pièce-de-resistance is the optional ‘Zenith' panorama windscreen, a unique feature on the C3. This is similar to that seen on the C4 Picasso and but flows further back to 80 degees over the front occupant's heads, with a full-width section of headlining sliding forward to a conventional header position, complete with sunvisors. Maybe it's useful for driving around, but it seems like a feature that's unlikely to be used in practice once driven out of the showroom.

With the C3 Picasso and DS3 derivatives, this new C3 range is looking like a very strong player in Europe's highly competitive B-segment market.  

The first impression that the new Sorrento makes in the flesh is how impressively competent this design is. It's an orthodox SUV design that lacks the dynamic proportions of the Nissan Qashqai and the new wave of more crossover SUV vehicles in Europe, and it's not as expressive as its Hyundai ix35 sibling (which is also making its debut in Frankfurt), but the Sorrento has a newfound premium quality in its assured design theme and surfacing as well as a few distinct design elements.

At the front, the DRG integrates the head lamps with the grille aperture underneath a clam shell hood and, to the side and below this, are two smaller apertures inside of which neatly float the front fog lights.

Like the new Skoda Yeti but few other designs on the market, the wheelarches are slightly squared-off and, as on the BMW X-Series cars, they feature a dark grey plastic surround on the same surface as the metal part of the fender.

Along the lower side of the car is a slight depression that reduces the visual bulk of the car, gives it a little more dynamism and then subtly runs around the rear. Above this at the side is an equally subtle feature line that picks up off the front and rear of the DLO and then forms the car's shoulder surface.

The interior is similarly handsome, well-resolved but orthodox, giving a high quality perception. The center stack area in particular has been well executed, and it was impressive to see the rear facing camera display integrated in the interior mirror.

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The Opel Astra is the most significant production car of the show for two reasons: design quality for a mainstream car in this segment and GM's sale of a controlling stake in Opel to Magna International. The deal with the Canadian auto-parts manufacturer and Russian partner OAO Sberbank leaves GM as 35% shareholder in Opel, and represents the final piece of the push by German Chancellor Angela Merkel to save the troubled automaker. Figures have rewarded by showing Opel's profitability helped by last year's Opel Insignia, and now the firm is aiming to repeat that success with the new Astra.

The production version shown here stays true to the hard model we saw in Russelsheim earlier this year, built on the compact Delta II platform that will also serve the Chevrolet Volt. The red Turbo model caught our eye on the stand first, the stance absolutely resolute on 19-inch rims. Their relationship to the body is fantastic, if leaving the Insignia looking an inch too high on the same size. This closeness to concept is repeated in the side indicators, requiring a unique molding rather than dredged from the parts bin.

Inside the design quality continues, though the plastic of the upper IP is slightly shiny and the mold edge is visible within the air-vents. One feature of the interior is the up-lighting that when illuminated lends the ambience of an S-Class; when off however there is a 5mm gap between center console and instrument stack that recalls poor tolerances. Despite appearances, however, the build-quality is excellent and the gate-surround rigid.

While the design of the previous Astra bettered the Vectra, the new model steers closer to the precedence set by the Insignia that leaves the range more closely gelled. It is a fine direction to be travelling, and we are pleased to see such a positive outcome rise from the ashes.

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