Citroen Tubik concept car (2011) first pictures

The Citroen Tubik may have overtones of a guppy fish, but this new nine-seat MPV concept car shows how the French envisage a people carrier of tomorrow.

It draws inspiration from the Type H or TUB (French slang for a front-wheel drive commercial vehicle) van from Citroen's history books. So it's a spacious monobox and aims to solve the usual MPV dilemma or seats or baggage, by being simply massive.

The Citroen Tubik'll seat nine at full capacity, but with a more likely load of four or five boot space is said to be massive.

The cabin is modelled on a lounge, with modular full-grain, felt and silk leather seats that swivel and flop and arrange in three conventional rows or to face each other. So far, so Renault Espace. But not many contemporary MPVs boast a hi-definition TV screen and surround sound system.

The Tubik is powered by PSA's new Hybrid4 system, the hybrid powertrain launching on the 3008 this autumn and slowly cascading across most of the large and medium car ranges. All four of those 22in wheels can be driven in 4wd mode.

Citroen claims the diesel-electric Tubik concept car has CO2 emissions on a par with a conventional saloon. Note how the two-tone paint - grey and white - debark the front-mounted diesel engine and the saintly hybrid unit at the rear.

It's 4800mm long, 2080mm wide and 2050mm tall. That vast cliff face of a snout leaves you in no doubt this is a sensible family-bearing device. And there's an obvious visual link to the Type H which sold 500,000 units over 34 years.

The Citroen Tubik should be a practical thing: the huge cabin doors incorporate the entire side of the vehicle.

By Tim Pollard