“When in doubt, launch special editions of cars”

There are a lot of special editions available in the current market. The Skoda Kushaq onyx edition and the Tata Altroz racer are a few examples of special editions on the market. Most of these cars are limited to aesthetic changes and minimal mechanical changes. These attempts are solely made to boost the sales for a poor-performing car of theirs.

Manufacturers try to tap into this obsession with the help of cars. One of the best examples has been the Fiat Palio S10. The legendary cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar, was the face of this campaign. The car was a joy to drive but only 499 editions were made. Citroen has tried its hand at such a special edition, with the Citroen C3 Aircross Dhoni Edition.

The Dhoni Edition

As per leaked images, it has “7” logos and Dhoni edition badges across the car. The 7 number is placed proudly on each side to emphasize it being a Dhoni edition. The base color is a metallic shade of blue matched with light-blue decals. These additions aren’t limited to the exteriors. The seats are embroidered with the number 7 and Dhoni’s signature to further focus on the theme. Other limited amenities include Dhoni-themed cushion seatbelts and a dashcam.

As far as mechanical modifications are concerned, there are none. Underneath these decals, there are no changes whatsoever and the underpinnings remain the same. You get this special edition with the 1.2L turbo-petrol engine which is mated to a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic. The C3 Aircross wasn’t the most exciting to begin with and this edition doesn’t seem to bring some additional punch either.

Can It Win Indian Hearts?

Citroen sales have been dismal since the start of 2024. In May, Citroen failed to sell 1000 units overall. The Dhoni Edition is an attempt by the Stellantis group to attract cricket lovers around the country. Citroen have decided to make MS Dhoni the face of Citroen India, by making him the brand ambassador. But this attempt seems incredibly lackluster.

The design comes across as tacky and there aren’t any mechanical or luxury incentives to pay the premium for this upgrade. The premium is expected to be low, but it is still doubtful whether these efforts are enough to compete with the segment leaders from Maruti Suzuki, Kia and Hyundai.