Citroën has officially revealed its latest concept car, the Cactus M, ahead of its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month.

Inspired by the Méhari, the study is an open-air crossover designed for leisure and is said to be at ease “on all types of terrain and in all situations.” Based on the C4 Cactus, the Cactus M has sculpted wings around the wheel arches for a more muscular look, an upright windscreen, raised body and large wheels.

Seen from the sides, the large plastic doors remind of the Méhari, while the cabin is completely open. Passengers can get to the rear seats by simply climbing over the sides of the car, using the built in steps on either side at the rear.

The interior uses materials inspired by open-air activities and can even be hosed down thanks to the drainage outlets integrated in the foot wells. The seats are designed to resemble wetsuits and are upholstered in a brightly colored neoprene waterproof fabric, inspired by the world of surfing.

The rear arch of the vehicle allows passengers to carry all their equipment, such as wakeboards or surfboards. The modular cabin also turns into a ‘couchette’ and has an inflatable roof that can be made into a tent.

Citroën says the Cactus M is at home on every terrain thanks to the Grip Control function which optimizes traction. Using a dashboard selector to the left of the steering wheel, the driver can choose between four modes, normal, all-terrain, snow or sand. The vehicle also benefits from an increased ride height thanks to the use of tall and narrow tyres that made it possible to increase the wheel diameter. There’s no all-wheel drive system though.

So will we see a production model based on the Cactus M? Citroën says the study “illustrates the potential of the C4 Cactus as the basis for new models, as well as the extraordinary possibilities for deploying Citroën’s brand positioning through different body styles.”

PHOTO GALLERY

VIDEO

(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3”; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’));