André Citroën organised the first motor crossing of the Sahara in 1922. Five half -track vehicles, tough enough to cross rocky and inhospitable terrain, were the first to journey from Algeria to French West Africa. Galvanised by this exploit, André Citroën followed it up with the Croisière Noire in 1924 and the Croisière Jaune in 1931. The public was thoroughly captivated by these truly adventurous Asian and African expeditions, which were recognised at the time as important economic, humanitarian, scientific and cultural missions.

Citroën is alluding to this past with Cruise Crosser, a rough and ready all-terrain concept car produced by the Espera Sbarro School in partnership with Citroën Styling. This off-road concept, based on Citroën’s first luxury SUV, the C-Crosser, is fitted with three axles and six wheels that, just like those first half -track vehicles, give it traction in the harshest possible conditions, come snow, sand or mud.

The orange-coloured Cruise Crosser is easily spotted wherever it roams. The large red compasses on each side of the vehicle underline its mission to travel everywhere and anywhere, north, south, east or west. Cruise Crosser has a big open space at the back to provide seating for extra passengers (removable row 3) or a vast loading area for trouble -free transport of luggage, shovels, tents and other accessories. The opening mechanism of the tailgate makes loading easier, while step plates on both sides of the vehicle facilitate access to the rear compartment.

The Cruise Crosser is equally impressive inside. The leather seats in rows 1 and 2 boast a particularly high-tech design, with mesh-style hide confirming both the vehicle’s sporting vocation and the care that went into providing passengers with total travelling comfort. The orange body colour is stylishly echoed in the seat contours, on the dashboard and on the door panels. These and other details bring a generous dose of visual and tactile pleasure to Cruise Crosser’s efficient and functional cabin.