C-segment: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 02:39, 20 November 2023

Revision as of 02:41, 20 November 2023

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The '''C-segment''' is the 3rd category of the [[Euro Car Segment|European segments for passenger cars]] and is described as "medium cars".<ref name= "EEC Merger Procedure"/><ref>{{cite web |title= Impact on the Competitiveness of the European Automotive Industry of Potential FTA with India and ASEAN |website = www.europa.eu |url= http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/automotive/files/projects/report_fta_india_asean_en.pdf |page= 8 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130429040531/http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/automotive/files/projects/report_fta_india_asean_en.pdf |archive-date= 29 April 2013 }}</ref> It is equivalent to the [[Euro NCAP]] "small family car" size class,<ref>{{cite web |title=Latest Safety Ratings |url=https://www.euroncap.com/en/ratings-rewards/latest-safety-ratings/ |website=www.euroncap.com |access-date=8 January 2019 |language=en}}</ref> and the [[compact car]] category in the United States.<ref name="segment">{{cite news| title = Taking the 'Cheap' Out of the Small Car| newspaper = The New York Times| date = 7 September 2012| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/09/automobiles/taking-the-cheap-out-of-the-small-car.html?hpw| last1 = Brooke| first1 = Lindsay}}</ref>

In 2011, the C-segment had a European [[market share]] of 23%.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260912866|title=Cost and well-to-wheel implications of the vehicle fleet CO2 emission regulation in the European Union|page=27+28 |author1=Christian Thiel |author2=Johannes Schmidt |author3=Arnold Van Zyl |author4=Erwin Schmid |journal= Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice|publisher=Transportation Research Part A 63 (2014) 25–42|date=16 February 2014|volume=63|access-date=25 August 2016|doi=10.1016/j.tra.2014.02.018 |quote=There is no or very little overlap between the traditional segments A to F}} [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Johannes_Schmidt2/publication/260912866_Cost_and_well-to-wheel_implications_of_the_vehicle_fleet_CO2_emission_regulation_in_the_European_Union/links/548844160cf289302e3082a2.pdf?origin=publication_detail PDF] [http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC82175 EU headliner]</ref>

== Definition ==

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== Europe ==

[[File:2017 Volkswagen Golf (5G MY17) 1.4 SE TSI hatchback (2017-08-30).jpg|thumb|[[Volkswagen Golf]]]]

According to 2011 sales,<ref>{{cite web|title=Europe Full Year 2011: Top 318 All models ranking now available! |date=6 October 2006 |publisher=Automotive News |url= http://www.autoweek.nl/forum/read.php?1,2449761,page=23 |access-date=7 February 2016}}</ref> compact cars are currently the second segment in Europe after the [[subcompact]] one (which in Europe corresponds to [[A-segment]] + [[B-segment]]), with approximately 3 million units sold.

Because of the [[Volkswagen Golf]]'s definition and long standing dominance of this class it is often referred to as the "Golf segment" in much of Europe.<ref>{{cite web |access-date=2016-08-19 | url = http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/kompaktklasse-1916624.html | title= Kompaktklasse |trans-title=Compact Class | publisher = Auto Motor und Sport | language = de }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.expressen.se/motor/stort-test-de-10-basta-bilarna-i-golf-klassen/ | publisher = Expressen | date = 2013-04-16 | work = Allt om Bilar | title = Stort test: De 10 bästa bilarna i Golf-klassen |trans-title=Big test: The 10 best cars in the Golf class | language = sv | last1 = Jakobsson | first1 = David | last2 = Berggren | first2 = Jan-Erik }}</ref><ref name="Copping 2006 17">{{cite book|first=Richard |last=Copping |page=17 |title=VW Golf: Five Generations of Fun: The Full Story of the Volkswagen Golf |publisher=Veloce Publishing |year=2006 }}</ref>

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After the Second World War, European manufacturers usually featured two vehicle types: small [[economy cars]] that were usually saloons and large [[sedan (car)|saloons]]. By the 1960s, the post war economic boom had produced customers who wanted something of intermediate size. These were usually saloons during the 1950s and 1960s.

The world's first [[Hatchback#Early examples|hatchback]],<ref>{{cite book|firstfirst1=Tony |lastlast1=Lewin |first2=Ryan |last2=Borroff |first3=Ian |last3=Callum |page=185|title=How to Design Cars Like a Pro |publisher=Motorbooks |year=2010 }}</ref><ref name="Copping 2006 17"/> the 1958 [[FR layout]] [[Austin A40]] Farina Countryman model that was a co-development of [[British Motor Corporation|BMC]] and the Italian design house [[Pininfarina]] at a time when this was unusual. It had a lift up rear window and drop down boot lid. It was also sold as a two-door saloon. It was built in Italy by [[Innocenti]] as well as in the UK. For 1965 Innocenti designed a new single-piece rear door for their Combinata version of the Countryman. This top-hinged door used struts to hold it up over a wide cargo opening and was a true hatchback – a model never developed in the home (United Kingdom) market. The Countryman name has 'estate' type associations, and BMC successor company [[MG Rover Group|Rover]] used the name on [[estate car]]s / Station Wagons so it is largely forgotten. This hatchback layout was further pioneered along with the European switch to front wheel drive [[FF layout]] with the smaller 1964 (Fiat) [[Autobianchi Primula]].

The modern C-segment market in Europe can be traced back to the 1968 launch of the [[Renault 6]], the first successful hatchback of this size. The ''hatchback'' bodystyle was first introduced by [[Renault]] with the 1964 [[Renault 16]], which was elected the 1965 [[European Car of the Year|Car of the year in Europe]]. A review in the English ''Motoring Illustrated'' in May 1965 stated: "The Renault Sixteen can thus be described as a large family car but one that is neither a four door saloon and nor is it quite an estate. But, importantly, it is a little different."<ref name="Motoring Illustrated, May 1965">Motoring Illustrated, May 1965</ref> Even the later similar-sized cars like the [[Ford Escort (Europe)|Ford Escort]], [[Vauxhall Viva (1963–1979)|Vauxhall Viva]], [[Austin Allegro]] and [[Hillman Avenger]] were still only available as saloons or estates, although some cars of this size, like the [[Austin 1100|BMC/BL 1100 and 1300 saloons]] and [[Italy|Italy's]] [[Fiat 128]] featured front-wheel drive from their launch during the 1960s.