Competitive wholelife costs and keen monthly rentals look set to get the new Citroen DS3 off to a flying start in the fleet market.

The French carmaker is particularly keen to get the car in front of user chooser and public sector fleets taking it into direct competition with the Mini.

But the ‘halo effect’ of a higher-quality product has the potential to yield more significant overall benefits for the French brand, believes Citroen UK fleet director Andy Wady.

The first in a model range aimed at rekindling glories of the past, the upmarket supermini is leading a move to persuade business sector drivers to have second thoughts about a brand they may not have previously considered.

“We have the price positioning for this car to be extremely competitive against rivals like the Mini and Alfa Romeo Mito. 

"With low SMR figures and a 43% residual value rating for a three-year/60k cycle from CAP – the same as for Mini – it’s ready to make a strong start in terms of whole life costs and monthly fleet rentals,” Wady told Fleet News.

“But there’s more to the DS3 than just that. We think it will give us additional strength in the user-chooser lists by attracting a much wider range of buyers who are new to Citroen.”

Speaking as he hosted an early viewing event at Stratford-on-Avon for more than 50 fleet influencers, leasing companies and user choosers, Wady said he would be providing 24 examples of the three-door car – the first in a range named after the iconic original DS – for a series of fleet loans of up to three weeks.

“I’m particularly keen to place it with user-choosers and public sector organisations like the NHS, areas where the Mini has been particularly successful.

"It’s no secret that we benchmarked our car against the Mini and feel it has the same kind of appeal,” he said.

“As it has no natural predecessor, we have no anticipated sales figures but we think fleet will account for 25% of the 5,500 cars we expect to sell this year.”