It"s official! Auto...

It"s official! Auto Express can reveal the first pictures of three micro machines that are set to turn the city car market on its head next year. Due to debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, the Peugeot 107, Citroen C1 and Toyota Aygo are three exciting new models built under the same roof in the Czech Republic as part of a plan to corner the small car market in Europe and the Far East.

Expected to cost from around н‚бЈ5,500 when they arrive in British showrooms next summer, the trio will rival the Ford Ka and forthcoming VW Lupo, which is based on the German company"s South American supermini, the Fox.

As part of the agreement between the manufacturers, all three will go on sale at the same time, so as not to give any one a sales advantage. Built on a common platform developed specially for the project, the cars will use the same basic bodyshell and chassis, while power will come from a choice of 68bhp 1.0-litre petrol or a 74bhp 1.4-litre diesel engines. More options are expected, but the ranges are unlikely to be expanded until 2006, as initial demand is predicted to be high.

Trim levels will be closely matched, while to ensure fairness, the plant will build exactly 100,000 of each example in its first year of production. All three models measure around 3.4 metres long, making them roughly the same length as the original Mini. Given all these close similarities, it"s likely that styling and individual brand appeal will swing potential buyers" decisions.

Design-wise, the C1 is arguably the most daring, with bulging oval headlamps and an interesting curved windscreen. Its rear lamps will be similar to those of the Smart ForFour - a cue that"s carried over to its sister car, the Peugeot 107. But while it resembles the Citroen from the back, the 107 has a less dramatic nose, with headlamps and bumpers that take on the French firm"s new family look. It"s far from a coincidence that the front end is virtually identical to that of the larger 1007, which goes on sale next year.

The Toyota"s styling bears less of a resemblance to the other two. It has a more pointed nose and wheelarches that stand out prominently from the sides of the car, while the rear aspect is completely different. The result is a more sporting stance - so the Aygo is most likely to appeal to young buyers.

While no official images of the interiors have been released yet, our pictures clearly show how maximum use has been made of the wheelbase to provide lots of passenger space. The back doors open as far as the C-pillars, so there should be plenty of room to get comfortable in the rear. Such a layout will limit boot space, but all three models are expected to have a sliding, tumbling back bench for occasions when larger loads have to be carried.

All three machines have been designed with city motorists in mind. As a result, there are large plastic surfaces on the front and rear of each car, which will keep insurance and repair costs down for those inevitable parking knocks, while a large glass area should ensure good all-round visibility. Automatic, semi-auto and stop-start transmissions are expected to appear on some variants, and it"s likely that a petrol-electric hybrid could be offered in the future.

All the manufacturers involved are expecting the bulk of demand to come from emerging East European markets. However, due to the strength of these brands in Western Europe, the new arrivals are set to achieve impressive sales results here as well, with Britain being a major player in the city car market.