Citroen Metrolpis

With the Metropolis, the French brand aims to boost its public profile in China, its second largest market outside Europe.

Citroen did not disclose whether the concept is intended for production. A company statement said the car shows the the importance that the brand places on the Chinese market and "demonstrates that a blend of Chinese and French sensibilities can create a beautiful vision for the future."

The Metropolis is based on the same platform as the Citroen C6 and Peugeot 407and, at 5300mm in length, is longer than the 5200mm long-wheelbase Mercedes S class.

The Metropolis is the first car created by the brand's international design team, based in Shanghai since 2008.

The sedan has a plug-in hybrid drivetrain with a 2.0-liter V6 gasoline engine mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and 40kW electric motor that can power the car with up to 95-hp at low speeds and also operate with the engine when additional performance is required, such as during overtaking. When combined with the electric motor, the engine has a maximum power output of 460-hp, which is equivalent to a 4.0-liter V8 gasoline engine, Citroen said.

The sedan has CO2 emissions of 70 grams per kilometer, about one fifth that of a conventional gasoline engine with equivalent performance. It also has a four-wheel drive mode.

Last year Citroen's new-car sales in China rose 57.4 percent to 160,600, giving the brand a 1.9 percent market share, according to company sales figures. Sister brand Peugeot sold 111,600 cars in China in 2009, up 44.6 percent from the year before.