With the big four - Ford, VW, Toyota and Opel - having already launched their latest offerings in the family car sector, Citroën's new C4 may have arrived late, but it could just steal the show.
The French manufacturer's replacement for the Xsara - one of the most uninspiring cars on the market - is long overdue. But it has to be good, as it is up against some very tough competition in this, the most competitive segment in Ireland.
There's the new Focus with its class-leading dynamics, or the extremely competent package that is the new Astra. Or the Mazda 3, which has the cutting edge looks to tempt motorists tired of the Euroland designs churned out by the mainstream manufacturers.
Citroën once had that reputation for design flair. But during the last decade its designers were confined to the wilderness and, as a result, dreadful cars such as the Xsara, Xantia and C5 were churned out, allowing Citroën's stablemate, Peugeot, to steal the limelight.
The C4, however, marks Citroën's welcome return from the wilderness. The three-door coupé, of which the Irish importer, Gowan Group, expects to sell 360 next year, is a superb looking car. But it is the five-door, which loses much of the cutting design in favour of bland but safe mediocrity, that will be the big seller.
Gowan has high hopes and plans to increase its sales in the segment by 330 per cent. To achieve this, it will promote the C4 aggressively through the peak January sales period. In a move usually reserved to boost flagging mid-life sales, dealers will offer between €2,000 and €2,500 off the new car.
This takes the mainstay of the range - the five-door 1.4-litre petrol - down to €18,500, which is over €1,000 less than any of its main competitors. With high standard equipment levels, a superb 1.6-litre diesel and a surprisingly solid feel to both ride and quality, the C4 is a welcome new face at the party.