MY WIFE sometimes accuses me of wrapping my cars in cotton wool (by which she means I don't leave the remains of a half-eaten sandwich in the passenger door bin) - but I have never wrapped a car in bubble wrap.
However, that's exactly what idosyncratic French manufacturer Citroen has done.
Those strange protrusions on the side of the new Cactus are called 'Airbump' panels and they are essentially a posher version of bubble wrap - plastic panels filled with pockets of air to provide protection against supermarket trolley scrapes and dings.
Design chief Alexandre Malvale got the idea from the iPhone when he noticed how people protected their precious smartphones in cases. The Airbump system is Citroen's way of securing your new car.
To be honest, I thought it looked weird when the Cactus concept was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year, but now I'm not so sure.
The Airbumps are available in black, beige, brown and light grey to contrast with the paintwork.
And they certainly are a talking point.
So where does the Cactus fit in the Citroen line-up?
It slots into the range alongside the C4 hatch which always had it all to do against the Golf and the Focus. Rather like Nissan with the Qashqai, Citroen has opted not to build a direct replacement for the C4 but to launch a unique-looking crossover that's as much a fashion statement as a mode of transportation.
Is it four-wheel drive? Emphatically not. The Cactus is the first of a new generation of Citroens that have been designed to offer great value and quirky looks. The cheapest model is expected to undercut the big sellers in the C-segment market by several hundred pounds but it won't look cheap in the way that a Dacia Logan does.
How has Citroen shaved the cost? By designing the Cactus to a very tight set of parameters. The performance was set down in stone at the start of the design process and there was never any talk of building a "hot" version so the entire car could be built as cheaply as possible.
The bean counters have run the rule over every aspect of the car.
In the cabin, for instance, the rear seat doesn't split/fold - it's a single piece which makes it more cost-effective. The rear windows have no electric lifters. In fact, the don't even have manual winders, just cheap 'n cheerful hinges for fresh air.
It goes on... there's no blind for the sunroof (just an anti-glare coating) and a very simple digital dash.
Does it work? Yes, it does. Careful attention to design and choice of dashboard materials means the Cactus cabin doesn't feel low rent in any way.
There's plenty of room for the family and more headroom than Newcastle Arena.
WHY IT'S GREAT: Loopy styling harks back to classic Citroens of old.
WHY IT AIN'T: Hopefully the cost-cutting won't see the return of trad Citroen bug-bears like squeaks, rattles and build issues.
VERDICT: During the 1960s, the US Navy coined a new term - the KISS principle. KISS stands for Keep It Simple, Stupid - the idea being that most ideas work best if they are straightforward. Apple has demonstrated the same concept on the iPod and the iPhone and if Citroen can ape those products its worries will be over.
The Cactus is a brave move in a segment of the market crippled by conservatism and I wish it all the best. This is one Cactus that shouldn't be given a prickly reception.
SPEC: Engine: 1.2 litre three cylinder turbo petrol Max power: 81 bhp Fuel consumption (claimed): 91.1 mpg CO2 emissions: 82g/km Boot: 358 litres Marks out of ten: nine
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