The Citroën CX is a large, front-engined, front-wheel-drive
executive car
Executive car is a British term for a large car, and is considered equivalent to the European E-segment and American full-size classifications. Executive cars are larger than compact executive cars (and the non-luxury equivalent mid-size cars ...
/luxury car manufactured and marketed by
Citroën
Citroën ()The double-dot diacritic over the 'e' is a diaeresis () indicating the two vowels are sounded separately, and not as a diphthong. is a French automobile brand. The "Automobiles Citroën" manufacturing company was founded on 4 June 19 ...
from 1974 to 1991. Production models were either a standard
wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels. For road vehicles with more than two axles (e.g. some trucks), the wheelbase is the distance between the steering (front ...
or a stretched, more luxurious, four-door
fastback
A fastback is an automotive styling feature, defined by the rear of the car having a single slope from the roof to the tail.
The kammback is not a fastback design with a roofline that tapers downward toward the car's rear before being cut of ...
saloon, as well as a
station wagon
A station wagon (American English, US, also wagon) or estate car (British English, UK, also estate) is an automotive Car body style, body-style variant of a Sedan (automobile), sedan with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo ...
(estate), on the longer wheelbase. The CX is known for its
hydropneumatic
Hydropneumatic devices (or hydro-pneumatic devices) are systems that operate using water and gas. The devices are used in various applications.
Description
A hydropneumatic device is a tool that functions by using water and gas. ''Hydropneumati ...
self-leveling suspension system (continued and improved from its
DS predecessor), and its (at the time) low 0.36
drag coefficient, normally noted as a vehicle's
in French. Restyled as'' 'CX','' the model name underscored this.
Voted the 1975
European Car of the Year
The European Car of the Year award is an international Car of the Year award established in 1964 by a collective of automobile magazines from different countries in Europe. The current organising media of the award are '' Auto'' (Italy), '' Aut ...
, the CX has been described by some enthusiasts as the last "
real Citroën" before
Peugeot
Peugeot (, , ) is a French automobile brand owned by Stellantis.
The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was established in 1810, making it the oldest car company in the world. On 20 November 1858, Émile Peugeot applie ...
took control of the company in 1976. The CX was also the final successful model of the "big Citroën" era, dating back to 1934.
History
The CX was launched at the 1974
Paris Motor Show
The Paris Motor Show () is a biennial auto show in Paris. Held during October, it is one of the most important auto shows, often with many new production automobile and concept car debuts. The show presently takes place in Paris expo Porte de V ...
. Citroën was unable to schedule right-hand drive production of the car until well into 1975.
The CX was initially a huge success in Europe, with more than 132,000 being produced in 1978. It found customers beyond the
loyal DS customer base and used the technology of Citroën's advanced
grand touring
A grand tourer (GT) is a type of car that is designed for high speed and long-distance driving with performance and luxury. The most common format is a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive two-door coupé with either a two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement ...
personal luxury car
Personal luxury car is a North American car classification describing somewhat sporty, sophisticated mass-market coupés that emphasized comfort over performance. The North American manufacturers most often combined engineering, design, and ma ...
, the
SM. Unlike its principal competitors, the CX did not have worldwide
distribution Distribution may refer to:
Mathematics
*Distribution (mathematics), generalized functions used to formulate solutions of partial differential equations
*Probability distribution, the probability of a particular value or value range of a varia ...
—the cost of development and improvements had to be met from a geographically small sales base. According to ''Driving & Motoring Month'' the CX "provides a startlingly intelligent set of solutions to modern motoring problems".
Design
The CX's flowing lines and sharp
Kammback
A Kammback—also known as a Kamm tail or K-tail—is an automotive styling feature wherein the rear of the car slopes downwards before being abruptly cut off with a vertical or near-vertical surface. A Kammback reduces aerodynamic drag, thus ...
rear were designed by auto stylist
Robert Opron, resembling its precursor the
GS. Citroën had been using a
wind tunnel
A wind tunnel is "an apparatus for producing a controlled stream of air for conducting aerodynamic experiments". The experiment is conducted in the test section of the wind tunnel and a complete tunnel configuration includes air ducting to and f ...
for many years, and the CX was designed to perform well in
aerodynamic
Aerodynamics () is the study of the motion of atmosphere of Earth, air, particularly when affected by a solid object, such as an airplane wing. It involves topics covered in the field of fluid dynamics and its subfield of gas dynamics, and is an ...
drag, with a
coefficient of drag of 0.36. Indeed, the car's name of CX refers to the French term for drag coefficient, or coefficient ('C') along the X-axis ('x', being the longitudinal). A notable feature was the concave rear window, designed to clear rain from the rear window without the need for a rear window wiper.
Mechanically, the car was one of the most advanced of its time, combining Citroën's
hydro-pneumatic integral
self-leveling suspension, speed-sensitive
DIRAVI fully-powered steering (first introduced on the
Citroën SM
The Citroën SM is a high-performance coupé produced by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1970 to 1975. The SM placed third in the 1971 European Car of the Year contest, trailing its stablemate Citroën GS, and won the 1972 Motor Trend Car ...
), and a uniquely effective interior design that did away with steering column stalks, allowing the driver to reach all controls while both hands remained on the steering wheel. A Citroën design principle was that turning signals should not cancel themselves—this should be a conscious decision of the driver. The CX perpetuated this feature, which is not shared by virtually any other contemporary automobile, limiting the CX's potential use as a
rental car.
The ability of the CX suspension to soak up large undulations and yet damp out rough surfaces resulted in a consistent ride quality when empty or fully laden. The suspension was attached to sub-frames that were fitted to the body through flexible mountings, to improve the ride quality and reduce road noise. The British ''
Car
A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people rather than cargo. There are around one billio ...
'' magazine described driving a CX as hovering over road irregularities, much like a ship traversing above the ocean floor. The constant ground clearance component of this suspension was used under license by
Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce (always hyphenated) may refer to:
* Rolls-Royce Limited, a British manufacturer of cars and later aero engines, founded in 1906, now defunct
Automobiles
* Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, the current car manufacturing company incorporated in ...
on the
Silver Shadow, and the
Bentley
Bentley Motors Limited is a British designer, manufacturer and marketer of Luxury vehicle, luxury cars and Sport utility vehicle, SUVs. Headquartered in Crewe, England, the company was founded by W. O. Bentley (1888–1971) in 1919 in Crickle ...
T series. The
Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 was not built under license, but copied the
Hydropneumatic suspension
Hydropneumatic suspension is a type of motor vehicle suspension system, invented by Paul Magès, produced by Citroën, and fitted to Citroën cars, as well as being used under licence by other car manufacturers. Similar systems are also widely u ...
principles after the less effective
Mercedes-Benz 600 Air suspension
Air suspension is a type of vehicle suspension powered by an electric or engine-driven air pump or compressor. This compressor pumps the air into a flexible bellows, usually made from textile-reinforced rubber. Unlike hydropneumatic suspensio ...
installation.
The CX has a
transverse engine
A transverse engine is an engine mounted in a vehicle so that the engine's crankshaft axis is perpendicular to the direction of travel. Many modern front-wheel drive vehicles use this arrangement. Most rear-wheel drive vehicles use a longitudinal ...
arrangement, in contrast to the
longitudinal mid-engine layout of the
Traction Avant
Traction may refer to:
Engineering
*Forces:
** Traction (mechanics), adhesive friction or force
** Traction vector, in mechanics, the force per unit area on a surface, including normal and shear components
* Traction motor, an electric motor us ...
and DS. This brings multiple benefits: significant mechanical packaging space savings (the CX is shorter than the DS); dramatically less engine noise in the cabin (Traction Avant and DS engines are partially in the cabins of those cars); and, improved access for maintenance of many under-bonnet items.
The CX saloon was always of a
fastback
A fastback is an automotive styling feature, defined by the rear of the car having a single slope from the roof to the tail.
The kammback is not a fastback design with a roofline that tapers downward toward the car's rear before being cut of ...
design, with a trunk lid hinged beneath the rear window, like many prior fastbacks from the late 1940s until the CX's era – but unlike almost every other 1970s sedan, which either ''offered'' a
hatchback
A hatchback is a car body style, car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to the main interior of the car as a cargo area rather than just to a separated trunk. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second-row sea ...
body, like the successful
Volkswagen Passat
The Volkswagen Passat is a nameplate of D-segment, large family cars (D-segment) manufactured and marketed by the German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen since 1973 and also marketed variously as the Dasher, Santana, Quantum, Magotan, Corsar ...
and
Saab 900
The Saab 900 is a mid-sized automobile produced by Swedish manufacturer Saab from 1978 until 1998 in two generations: the first from 1978 to 1994, and the second from 1994 to 1998.
The first-generation car was based on the Saab 99 chassis, ...
, or exclusively hatchbacked contemporaries as the
Rover SD1 and
Renault 20/30.
Aftermarket hatchback conversions to the CX were offered by Caruna and
Beutler.
Citroën's own 1970
compact GS, and the small
Alfa Romeo Alfasud
The Alfa Romeo Alfasud (Type 901, 902 and 904) is a small family car manufactured and marketed from 1971 to 1989 by Alfa Romeo as a front-engine, four-door, five-passenger entry-level model over a single generation — with facelifts in 1977 a ...
were also initially released as fastback sedans, but both received
hatchback
A hatchback is a car body style, car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to the main interior of the car as a cargo area rather than just to a separated trunk. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second-row sea ...
s in the late 1970s.
Launch
At launch in 1974, the CX was rushed to market, with some teething troubles. Some very early models did not have power steering and proved difficult to drive as the CX carries 70% of its weight over the front wheels.
Originally, the CX was developed as a
rotary-engined car—with several negative consequences. The CX engine bay is small because rotary engines are compact, but the
Comotor three-rotor
rotary engine
The rotary engine is an early type of internal combustion engine, usually designed with an odd number of cylinders per row in a radial configuration. The engine's crankshaft remained stationary in operation, while the entire crankcase and its ...
was not economical and the entire rotary project was scrapped the year the CX was introduced. Citroën went bankrupt in 1974, partly due to a series of investments like Comotor that didn't result in profitable products. Production versions of the CX were powered by a range of inline four cylinder engines - only the very rare GTi Turbo (1985–89) ever had the engine power to match the capabilities of the chassis.
At launch, the carburetor CX was positioned below the
DS 23 Pallas Injection Electronique and the
SM Injection Electronique.
There was a choice between three differently powered versions.
The "Normale" CX car came with a 1985 cc version of the four cylinder engine from the predecessor model with a claimed maximum output of , which was slightly more than had been available from the engine when fitted in the
DS.
[ The "Economique" version of the car (reflecting the continuing impact of the 1973 oil price shock) came with the same engine as the "Normale", but the 4th gear ratio was changed, along with the final drive ratio, giving rise to a 7 km/h (4 mph) reduction in top speed in return for usefully improved fuel economy.][ More performance came from the "CX 2200", fitted with a 2175 cc version of the engine and a twin carburetor, resulting in a claimed maximum output of .][
Contemporary reports also indicated that the cost of setting up a new production facility for the CX, on the northern edge of ]Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, at Aulnay-sous-Bois
Aulnay-sous-Bois () is a Communes of France, commune in the Seine-Saint-Denis department in the Île-de-France region in the north-eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre zero of France.
The commune has been awarded fo ...
, also played a role in undermining the company's finances to the point where it was obliged to surrender its independence to the more financially cautious Peugeot
Peugeot (, , ) is a French automobile brand owned by Stellantis.
The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was established in 1810, making it the oldest car company in the world. On 20 November 1858, Émile Peugeot applie ...
company. On 12 July 2012, PSA announced the permanent closure of the Aulnay-sous-Bois plant.
Development
The CX was slowly developed and improved, the key elements it needed to compete successfully in its market segment
In marketing, market segmentation or customer segmentation is the process of dividing a consumer or business market into meaningful sub-groups of current or potential customers (or consumers) known as ''segments''. Its purpose is to identify pr ...
taking years to emerge.
The parent company, PSA Peugeot Citroën
Peugeot S.A., trading as Groupe PSA () (formerly PSA Peugeot Citroën from 1991 to 2016) was a French multinational automotive manufacturing company which produced automobiles and motorcycles under the Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel and Vauxhal ...
, was fielding three cars in the executive car
Executive car is a British term for a large car, and is considered equivalent to the European E-segment and American full-size classifications. Executive cars are larger than compact executive cars (and the non-luxury equivalent mid-size cars ...
segment, the slow-selling Peugeot 604, the abortive Talbot Tagora and the CX, all competing for PSA's scarce financial resources. Developing and exploiting the CX design was not the top priority. The seeds of PSA's competitive retreat from this traditionally important segment were sown during this period of diffused efforts.
In 1974, the DS featured a fuel-injected 2.3-litre engine, while the 1974 CX 2000 generated , giving it acceleration from of 12 seconds. The 2200 improved on this, and eventually the 2400 engine (the 2347 cc unit as used in the DS) arrived; originally only in the Prestige. A regular CX 2400 arrived at the 1976 Paris Salon
The Salon (), or rarely Paris Salon (French: ''Salon de Paris'' ), beginning in 1667 was the official art exhibition of the in Paris. Between 1748 and 1890 it was arguably the greatest annual or biennial art event in the Western world. At the ...
, subsequent to the discontinuation of the CX 2200.
In 1977, the CX GTi received a modern Bosch L-Jetronic injection system, with .
In 1981, factory rustproofing
Rustproofing is the prevention or delay of rusting of iron and steel objects, or the permanent wikt:protection, protection against corrosion. Typically, the protection is achieved by a process of surface finishing or treatment. Depending on mec ...
and a fully automatic transmission
An automatic transmission (AT) or automatic gearbox is a multi-speed transmission (mechanics), transmission used in motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving conditions.
The 1904 ...
were added.
In 1984, turbo-powered 2.5 L diesel engine
The diesel engine, named after the German engineer Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which Combustion, ignition of diesel fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to Mechanics, mechanical Compr ...
did make the CX Turbo-D 2.5 the fastest diesel sedan in the world, able to reach speeds up to . Diesels account for more than half the market for executive cars in France.
In 1985, the GTi Turbo petrol model, with a top speed of over , gave the CX the powerful engine that finally used the full capabilities of the chassis.
The CX eventually acquired a reputation
The reputation or prestige of a social entity (a person, a social group, an organization, or a place) is an opinion about that entity – typically developed as a result of social evaluation on a set of criteria, such as behavior or performance.
...
for high running costs, which over time cut sales. The components standard to any automobile (steel, door hinges, starter motors, electrical connections, etc) proved troublesome in service, not the advanced components. The quality of construction improved too slowly to eliminate this perception.
Although the minor 1985 ''Series 2'' changes did create initial interest from press and public alike, they did little to revive sales, with 35,000 units being produced in 1986 and 1987.
While the DS achieved its greatest sales success at age 15 (1970) the CX design was subject to more intense competitive pressures, peaking at age 4 (1978). Other automakers succeeded in using the CX design as a template for improvement. In particular, the Audi 100
The Audi 100 and Audi 200 (and sometimes called Audi 5000 in North America) are primarily mid-size/executive cars manufactured and marketed by the Audi division of the Volkswagen Group. The car was made from 1968 to 1997 across four generations (C ...
introduced an aerodynamically restyled variant in 1983.
1,170,645 CXs were sold from 1974 to 1991.
Racing
Despite the challenging finances of Citroën at the time of launch, the CX was entered in numerous rally driving events, like ''Tour du Senegal'' and ''Paris-Dakar,'' winning five events outright.
One notable achievement was in the 1977 London–Sydney Marathon road race, where driver Paddy Hopkirk, driving a CX 2400 sponsored by Citroën's Australian concessionaire, staged a come-from-behind sprint to obtain third place.
The CX competed and finished the 2022 Dakar Rally and 2023 Dakar Rally.
Replacements
Successful competitors in this market segment
In marketing, market segmentation or customer segmentation is the process of dividing a consumer or business market into meaningful sub-groups of current or potential customers (or consumers) known as ''segments''. Its purpose is to identify pr ...
have adopted a cycle of redesign and substantial improvement every seven years. Despite the success of the CX design (and the company's unbroken legacy of dominance in this segment stretching back to 1934) there was no new and improved "big Citroën" model on the horizon by 1981. CX sales began to slide and, apart from a slight revival after the 1985 facelift, never recovered.
Citroën tried to operate independently and design a CX replacement that updated the flowing CX design (in 1980 and again in 1986). Each time, the parent company PSA Peugeot Citroën
Peugeot S.A., trading as Groupe PSA () (formerly PSA Peugeot Citroën from 1991 to 2016) was a French multinational automotive manufacturing company which produced automobiles and motorcycles under the Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel and Vauxhal ...
killed the project and fired the Citroën designers responsible.
Citroën did incur the expense of designing an entirely new petrol four-cylinder engine in 1984 for the top-of-the-range cars, but the market demanded either inline-six
A straight-six engine (also referred to as an inline-six engine; abbreviated I6 or L6) is a piston engine with six cylinders arranged in a straight line along the crankshaft. A straight-six engine has perfect primary and secondary engine balanc ...
or V6 engine
A V6 engine is a six- cylinder piston engine where the cylinders and cylinder blocks share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration.
The first V6 engines were designed and produced independently by Marmon Motor Car Company, ...
s.
The CX saloon was finally replaced by the XM in May 1989. This vehicle was based on the same chassis as the Peugeot 605. It was styled in a distinctive, angular fashion, and fitted with self-levelling hydropneumatic
Hydropneumatic devices (or hydro-pneumatic devices) are systems that operate using water and gas. The devices are used in various applications.
Description
A hydropneumatic device is a tool that functions by using water and gas. ''Hydropneumati ...
suspension, and featured new electronic controls and branded Hydractive suspension. It also featured a hatchback
A hatchback is a car body style, car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to the main interior of the car as a cargo area rather than just to a separated trunk. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second-row sea ...
and a conventional interior rather than the "spaceship" instrument panel of the CX. The XM was clearly related to the BX in layout and construction, but incorporated little design and technology from the CX. The estate remained in production until July 1991, when an estate version of the XM was finally launched.
The XM at first achieved annual sales similar to the modest totals of the CX in the last decade of its life, before a total collapse in demand set in during the mid 1990s. It was retired without an immediate replacement in 2000. Total sales were 333,000 units, less than a third of CX sales, but twice those of the earlier Peugeot 604.
The 2006 Citroën C6, first announced as the C6 Lignage concept car in 1999, appeared to be the direct descendant of the CX. The design of the Citroën flagship was directly inspired by the personality of the CX. It remained in production until the end of 2012 but barely 20,000 examples were sold; the lack of an estate version also hampered sales.
In 2016, Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën introduced a new large sedan - the ''Citroën C6'' (no relation to earlier models) - a car based on the ''Dongfeng A9.'' The CX, which had briefly been sold in China, was referenced in the promotional materials.
Design variations
CX was available from the factory in three body styles, with 13 different inline-four engine
A straight-four engine (also referred to as an inline-four engine) is a four-cylinder piston engine where cylinders are arranged in a line along a common crankshaft.
The majority of automotive four-cylinder engines use a straight-four layout ( ...
s.
Saloon
The original CX design was a four-door fastback
A fastback is an automotive styling feature, defined by the rear of the car having a single slope from the roof to the tail.
The kammback is not a fastback design with a roofline that tapers downward toward the car's rear before being cut of ...
saloon, with a shorter wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels. For road vehicles with more than two axles (e.g. some trucks), the wheelbase is the distance between the steering (front ...
. It was sold in a variety of trim and engine options, the highest designated ''Pallas.'' The factory never offered a conventional, three-box
The configuration of a car body is typically determined by the layout of the engine, passenger and luggage compartments, which can be shared or separately articulated. A key design feature is the car's roof-supporting pillars, designated from fr ...
notchback
A notchback is a car design with the rear section distinct from the passenger compartment and where the back of the passenger compartment is at an angle to the top of what is typically the rear baggage compartment. Notchback cars have "a trunk w ...
, nor a hatchback
A hatchback is a car body style, car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to the main interior of the car as a cargo area rather than just to a separated trunk. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second-row sea ...
.
Estate/Wagon/Break
The Estate (''Safari'' in the United Kingdom; ''Break'' in France), produced from 1975 until 1991, was a longer car. The same body style was also offered as the ''Familiale'' with three rows of seats, seating seven people. These models had increased load capacity (baggage; equipment; passengers), taking full advantage of the CX's self-levelling suspension Self-levelling refers to an automobile suspension system that maintains a constant ride height of the vehicle above the road, regardless of load.
Purpose
Many vehicle systems on a conventional vehicle are negatively affected by the change in att ...
.
The Estate was the last CX to be replaced. It was one of the largest, and because of its suspension, most practical, family cars available in Europe. The Safari was a success with speedway riders and other motorcycle racers, as the capacious design meant a bike could easily fit in the back.
Prestige
The CX saloon had insufficient rear legroom to function as a chauffeur
A chauffeur () is a person employed to drive a passenger motor vehicle, especially a luxury vehicle such as a large sedan or a limousine.
Initially, such drivers were often personal employees of the vehicle owner, but this has changed to s ...
driven limousine
A limousine ( or ), or limo () for short, is a large, chauffeur-driven luxury vehicle with a partition between the driver compartment and the passenger compartment which can be operated mechanically by hand or by a button electronically. A luxu ...
(a common use for the spacious DS model), so in 1976, Citroën introduced another longer version, the Prestige variant. The Prestige offered more rear legroom than any other standard-sized sedan in the world. In 1977, it also gained a raised roofline to improve headroom. Prestiges often came equipped with a vinyl roof. Contemporary reviews of the Prestige were favourable. In 1976 the UK's ''Driver and Motorist'' praised its comfort and interior fitments. In 1980, a diesel engine variant was introduced, the ''Limousine.''
Series 1 and Series 2
The ''Series 1'' vehicles (1974–85) were characterised by stainless steel
Stainless steel, also known as inox, corrosion-resistant steel (CRES), or rustless steel, is an iron-based alloy that contains chromium, making it resistant to rust and corrosion. Stainless steel's resistance to corrosion comes from its chromi ...
front and rear bumpers, hydropneumatic suspension as compliant and soft as the DS, a " spaceship" style dashboard
A dashboard (also called dash, instrument panel or IP, or fascia) is a control panel (engineering), control panel set within the central console of a vehicle, boat, or cockpit of an aircraft or spacecraft. Usually located directly ahead of the ...
featuring a revolving drum speedometer
A speedometer or speed meter is a gauge (instrument), gauge that measures and displays the instantaneous speed of a vehicle. Now universally fitted to motor vehicles, they started to be available as options in the early 20th century, and as ...
and similar tachometer
A tachometer (revolution-counter, tach, rev-counter, RPM gauge) is an instrument measuring the rotation speed of a axle, shaft or disk, as in a motor or other machine. The device usually displays the revolutions per minute (RPM) on a calibrat ...
.
The ''Series 2'' vehicles (1985–91) can be distinguished by the use of plastic
Plastics are a wide range of synthetic polymers, synthetic or Semisynthesis, semisynthetic materials composed primarily of Polymer, polymers. Their defining characteristic, Plasticity (physics), plasticity, allows them to be Injection moulding ...
bumpers. The cars lost some of their earlier distinctiveness, but maintained the "stalk-free" layout, where turn signals, wiper controls, horn and headlights could be operated by the driver's fingertips while his/her hands remained on the steering wheel. The suspension became stiffer in most models, with arguably a more aggressive look, as opposed to the more elegant Series 1 design. Although the dashboard retained the "pod" housing for the instrumentation, it lost the revolving-drum instruments and received a sloping centre dash area, and the radio moved to a position sideways and between the front seats, with the height corrector and heating controls moving to the centre console.
Custom models
The CX was frequently used as an ambulance
An ambulance is a medically-equipped vehicle used to transport patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided to the patient during the transport. Ambulances are used to respond to ...
and camera car, applications where the cosseting suspension was especially valuable.
A number of CX estates were elongated and retrofitted with a second rear axle, mostly used for high speed bulk transport such as carrying newspapers across Europe. They are known as the "loadrunner" variant. Most of them were prepared by the French company ''Tissier.''
In 1984, ''Guy Deslandes Design'' constructed four ''CX Orphée'' two-door convertibles.
The Swedish coachbuilder
A coachbuilder manufactures bodies for passenger-carrying vehicles.
The trade of producing coachwork began with bodies for horse-drawn vehicles. Today it includes custom automobiles, buses, Coach (bus), motor coaches, and passenger car (rai ...
''Nilsson'' produced 15 stretched limousines based on the ''Prestige'' from 1978 to 1989 for use as the official state car
An official state car is an automobile used by a government to transport its head of state or head of government in an official capacity, which may also be used occasionally to transport other members of the government or visiting dignitaries from ...
of the leader of the German Democratic Republic
East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...
, Erich Honecker
Erich Ernst Paul Honecker (; 25 August 1912 – 29 May 1994) was a German communist politician who led the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) from 1971 until shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989. He held the post ...
. Three 1985 models were converted during 1989 ahead of a planned state visit by President of France
The president of France, officially the president of the French Republic (), is the executive head of state of France, and the commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces. As the presidency is the supreme magistracy of the country, the po ...
François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand (26 October 19168 January 1996) was a French politician and statesman who served as President of France from 1981 to 1995, the longest holder of that position in the history of France. As a former First ...
, however only two of these arrived in East Berlin
East Berlin (; ) was the partially recognised capital city, capital of East Germany (GDR) from 1949 to 1990. From 1945, it was the Allied occupation zones in Germany, Soviet occupation sector of Berlin. The American, British, and French se ...
prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall
The fall of the Berlin Wall (, ) on 9 November in German history, 9 November 1989, during the Peaceful Revolution, marked the beginning of the destruction of the Berlin Wall and the figurative Iron Curtain, as East Berlin transit restrictions we ...
and German reunification
German reunification () was the process of re-establishing Germany as a single sovereign state, which began on 9 November 1989 and culminated on 3 October 1990 with the dissolution of the East Germany, German Democratic Republic and the int ...
, with the third example remaining undelivered at a Berlin Citroën dealership and the two that were delivered sold by the East German government through the Treuhandanstalt
The (, " Trust agency"), colloquially referred to as , was an agency established by the government of the German Democratic Republic to reprivatise/ privatise East German enterprises, Volkseigene Betriebe (VEBs), prior to German reunification ...
.
Transmissions
Manual, semi-automatic ("C-Matic") and, ultimately, fully automatic transmission
An automatic transmission (AT) or automatic gearbox is a multi-speed transmission (mechanics), transmission used in motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving conditions.
The 1904 ...
s were fitted, the fully automatic ZF 3HP22 transmission replacing the C-Matic in 1980. Luxury trim-level models were badged as Pallas, and sports variants as GTi. The long-wheelbase models were badged as Prestige (petrol engine) or Limousine (diesel). The factory never produced the CX with both the powerful turbocharged petrol engine and automatic transmission
An automatic transmission (AT) or automatic gearbox is a multi-speed transmission (mechanics), transmission used in motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving conditions.
The 1904 ...
in one car.
Engine types
Both petrol and diesel-powered models were available in various engine sizes including turbocharged versions. The top-end sports model, alongside the CX Prestige luxury model, was the CX 25 GTi Turbo
In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (also known as a turbo or a turbosupercharger) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake air, forcing more air into the ...
, launched in autumn 1984, rated at and a top speed of .
*2.0 L (1985 cc) I4
*2.0 L (1995 cc) '' Douvrin'' I4
*2.2 L (2165 cc) '' Douvrin'' I4
*2.2 L (2175 cc) I4
*2.4 L (2347 cc) carburetted I4
*2.4 L (2347 cc) fuel-injected I4
*2.5 L (2499 cc) fuel-injected I4
*2.5 L (2499 cc) fuel-injected I4 with turbocharger
*2.5 L (2499 cc) fuel-injected I4 with turbocharger and intercooler
*2.2 L (2175 cc) diesel I4
*2.5 L (2499 cc) diesel I4
*2.5 L (2499 cc) diesel I4 with turbocharger
*2.5 L (2499 cc) diesel I4 with turbocharger and intercooler
International sales and production
The CX was popular in most European nations, and also sold in some Asian and Latin American countries.
In 1984, Citroën sold 2,500 CXs to China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
and nearly succeeded in getting the "large car" contract that would have made the CX the most common vehicle in the People's Republic, which only had 20,000 private vehicles at the time. The Chinese government decided to award this contract to the Shanghai Volkswagen joint venture
A joint venture (JV) is a business entity created by two or more parties, generally characterized by shared ownership, shared returns and risks, and shared governance. Companies typically pursue joint ventures for one of four reasons: to acce ...
, and instead gave Citroën the rights to the "compact car" segment. This joint venture
A joint venture (JV) is a business entity created by two or more parties, generally characterized by shared ownership, shared returns and risks, and shared governance. Companies typically pursue joint ventures for one of four reasons: to acce ...
, located in Wuhan
Wuhan; is the capital of Hubei, China. With a population of over eleven million, it is the most populous city in Hubei and the List of cities in China by population, eighth-most-populous city in China. It is also one of the nine National cent ...
, is today known as the Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën Automobile factory, producing over 700,000 cars a year. Ironically, Dongfeng Motor
Dongfeng Motor Corporation Ltd. is a Chinese State-owned enterprises of China, state-owned automobile manufacturer headquartered in Wuhan, Hubei. Founded in 1969, it is currently the smallest of the "Automotive industry in China, Big Four" state ...
rescued the ailing PSA Peugeot Citroën
Peugeot S.A., trading as Groupe PSA () (formerly PSA Peugeot Citroën from 1991 to 2016) was a French multinational automotive manufacturing company which produced automobiles and motorcycles under the Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel and Vauxhal ...
in 2014, with a cash injection in exchange for an interest in the control of PSA.
The CX was assembled in South America from 1978–1984 starting with the CX 2000 Super in Citroën's facility of Arica
Arica ( ; ) is a commune and a port city with a population of 222,619 in the Arica Province of northern Chile's Arica y Parinacota Region. It is Chile's northernmost city, being located only south of the border with Peru. The city is the ca ...
, Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
. The car achieved good sales numbers despite being one of the most complex cars built in the Americas.
In Australia and South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
, the CX was imported, unlike the DS, which was assembled locally.
CX in North America
PSA Peugeot Citroën
Peugeot S.A., trading as Groupe PSA () (formerly PSA Peugeot Citroën from 1991 to 2016) was a French multinational automotive manufacturing company which produced automobiles and motorcycles under the Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel and Vauxhal ...
had initially engineered the CX models to meet then current US regulations. One specific circumstance led to Citroën’s permanent withdrawal from the US market at the end of 1973, the January 1, 1974 US regulation wording related to bumpers being drafted in such a way that height adjustable suspension was de facto illegal for passenger vehicles. The 1974 Citroëns actually built for the U.S. market could not be supplied to Americans due to the effective date of the bumper regulation.
More specifically, the newly updated US regulations ( FMVSS No. 215) mandated bumpers at both ends of passenger vehicles, with the bumper height to be standardized and maintained at a constant height for the 1974 model years - with no distinction for operating ride height, as there was in later EU legislation, since Citroëns are common automobiles in Europe. The height-adjustable suspension was integral to the CX design. Even the Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to simply as Mercedes and occasionally as Benz, is a German automotive brand that was founded in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a subsidiary of the Mercedes-Benz Group, established in 2019) is based in Stuttgart, ...
Congressional lobby had no impact on this mandate, and they had to disable the height adjustment feature for the US-bound W116 S-Class saloons and S123 estates. In 1981, the standardised bumper height and bumper requirements failed Cost–benefit analysis
Cost–benefit analysis (CBA), sometimes also called benefit–cost analysis, is a systematic approach to estimating the strengths and weaknesses of alternatives. It is used to determine options which provide the best approach to achieving benefits ...
and were rescinded.
In addition, the situation for Citroën in the North American market was worsened by Citroën’s corporate financial situation and the cost of U.S. and Canadian design legislation.
People with Diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity is a principle of international law by which certain foreign government officials are recognized as having legal immunity from the jurisdiction of another country. are not subject to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws, so diplomats in the U.S. still had access to the CX. So did foreign tourists under the personal use exemption, bringing in the CX for temporary use.
From 1979 on, Americans obtained the CX through grey import specialists, including the firm ''Trend Imports,'' who modified them to comply with US regulations.
Beginning in 1983, ''CxAuto'' (CXA), based in Lebanon, New Jersey, remanufactured the CX in the Netherlands before exporting them to the United States with full US compliance. The cars were crash tested as required by NHTSA. The bumpers were fitted with shock absorbing elements, the passenger doors were fitted with side impact bars, the form-fitting headlamps were replaced with four round capsule headlamps and fog lamps, the exhaust system was fitted with oxygen sensor and catalyst, and so forth. They offered a 5-year/ warranty and sold the CX cars in 49 states except California (due to stricter emission regulations). CxAuto removed the Citroën and CX badges and double chevron logos and marketed them as the CXA.
The CXA retail price was $39,900 for CX 25 GTi and was $49,800 for CX 25 Prestige, at a time when the similar 1988 Peugeot 505
The Peugeot 505 is a large family car produced by the French manufacturer Peugeot from 1979 to 1992 in Sochaux, France. It was also manufactured in various other countries including Argentina (by Sevel from 1981 to 1995), China, Thailand, Indon ...
GLS sedan had an MSRP of $17,775. The higher price was due to the unwillingness of PSA Peugeot Citroën to sell CX at wholesale price and the high cost of engineering and modification work to meet US regulations.
Another specialist, ''Citroen Importers of North America'' (CINA), based in Atlanta, Georgia, also imported CX and modified them for US regulations. They received cease-and-desist letters from PSA Peugeot Citroën to stop selling CX cars to Americans. CINA was allowed to sell the remaining CX in stock before terminating the sales permanently.
Despite lack of advertisement, minimal service network, and higher retail price, Trend Imports, individuals on the grey market, CxAuto, and CINA managed to supply Americans with about 1,000 CX units during the 1980s.
Prominent owners
In France, the CX Prestige model was used by the French government
The Government of France (, ), officially the Government of the French Republic (, ), exercises Executive (government), executive power in France. It is composed of the Prime Minister of France, prime minister, who is the head of government, ...
, including former president Jacques Chirac
Jacques René Chirac (, ; ; 29 November 193226 September 2019) was a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He was previously Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and 1986 to 1988, as well as Mayor of Pari ...
, who kept using the CX officially many years after it had left production.
In addition to the 15 converted CX limousines used as state cars between 1978 and 1989 by Erich Honecker, the Citroën CX found use by many other senior SED party officials and government departments of East Germany
East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...
, with 13 CX Prestige Turbos found to be in the Stasi
The Ministry for State Security (, ; abbreviated MfS), commonly known as the (, an abbreviation of ), was the Intelligence agency, state security service and secret police of East Germany from 1950 to 1990. It was one of the most repressive pol ...
vehicle fleet.
Elena Ceaușescu
Elena Ceaușescu (; born Lenuța Petrescu; 7 January 1916 – 25 December 1989) was a Romanian communist politician who was the wife of Nicolae Ceaușescu, General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party and leader of the Socialist Republic o ...
, Deputy Prime Minister of Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
(and wife of Romania's Communist leader Nicolae Ceaușescu
Nicolae Ceaușescu ( ; ; – 25 December 1989) was a Romanian politician who was the second and last Communism, communist leader of Socialist Romania, Romania, serving as the general secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 u ...
), was given a CX Prestige by King Juan Carlos I of Spain
Juan Carlos I (; Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias, born 5 January 1938) is a member of the Spanish royal family who reigned as King of Spain from 22 November 1975 until Abdication of Juan Carlos I, his abdic ...
, which she used until her execution in 1989.
Rainier III, Prince of Monaco
Rainier III (Rainier Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand Grimaldi; 31 May 1923 – 6 April 2005) was Prince of Monaco from 1949 to his death in 2005. Rainier ruled the Principality of Monaco for almost 56 years.
Rainier was born at the Prince's Pal ...
and his wife Grace Kelly
Grace Patricia Kelly (November 12, 1929 – September 14, 1982), also known as Grace of Monaco, was an American actress and Princess of Monaco as the wife of Prince Rainier III from their marriage on April 18, 1956, until her death in 1982. ...
owned two CXs, a 1981 CX Reflex D ''Break'' and a 1980 CX 2400 Pallas, which were both auctioned in July 2012.
Mário Soares
Mário Alberto Nobre Lopes Soares (; 7 December 1924 – 7 January 2017) was a Portugal, Portuguese politician, who served as prime minister of Portugal from 1976 to 1978 and from 1983 to 1985, and subsequently as the List of Presidents of P ...
the Prime Minister of Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
used a CX with the license plate ''POR'', while the CX of Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark
Prince Henrik of Denmark (; born Henri Marie Jean André de Laborde de Monpezat; 11 June 1934 – 13 February 2018) was the husband of Margrethe II of Denmark. He served as her List of Danish royal consorts, royal consort from Margrethe's a ...
sported the license plate ''Crown 101''.
Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Henri (; , ; born 16 April 1955) is Grand Duke of Luxembourg, reigning since 2000. He is the eldest son of Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Grand Duke Jean and Princess Joséphine Charlotte of Belgium, Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium, a ...
, had a special Landaulet created by Henri Chapron
Henri Chapron (30 December 1886 - 14 May 1978) was a prominent French automobile coachbuilder. His coachworks, carrosserie, created in 1919, was located in the Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret.
History
Chapron was born in Nouan-le-Fuzelier (Sologn ...
for his 1981 wedding.
Other royal and government figures who drove CXs include Harald V
Harald V (, ; born 21 February 1937) has been King of Norway since 1991.
A member of the House of Glücksburg, Harald was the third child and only son of King Olav V of Norway and Princess Märtha of Sweden. He was second in the line of succ ...
, King of Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...
, Panama
Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...
nian dictator Manuel Noriega
Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno ( , ; February 11, 1934 – May 29, 2017) was a Panamanian dictator and military officer who was the ''de facto'' List of heads of state of Panama, ruler of Panama from 1983 to 1989. He never officially serv ...
, Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
an dictator Augusto Pinochet
Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte (25 November 1915 – 10 December 2006) was a Chilean military officer and politician who was the dictator of Military dictatorship of Chile, Chile from 1973 to 1990. From 1973 to 1981, he was the leader ...
, Prince Bernhard of The Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
, and Prince Alphonse, Duke of Anjou and Cádiz.
Italian investigative journalist Carmine Pecorelli was investigating former prime minister Aldo Moro's 1978 kidnapping and murder, when he himself was shot and killed by an unknown assailant, while driving his CX in Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
, in March 1979.
Prominent owners also include Carlos Santana
Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán (; born July 20, 1947) is an American guitarist, best known as a founding member of the Rock music, rock band Santana (band), Santana. Born and raised in Mexico where he developed his musical background, he r ...
and Johan Cruyff
Hendrik Johannes Cruijff (25 April 1947 – 24 March 2016), internationally known as Johan Cruyff (), was a Dutch professional Association football, football player and Manager (association football), manager. Regarded as one of the greatest ...
.
Parts used in other vehicles
Common parts from the CX were used in other more exclusive cars. For instance, the rear view mirrors of the "Series 2" CX were found on many—mostly British—sports cars, like the Lotus Esprit
The Lotus Esprit is a sports car built by Lotus Cars from 1976 to 2004 at their Hethel, England factory. It has a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. Together with the Lotus Elise / Exige, it is one of Lotus' most long-lived models.
Th ...
, the Jaguar XJ220, the TVR Chimaera and the (French) MVS Venturi.
The gearbox
A transmission (also called a gearbox) is a mechanical device invented by Louis Renault (who founded Renault) which uses a gear set—two or more gears working together—to change the speed, direction of rotation, or torque multiplication/r ...
of the Citroën CX was used in the Matra Murena.
In 1982, Robert Cumberford built the Cumberford Martinique, an open two seater with engine and transmission from a BMW 733i, and steering and suspension from the CX. Pricing was 60% higher than its closest competitor, from Clénet Coachworks, and only two cars were built. Both still exist, one in France and one in San Diego
San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
.
Timeline
*1974: ''28 August:'' Introduction of the 2000 and 2200 fastbacks, with engines inherited from the Citroën DS
The Citroën DS () is a Front-mid-engine, front-wheel-drive layout, front mid-engined, front-wheel drive executive car manufactured and marketed by Citroën from 1955 to 1975, in fastback/sedan, wagon/estate, and convertible body configurations ...
—positioned between the bottom of range DSuper and the exclusive DS 23 Pallas
*1975: CX voted 'Car of the Year' by 49 journalists from 14 European countries. ''July:'' Introduction of the long-wheelbase saloon, the CX Prestige ''October:'' Introduction of the Estate version .
*1976: ''January:'' Introduction of the 2200 Diesel saloon and estate. Semi-automatic "C-Matic" transmission introduced as an option. ''July:'' Introduction of CX 2400 Carburettor model. ''September:'' Introduction of the CX Ambulance. ''October:'' Introduction of the CX Familiale Estate, a 7-seater version. ''December:'' The President of France receives a CX with electronic fuel injection, 5-speed gearbox and a raised roof.
*1977: ''May:'' Introduction of the 2400 GTi with fuel injection
Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of a fuel injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines.
All c ...
and the larger motor from the DS 23. ''July:'' The CX Prestige receives a raised roofline and fuel injection as well as a 5-speed gearbox. All CX 2400 models are given the optional extra of a 5-speed gearbox. ''December:'' Introduction of the CX 2400 Pallas Injection with semi-automatic, C-Matic transmission and vari-power steering as standard.
*1978: ''January:'' Introduction of the CX 2500 Diesel model. ''July:'' CX 2500 Diesel saloons and estates have the option of a 5-speed gearbox.
*1979: ''July:'' Introduction of the bottom of range 2000 Reflex and 2000 Athena
Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretism, syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarde ...
Saloons, as replacements for the previous 2000 Super and 2000 Confort Saloons. Reflex and Athena have the new 1995 cc Douvrin engine
The Douvrin family is an all-aluminum inline-four automobile engine designed in the early 1970s and produced from 1977 to 1996 by ''Compagnie Française de Mécanique'', a joint-venture between PSA and Renault located in the town of Douvrin in ...
shared with the Renault 20 TS, with a 4-speed gearbox on Reflex and a 5-speed on the Athena. ''November:'' Introduction of the CX 2500 Diesel Limousine, which combines the CX Prestige bodywork and the engine and transmission of the CX 2500 Diesels.
*1980: ''July:'' The CX 2400 engine receives power and torque performance increase. 5-speed gearboxes are standard fitting on the Athena, CX Diesel, Super, and Pallas. New gearbox ratios for the CX Break, GTi and Prestige. Rear aerodynamic spoiler fitted to the CX GTi.
*1981: Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission (AT) or automatic gearbox is a multi-speed transmission (mechanics), transmission used in motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving conditions.
The 1904 ...
made by ZF Friedrichshafen
ZF Friedrichshafen AG, also known as ZF Group, originally ''Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen'' (), and commonly abbreviated to ZF, is a Germany, German technology manufacturing company that supplies systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles ...
AG replaces C-Matic as an option - available on CX Pallas and Prestige models (both carburettor and injection). Wider front track introduced throughout the range to accommodate the ZF automatic. Introduction of the 2000 Reflex Safari, 2000 Reflex Familiale, 2400 Reflex Safari and 2400 Reflex Familiale Estates. ''July:'' Cruise control offered as option on the CX Pallas (5-speed manual and automatic), CX Prestige automatic and CX GTi.
*1982: New enlarged front wheel arches are introduced throughout the range to match the wider front track introduced 6 months earlier and allow for the fitment of wider Michelin TRX tyres. Michelin TRX tyres are standard on the CX GTi and optional on the fuel injected Pallas and Prestige models.
*1983: CX Reflex becomes CX20, CX Reflex D becomes CX 25D, CX Reflex IE becomes CX IE, CX Athena became CX 20 Pallas.
*1983: ''July'' gasoline ''2400'' (2347ccm) engine replaced with ''2500'' (2499ccm) engine.
*1984: ''March:'' Introduction of the CX Entreprise models, the CX 20 Entreprise and the CX 25D Entreprise, having only front seats fitted and the rear lined for carrying loads and targeted towards businesses. ''April:'' The limited edition CX 20 Leader is launched. 700 examples are produced and the model has the same technical characteristics to the 5-speed CX 20. ''October:'' The CX 25 GTi Turbo is introduced—the first genuinely fast CX model.
*1985: ''March:'' ABS braking becomes optional on the CX 25 GTi Turbo. ''July:'' Introduction of the model year 1986 S2 (Series 2) CX, restyled in appearance. Plastic bumpers, a completely revised interior, new mirrors, and protective body strips are among the most obvious changes. The new Series 2 model CX 22 TRS (2,165 ccm aluminum Douvrin engine
The Douvrin family is an all-aluminum inline-four automobile engine designed in the early 1970s and produced from 1977 to 1996 by ''Compagnie Française de Mécanique'', a joint-venture between PSA and Renault located in the town of Douvrin in ...
) in addition to entry level CX 20 sedan.
*1986: Introduction of the gasoline models 25 GTi Turbo 2 and Prestige Turbo 2, with new Intercooler
An intercooler is a heat exchanger used to cool a gas after compression. Often found in turbocharged engines, intercoolers are also used in air compressors, air conditioners, refrigeration and gas turbines.
Internal combustion engines
Mo ...
and improved performance. All Turbo models are 5 speed manual.
*1989: CX production at the Aulnay-sous-Bois factory ceased. All saloon models discontinued. Heuliez, famous French coachbuilders, were given the contract for continuing to produce CX estate models. Introduction of the rebadged 25 TGI Familiale estate, formerly the TRI.
*1990: Introduction of the 22 TGE Safari, 25 TGI Safari, and 25 TGD Safari Turbo Diesel estates.
*1991: Last estate models discontinued.
Legacy
Citroën CX values strongly reflect condition, as befits a high volume car with complex components. Value was bolstered in 2015, when one of the Erich Honecker CX's, a 1984 CX 2500 Injection Prestige, was sold for EUR €95,360 (US$108,621) at Artcurial. In 2018, another CX, Landaulet by Chapron, sold for EUR 95,360 as well.
The most collectible CX models are the very rare Series 1 GTi Turbo, and the Series 2 Prestige Turbo.
References
* ''L’usine Citroën à Aulnay-sous-Bois - L'histoire et les secrets du berceau de la Citroën CX'', by Julius Goldmann, Éditions Citrovisie, 2023. , https://citrovisie.nl/fr/products/aulnay
* ''La véritable histoire de la Citroën CX'', by Michael Buurma, Éditions Citrovisie, 2014. , https://citrovisie.nl/fr/products/la-veritable-histoiredelacitroencx
* ''Car
A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people rather than cargo. There are around one billio ...
'' magazine (UK), March 1981
* ''Car
A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people rather than cargo. There are around one billio ...
'' magazine (UK), March 1986
* '' Car & Driver'' magazine (U.S.), March 1987
*
Notes
External links
Citroën CX - Citroën Origins
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Citroen Cx
CX
Executive cars
Sedans
Station wagons
Front-wheel-drive vehicles
Cars introduced in 1974
Cars discontinued in 1991
1980s cars
1990s cars