Marque: Citroën - Company History & Models - Cars By Brand

PAST: 1987 saw the Citroën’s closet take on a modern 2CV with the simple but fun AX hatch. Offered in three and five-door forms, the car was available with a choice of one litre 1.1 litre and 1.4 litre petrol engines when launched in 1987.A nippy 85bhp 1.4 litre GT arrived for 1988, and the very rapid, fuel-injected 100 bhp GTi made its debut in September 1991.

PRESENT: In its day AX was a fine car although its lightweight nature always meant that it felt flimsy and frail. The utterly conventional chassis, also used by Peugeot, ensured crisp handling, especially in GT and GTi guises, which are great, cheap fun dash abouts.

FUTURE: At the moment asking prices are generally low, but in the future, interest in the sporting versions looks set to increase values, especially well kept originals – which are rare finds indeed these days!

PAST: Long awaited replacement to the DS with more acceptable styling the CX made its UK debut in October 1974. Saloon and estate versions were offered, with either petrol or diesel power units. The fuel-injected 2400 GTi (from October 1977) had electronic ignition, a five-speed gearbox, alloy wheels with optional air con. A new, lightweight alloy two-litre ohc power unit was introduced in the summer of 1979. The CX was discontinued in Britain in 1991; by that time just the 2.2 and 2.5-litre Safari estates were being sold over here. Surviving saloon versions were dropped from the slow selling line-up in 1989 before the XM took over.

PRESENT: Like their predecessors, the CX was technically advanced and so still offers comfortable, rapid, rewarding motoring, especially GTis. However like the DS, maintenance requirements can be daunting to the uninitiated…

FUTURE: Hasn’t caught on like the DS has with classic buffs, but in many ways a nicer car. As a modern runabout they take some beating and remain dirt cheap, perhaps always so.

PAST: The greatest advancement of the motor car arrived in 1955. Featuring streamlined bodywork and front-wheel drive plus hydropneumatic suspension, the DS was decades ahead of its time in styling and spec. A roomy, eight-seater Safari estate (forerunner to an MPV perhaps?) arrived in ‘59. More power from the spring of 1961, Décapotable (convertible) was released in ‘62. From 1966, DS19 gained a 1985cc engine and mineral oil was employed in the advanced hydraulic system. Faired-in headlamps were adopted during 1967; in Pallas versions these were steerable – a feature car makers crow about today… Five-speeds on DS21/Pallas versions for ‘71 and late cars even boasted sophisticated fuel injection.

PRESENT: Still a motoring marvel, the DS is a classic for purists although driving one takes some practice and patience. A superb cruiser even five decades on.

FUTURE: An assured classic; rag tops now go for crazy money and always will. Hard cars to work on and restore but there are some very good DS specialists around.

A fiendishly complicated range but the last true big Citroen estate car now comes at bargain prices. Briefly, the first CX Estate to arrive was the CX 2000 Safari of early 1976, which was shortly to be supplanted by the eight-seater Familialle – the lwb CX Prestige also used the Safari’s massive floorplan. In 1982 the estate car received the option of the saloon’s 2400cc injection engine and by 1984 Citroen’s new 25 DTR turbodiesel engine was finally available in high-spec British-market safaris. Series 2 models, with a much improved interior, were launched in late ‘85 and in late 1987 ABS brakes fitted to all CX 25 models. Messrs Heuliez, the famous French coach builder, made the final Estates to special order. Production of the CX Estate finally ceased in January 1991, ending nearly 35 years of big Citroen estates. Okay, so the CX doesn’t exude the charm of the old DS but there are more about and a lot cheaper, too although they won’t really be a classic like the DS sure is.

PAST: Another cheap and cheerful Citroen, arriving in Britain in 1983, and continuing the company’s tradition for building cheap small cars. The Fiesta rivalling LNA hatchback was powered by the 1124cc overhead camshaft unit, driving the front wheels via a four-speed all-synchro mesh gearbox. The model was fairly conventional compared with other babies from the Citroën line-up, in theory giving it a wider appeal. The LNA was discontinued in 1985.

PRESENT: The model was relatively shortl ived, and lack of durability means survivors are seldom encountered in Britain today. It’s a perky little number that’s more suited as a classical daily driver that’s a bit different then something to drool over.

FUTURE: No classic appeal for at least 50 years! Seriously, it’s not that sort of car, but as something interesting to tool around in that’s dirt cheap to buy and run, the LNA makes good sense.

PAST: Launched in the UK in 1989, the XM was the replacement to the CX and the last of the old school Citroens featuring innovative Hydractive electronically controlled suspension system – a development of the earlier idea. Engine choices included the scorchingly fast 24 valve 3.0 V6, which endowed the XM with supercar levels of pace while the massive estates certainly have space to spare!

PRESENT: A terrific big Citroen in the best tradition mixing panache with practicality, especially the warehouse on wheels estates. Tremendous cruising abilities and in terms of character and charm the XM was the curtain call for Citroens boasting their unique type of flair.

FUTURE: There are some real bargains about although only top versions will be regarded in the future as classics of their time and that’s some way of yet. Buy an estate as a quirky workhorse.

PAST: A bloated four-door, four-seater , 2CV really, it reached our shores in October 1968. The newcomer, available in basic and slightly more expensive versions, featured a top-hinged, estate-car like rear door, plus a standard-fit sunroof. Rear quarter light windows were fitted from October 1969. The spring of 1970 saw the arrival of the Dyane 4, powered by a smaller engine (435cc) but lasted just four years. Power output of the Dyane 6 was increased from 1970, while a new Weekend estate-type 6 arrived in 1974. The Dyane was discontinued in 1982.

PRESENT: Comfortable, capable and economical, the Dyanes are bighearted small cars that also cost pennies to buy and run.

FUTURE: Much like the Ami really and will also live in the shadows of the 2CV But a fine working neo classic.