Citroën · 1974–1991

Citroën CX

The Citroën CX is a large, front-engined, front-wheel-drive executive car/luxury car manufactured and marketed by Citroën from 1974 to 1991. Production models were either a standard wheelbase or a stretched, more luxurious, four-door fastback saloon, as well as a station wagon (estate), on the longer wheelbase. The CX is known for its hydropneumatic 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 c x {\displaystyle c_{x}} in French. Restyled as 'CX', the model name underscored this. Voted the 1975 European Car of the Year, the CX has been described by some enthusiasts as the last "real Citroën" before Peugeot took control of the company in 1976. The CX was also the final successful model of the "big Citroën" era, dating back to 1934.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Successor: Citroën XM

All Citroën CX data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

History

The CX was launched at the 1974 Paris Motor Show. 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 personal luxury car, the SM. Unlike its principal competitors, the CX did not have worldwide distribution—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 rear were designed by auto stylist Robert Opron, resembling its precursor the GS. Citroën had been using a wind tunnel for many years, and the CX was designed to perform well in aerodynamic 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), 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, wh

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 28,200 km (17,500 mi) 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 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 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 or V6 engines. 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 suspension, and featured new electronic controls and branded Hydractive suspension. It also featured a hatchback 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 th

Design variations

CX was available from the factory in three body styles, with 13 different straight-four engines. Saloon. The original CX design was a four-door fastback saloon, with a shorter wheelbase. It was sold in a variety of trim and engine options, the highest designated Pallas. The factory never offered a conventional, three-box notchback, nor a hatchback. Estate/Wagon/Break. The Estate (Safari in the United Kingdom; Break in France), produced from 1975 until 1991, was a 10 in (25 cm) 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. 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 driven limousine (a common use for the spacious DS model), so in 1976, Citroën introduced another 25 cm (10 in) 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 front and rear bumpers, hydropneumatic suspension as

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 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, and instead gave Citroën the rights to the "compact car" segment. This joint venture, located in Wuhan, is today known as the Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën Automobile factory, producing over 700,000 cars a year. Ironically, Dongfeng Motor rescued the ailing PSA Peugeot Citroën 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, Chile. The car achieved good sales numbers despite being one of the most complex cars built in the Americas. In Australia and South Africa, the CX was imported, unlike the DS, which was assembled locally.

CX in North America

PSA Peugeot Citroën 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 5 mph (8 km/h) 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 5 mph (8 km/h) 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 Congressional lobby had no impact on this mandate, and they had to disable the height adjustment feature for the US-bound W116 S-Class sedans and S123 estates. In 1981, the standardised bumper height and 5 mph (8 km/h) bumper requirements failed Cost–benefit analysis 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 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 Tren

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name: Citroën CX
Manufacturer: Citroën
Production: 1974–1991
Model years: 1975–1991 (North America)
Assembly: France: Aulnay-sous-Bois, France: Cerizay (Heuliez: estates, 1989–1991), Chile: Arica, Spain: Vigo (Vigo Plant), Portugal: Mangualde (Mangualde Plant), Yugoslavia: Koper (Cimos), Thailand: Bangkok (Yontrakit Group, CX 20)
Predecessor: Citroën DS
Successor: Citroën XM
Layout: Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive
Class: Mid-size luxury / Executive car (E)
Body style: 4-door fastback, 4-door fastback long wheelbase, 5-door break (estate)
Engine: 2.0L I4, 2.2L I4, 2.3L I4, 2.4L I4, 2.5L I4, 2.5L diesel I4
Transmission: 5-speed manual, 4-speed manual, 3-speed automatic ZF 3HP22, 3-speed semi-automatic
Length: 4666 mm
Height: 1360 mm
Width: 1730 mm
Wheelbase: 2845 mm
Kerb weight: 1265 -
Designer: Robert Opron , Geoff Matthews (Series 2 refresh)