Citroën · 1992–1997

Citroën Xantia

The Citroën Xantia (pronounced "Zan–ti–a") is a large family car (D) produced by the French automaker Citroën, and designed by Bertone. Presented to the press in December 1992, the car was produced between 1992 and 2001 in France, with a facelift in the end of 1997. The Citroën Xantia Activa V6 used to hold the record speed (85 km/h (53 mph)) through the moose test maneuver, due to its active anti-roll bars. This test is conducted by the magazine Teknikens Värld's, as a test of avoiding a moose in the road. The second place car, Porsche 997 GT3 RS was able to manage 82 km/h (51 mph). Citroën produced 1,216,734 Xantias during its nine years of production at the PSA Rennes Plant. The Xantia was replaced with the Citroën C5 in 2001, although in its native France stock models continued to be offered as a cheaper alternative until October 2002. Production of the Xantia at SAIPA, Tehran Iran from 2001 to 2010 resulted in an undisclosed number of additional units.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: Citroën BX · Successor: Citroën C5

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

Name

The name "Xantia", like some other names used by Citroën before (like Athena or Pallas) comes from ancient Greek history and mythology. "Xantia" is derived from Xanthos, mean golden or blond in Greek language. Xanthos is name of an ancient Lycian city (meaning "golden city") in ancient Lycia region. The name is also known for Xanthian Obelisk, An bilingual Obelisk from Persian Achaemenid Empire era found in ruins of Xanthos city. The letter X was used in many Citroën models of this era. Citroën worked closely with Michelin, who were promoting their 'X' brand of tyres.

History

The Xantia replaced the earlier Citroën BX (which straddled both small and large family car segments), and maintained the high level of popularity of that model, but brought the car more into the mainstream to compete harder with its mid-size rivals, such as the Ford Mondeo and Opel Vectra/Vauxhall Cavalier. The car was built from November 1992 to October 2002 in France, totalling almost ten years, including the facelift in December 1997. It signalled that Citroën had learned from the reception given to the staid Citroën ZX, introduced two years earlier, and criticised by contemporary journalists for its lack of traditional Citroën flair, in engineering and design. Citroën addressed these concerns in the Xantia. The Xantia also used the traditional Citroën hydropneumatic suspension system, which was pioneered by the older DS. It was initially only available as a hatchback (notchback) (Berline), but an estate (station wagon) (Break) version, built by Heuliez, appeared in September 1995. Inline with PSA Group policy, the Peugeot 406, launched two years later, used the same floorpan, core structure and engines as the Xantia. The Hydractive suspension system was not carried over, and the 406 utilised a more traditional spring suspension. Sales in the United Kingdom were strong, and even though it was never able to match the volume of British favourites, such as the Ford Mondeo or Vauxhall Vectra, the car did help Citroën establish a strong foothold in the business car market in the United Kingdom.

1998 facelift

The Xantia was given a facelift at the end of 1997. The Mark 1, produced between 1993 and 1997, can be distinguished by the grille integrated with the body of the car. On the Mark 2, produced between 1998 and 2001, the grille is attached to the bonnet. The facelift model also features body colored bumpers and a revised dashboard.

Xantia Activa

The top model in Citroën's Xantia series was the highly engineered Activa. The model was introduced at the end of 1994, and between the spring of 1995 and the autumn of 2001 was built in just over 18,000 examples. The name refers to the Citroën Activa showcar. The distinguishing feature of the Activa was the ability to drive around curves without any chassis roll. This technology is more broadly known as active suspension. This lack of roll is achieved by active chassis intervention. In addition to Hydractive II, Activa also had undercarriage stabilization (AFS), in French SC.CAR = Systeme Citroën de Contrôle Actif du Roulis, which was the first standard-fitted, active cross-stabilizer in automobile construction. With this system, the lateral inclination could be reduced to a minimum (−0.2 ° to 1 °) by means of mechanical control with hydraulic cylinders acting on the cross-stabilizer bars. This technique enabled (according to the manufacturer's specifications) with optimal road grip transverse accelerations of up to 1.2 g and despite this also offered an above-average high suspension comfort and thus a safer road position. Compared to the standard models, Activa had seats with reinforced side rails, which on the first series (X1) were also pneumatically adjustable. Activa active anti roll bars. In 1994, the Activa technology was introduced, which is an extension to the Hydractive II suspension, where two additional spheres and two hydraulic cylinders are used together with computer control to eliminate body roll completely. Moose test. The Citroën Xantia V6 Activa formerly held the record speed (85 km/h (53 mph)) through the moose test maneuver, due to its active anti-roll bars, before being dethroned after 26 years by the Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Manthey. This test is co

Hydraulic suspension

The Xantia was the last Citroën to use the green fluid, LHM (Liquide Hydraulique Minéral), a mineral oil. Later cars, such as the C5, used LDS instead. The Xantia also was the last Citroën vehicle to use a common hydraulic circuit for suspension, brakes and steering like the pioneering Citroën DS. The Xantia had several variants of the Hydraulic system: Hydropneumatic suspension (5 spheres) Hydractive 2 suspension (7 spheres) Hydropneumatic (anti-sink) suspension (6 spheres) Hydractive 2 (anti-sink) suspension (8 spheres) Activa active suspension SC.CAR (10 spheres) Hydractive. From an engineering perspective, the Xantia's biggest advance was the suspension. From launch, the more expensive models were available with an enhanced version of the XM's Hydractive, Hydractive II or H2, computer controlled version of the hydropneumatic self-leveling suspension. This used extra suspension spheres to allow a soft ride in normal conditions, but taut body control during hard braking, acceleration or cornering. These models feature an innovation first seen on the ZX, and then subsequently fitted to the facelifted XM, a programmed self steer rear axle. On sweeping curves and tight bends alike, the rear wheels turn in line with the front wheels, sharpening responses and adding to driver pleasure.

Engines

Power came from the familiar PSA XU series petrol engines, this time in 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 displacements, a 2.0 16 valve version for the Xantia VSX, a turbocharged 2.0 engine, from 1995 onwards, a 1.8 16 valve and a 2.0 16 valve engine. In 1997, a 3.0 V6 engine was offered as top-of-the-line. This engine was also offered with the Activa suspension system, a rare version with fewer than 2600 built. The popular XUD turbodiesel units in 1.9 (turbocharged: 92 hp (69 kW), low pressure turbo: 75 hp (56 kW), or not: 71 hp) displacement proved to be the best selling engine. The biggest diesel was a 2.1 TD with 109 hp (81 kW). In 1998, PSA introduced the HDi direct injection turbodiesel (in two versions: 90 PS (66 kW), and intercooled 109 PS). For an economical diesel engine, the HDi offered the kind of throttle response normally seen in a gasoline engine and quiet high speed cruising at a top speed of 118 mph (190 km/h). United Kingdom models of the Activa came fitted with a XU10 2 litre turbocharged engine also fitted to the Citroën XM 2.0CT and Peugeot 605 SRi. It produced 150 bhp and 171 lb ft of torque and was a 'low-blow' type for smooth power delivery rather than outright bhp.

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Specifications

name: Citroën Xantia
Manufacturer: Citroën
Production: 1992–2001 (France), 2001–2010 (Iran), 1996–1997 (China)
Assembly: France: PSA Rennes Plant, France: Cerizay (Heuliez: Xantia Break), Iran: Tehran (Saipa Motor Corporation), China: Huizhou, Guangdong (CKD)
Designer: Bertone
Class: Large family car (D)
Body style: 5-door hatchback (Berline), 5-door estate (Break)
Related: Peugeot 406
Layout: FF layout
Engine: petrol:, 1.6 L I4, 1.8 L I4, 1.8 L 16V I4, 2.0 L I4, 2.0 L 16V I4, 2.0 L turbo I4, 3.0 L V6, diesel:, 1.9 L I4, 1.9 L turbo I4, 2.0 L I4, 2.1 L 12V turbo I4
Wheelbase: 2740 mm (Berline)
Length: 4440 mm (Berline)
Width: 1755 mm (Berline)
Height: 1380 mm (Berline)
Kerb weight: 1250 kg–1430 kg (Activa CT)
Predecessor: Citroën BX
Successor: Citroën C5
aka: Saipa Citroën Xantia (Iran), Fengshen Xuetielong XM (China)