WOW, 1st Xantia Test Drive...

wrinklet1 · Post by **wrinklet1** » 22 Jun 2004, 21:07

Hi, I was watching an old video and Top Gear came on. Chris Goffey started to pipe up (Yawn),Suddenly, he said X antia, mmm I thought, then he said it may be called a Xantia. He test drove a Xantia 1.6 Petrol LX. No diesel are available at that time. Unique to the car and that time was, stereo controls on the steering wheel, Hatchback design that looked like a saloon, the space, safety design, and he said 'this is a great touring car' Thumbs up from Top Gear. It also showed an advert about the car that loved driving and hated garages..The Bx.
I wish I could get it onto my pc then onto a web site.
Regards,
Paul

nick · Post by **nick** » 22 Jun 2004, 23:07

Its easy to forget, all these years later, just how well received the Xantia was by the UK motoring press when it was first launched.
I remember reading a long term test of one of the first Xantia 1.9TD's in about 1993, and they couldn't praise it enough. Somewhere I have a copy of the 'What Car?' 1995 car of the year awards, and various versions of the Xantia won three different categories.
Nick

kafkaian · Post by **kafkaian** » 23 Jun 2004, 02:44

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by wrinklet1

......I wish I could get it onto my pc then onto a web site.
Regards
Paul
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
They'd do you for copyright [:D]

Post by **philhoward** » 23 Jun 2004, 05:21

I think the Caravan Club towcar of the year in about 1994; Citroen had 3 class winners; the TD VSX won 2 and I think it was a XM (TD or V6) for another?

DLM · Post by **DLM** » 23 Jun 2004, 15:13

In my 'umble opinion the Xantia was well received for some of the following reasons (aside from its own particular virtues, which I'd leave to a Xantia owner to enumerate):
It concealed or erased previous Citroen quirks - e.g. No single-spoker, more "standard" interior, more Pan-European interior (no more grey tweed or brown/grey herringbone), no sink on stopping (admittedly that came later). All nods to perceived "build quality" and to some extent given dry runs on the ZX shortly before - though admittedly a sinking ZX would be a very sick ZX.
PSA held back their latest engines or engine variants for it (2nd-generation XU petrols set up for fuel injection and cat from the outset, 1.9 turbodiesels). There's nothing like a "new" engine to get a muttering rotter excited....
It used bodywork metal in similar thicknesses to other manufacturers, and followed the market trend of more "passive safety" (i.e. bigger, heavier, less economical).
It appeared more germanic than French - externally more like an Audi than a Citroen (c/o the then-contemporary Audi 80/90s saloons with micro-boots). The front's not too dissimilar to a Vauxhall Calibra too, though I can't remember if this was an exact contemporary.
Like the original Rover 200/400 it had a mini-executive look to it which went down well with both corporate and private buyers - I seem to recall the Xantia sold very well as a middle-management company car in the UK.
New-car private buyers (i.e. mostly diesel drivers and towers) had the comfort of knowing the capabilities of the XUD engine were carrying over - previous diesel BXs won plenty of plaudits as tow-cars, and were at one time the lowest depreciators in the Citroen model range, or any other.

tomsheppard · Post by **tomsheppard** » 23 Jun 2004, 15:16

Yes: an ordinary car with Citroen suspension (And wiring!) I have to say that it just isn't unconventional enough to interest me.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » 23 Jun 2004, 15:20

And another thing.... the Xantia was the first time Citroen fell fully into line with fleet model trim conventions: L, LX, etc. as opposed to the more francophone model designations of the BX, or even the ZX (yes, I know that "Reflex" and "Advantage" exist in the English language, but some car buyers seemingly didn't).

nick · Post by **nick** » 23 Jun 2004, 22:47

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by DLM

It appeared more germanic than French - externally more like an Audi than a Citroen (c/o the then-contemporary Audi 80/90s saloons with micro-boots). The front's not too dissimilar to a Vauxhall Calibra too, though I can't remember if this was an exact contemporary.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
A friend at work has a Calibra and its frequently parked next to my Xantia, its quite amusing how 'Calibra-like' the Xantia is from some angles, but sort of stretched in all directions. A bit like a Calibra thats started to let itself go and put on weight [:D]
To be honest the first time I saw a Xantia I absolutely hated it, it looked nothing like the BX I had at the time and just not really a proper Citroen. It seemed like they were trying to imitate Vauxhall too much, the dashboard looked like it had come straight out of a mk111 Carlton.
After a couple of years I started to almost like the shape of Xantias, and in 2000 I bought one. The shape has certainly grown on me and I've been really pleased with mine.
To me the Xantia is a slightly 'safer' and cheaper to run alternative to the XM I would really like to own, but daren't .....
Nick

rossnunn · Post by **rossnunn** » 23 Jun 2004, 23:42

Bet Clarkson probably hated it.

np · Post by np » 23 Jun 2004, 23:50

Aug 96 my Dad got a Xantia est,19td lx company car. The Estates hadn`t been out long then.Much better than a Mondeo,Vetra(His other options)Met green,good looking car,sleek.I think Citroen made it better by not fitting roof bars.Had it for 3 yrs/168k.I liked it so much i brought a met green vsx est in 2000.Much better than Lx as it has more toys,& alloys & front fogs.Although i gather the later Lx`s had more toys.
The only reason he got a 406 after it was the later mk2(98 ON)was to simaler to his 96 car.
Had mine for 21/2 yrs now,plan to keep it for another 3.

nick · Post by **nick** » 24 Jun 2004, 00:25

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by rossnunn

Bet Clarkson probably hated it.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
He certainly liked the Activa Turbo a lot, but its probably safe to say he hated the diesels!

wrinklet1 · Post by **wrinklet1** » 24 Jun 2004, 11:57

Nope Jeremy Clarkson liked the diesels too.
That was in his Perm days though

paranoid · Post by **paranoid** » 24 Jun 2004, 18:18

Mrs F told me to put my tools away when I commented on the likeness to the calibra (she thought the heat was getting to me!!)
But then I saw this coupe (at the bottom of the page on the link) later to become the 406 coupe....YUM YUM and they do a HDi one now Double YUM YUM
http://www.citroenet.org.uk/html/x/xanpro.htm

rossnunn · Post by **rossnunn** » 27 Jun 2004, 04:39

have you noticed how Pugrot almost steal all of Citroens good stuff and call it 206's etc....

James.UK · Post by **James.UK** » 27 Jun 2004, 06:57

Project X (certainly the blue coloured ones) looks remarkably like the old version of the Mazda 323f 1600cc 16v fi ??? 1990-4 ish??