An unusual Activa spotted...

XantiaMan · Unread post by **XantiaMan** » 18 Nov 2008, 19:33

Not everyday you see another Activa but heres one on the M25 i spotted today -

(shout me if links dont work)

I wasnt sure it was an Activa at first until i pulled up alongside it, and it had Activa on the door rubstrips.

Being a Mk2 and slight sign of soot i think it was an HDI, it also had full leather interior. Sorry for poor pics!

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 18 Nov 2008, 19:56

Could well have been Gareth.

Those lucky Europeans could have the Activa (at varioustimes in it's life) with a 2.0 16V engine (XU10J4RS I believe), the 2.1TD, the V6 and the 110 HDi. It was just us that had the Hobson's choice of the 2.0CT...

red_dwarfers · Unread post by **red_dwarfers** » 18 Nov 2008, 19:59

I don't think I've ever seen another Activa in the flesh apart from Jims

Its just a shame you didn't follow it to its destination and have a quick chat with the owner

XantiaMan · Unread post by **XantiaMan** » 18 Nov 2008, 20:40

red_dwarfers wrote:I don't think I've ever seen another Activa in the flesh apart from Jims
Its just a shame you didn't follow it to its destination and have a quick chat with the owner

.

Strangly I didn't fancy a trip to portugal

. I was in the van too so he definatly wouldn't of had a clue what I was on about.

There ia a red activa in my town that I spot once a month and more recently a blue one that was sold on ebay for spares...

Quackers · Unread post by **Quackers** » 19 Nov 2008, 12:59

citrojim wrote:Could well have been Gareth.

Those lucky Europeans could have the Activa (at varioustimes in it's life) with a 2.0 16V engine (XU10J4RS I believe), the 2.1TD, the V6 and the 110 HDi. It was just us that had the Hobson's choice of the 2.0CT...

On that line of subject, a snipit from an ICT Complaint in 1999.

MISLEADING
CITROEN XANTIA
Advertising agency: Euro RSCG

COMPLAINT FROM 1 viewer

NATURE OF COMPLAINT The advertisement showed a “pyramid” of Citroen Xantias driving toward a “pyramid” of other cars on a stretch of tarmac. The Xantia pyramind steered successfully around an obstacle, but the other collapsed when it swerved. A voice-over said: "The new generation Citroen Xantia". Superimposed text stated: 'For a safer drive, the New Generation Citroen Xantia with Activa suspension'. A viewer complained that the advertisement gave the misleading impression that all new Citroen Xantia cars now had the Activa suspension, but that this was not the case as only the most expensive model in the range had Activa suspension as standard and it was not even an optional extra on all other models.

ASSESSMENT The advertiser argued that the advertisement "only showed that particular model and clearly referred to the new generation (i.e. differentiating it from the old generation) of Citroen Xantia". The ITC considered, however, that it was not made clear that there was only one model of Citroen Xantia that had Activa suspension and viewers could be misled into thinking all new Citroen Xantia models had Activa suspension. During the course of the investigation, the advertiser amended the advertisement.

DECISION Complaint upheld.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 19 Nov 2008, 13:03

Quackers wrote: DECISION Complaint upheld.

Did he get a free Activa for his trouble?

ACTIVE8 · Unread post by **ACTIVE8** » 19 Nov 2008, 19:09

He should have also written to Citroen U.K. & Citroen France, about the vast engine choice that was available for the Activa, that we were not allowed to have.

Looks like we were lucky then, to get the Xantia V6 8) here, because they could have changed their mind on that one too.

Hobson's choice for a country used to sports cars, performance cars, interesting cars, a whole variety of different cars.

Citroen had a chance to show what they could do, and highlight their engineering in respect of their suspension, and this development of it, by allowing the whole Activa range in to make more impact, and yet they did not do that, and therefore missed the boat, and the point on that one!

All The Gear & No Idea !!

(In the marketing department certainly, & probably several others too!)

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 19 Nov 2008, 21:49

ACTIVE8 wrote: All The Gear & No Idea !!

Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory

Imagine a proper Activa GTi with the Mi16 engine. A bit of fat shedding and all the go-faster bling and they would have conquered the world; the natural and logical successor to the BX "Valver".

This could have ran alongside the VSX-like Activa we know and love and thus taking two market segments. One would have sold the other.

The opportunity was also missed with the Turbo CT Estate. That so should have had an option of Activa suspension

ACTIVE8 · Unread post by **ACTIVE8** » 19 Nov 2008, 22:59

I agree citrojim they could have been interesting vehicles, and certainly would have been worth having here in the U.K.

Also they would have sold more vehicles and moving the metal is meant to be the point of the whole exercise for a manufacturer, as more units sold = more profit.

Currently Citroen apparently according to a recent article I noticed in, that handy magazine library W H Smiths (try before you buy, or more like read what you want, and then put it back after a long ponder/read)

have 6 people carriers in their model range.

I think the models they mentioned in the article in Autocar, were the C4 Picasso, C8, Berlingo First, Berligo Multispace, Xsara Picasso, Dispatch Combi.

They mentioned that Citroen were the only manufacturer with such a wide range of people carriers.

So they are offering a wide range of this type of vehicle now, but what happened previously?

Using the marketing teams language, there should have been some thinking outside of the box,

and blue sky thinking

regarding the Activa issue.

Citroen have been driving their products forward, and developing them all over many years, with regard to the models using LHM, this would have been an excellent way of demonstrating with the Activa, a natural and clever way of using the technology in another way.

Sadly the level of brightness (1 watt bulb level)

is again been shown again as regards the 4 X 4 market!

How long did it take before we saw the C-crosser, and then they release it at a point when it's too late, because those that did desire for some strange reason a 4 X 4 now can't afford to run it, and now also can't get hardly anything for whatever model of 4 X 4 they have, because the market for them has gone down the pan.

Tough luck !!

Most people bought them like lemmings, so they bought into the image, and are never going to be able to work out the controls, and do not need 4 X 4 capabilities to take junior to school, and climb the kerb!
So, now they can lose money like lemmings on a vehicle who's market has crashed like a share price/value, and next time they can get a more sensible vehicle!....... Rant over

So Citroen C-crosser too little, too late!

As per what they did with the U.K. spec Activa.

They do not seem to learn by their mistakes!

XantiaMan · Unread post by **XantiaMan** » 20 Nov 2008, 08:03

I hear what your all saying, but would a 2.1TD been as 'special' and 'sporty' at the time? CT's really do suit the layed back and Q car approach of the Activa and for me thats part of the appeal.

Case example, the show off in a 330ci BMW at a set of traffic lights. He approached them with alot of aggression and made it pretty clear by the look he gave that he was going to blast away from the lights with very little competition.

Next time he tries to pull away from a Citroen Xantia he will think twice, despite pulling away at the same time my swift launching technique had him thrashing the crap out of his 231bhp 6-pot posemobile and not only did 1st gear pull away, so did 2nd. I stopped accelerating at 60 as that was the speed limit but point proven, dull mundane family hatchback Citroen can have a decent turn of speed....and show up more expensive and arguably more powerful machinery if driven in the right manner.

All this with just a bit more boost. Why didnt Citroen do this from the factory to give it that little bit more ommph? No idea, but it would have been in Rover Vitesse Sport performance league instead of 2 litre Mondeo.

At the time, diesels were far more popular with europeans, and i think it would have given off the wrong image in the UK to have a car capable of very high cornering speeds yet have a plodding diesel lump pushing it along.

Of course that is what some of us want, but i can see the reason why that version was not brought over here.

The lack of a manual V6 version does have me miffed. On par with a Mondeo ST200 but with superior ride and handling. Slight larger wheels and maybe some sideskirts, it would have been the performance flagship of the range. The Activa CT Turbo should have been 175bhp as the entry model and the CT dropped. An alternative variant - a turbocharged 16v version with 225bhp and matching torque!

Thats how it should of been, a missed opportunity yes, but it does make it all that bit rarer and special for me!

ACTIVE8 · Unread post by **ACTIVE8** » 20 Nov 2008, 12:50

Hi XantiaMan583.

I agree it's the Q car aspect of the Activa that also appeals to me. 8)

Although my choice would be to have more power than standard, as its O.K. but not good enough with what it has ex factory.
It's a street sleeper with emphasis on the Zzzzzz with the standard basic output.

Yes, it is meant to be a more relaxed cruiser, but with another E.C.U. two extra rams, various other component parts, and several more spheres on a car that is not that light to start with, it could have done with a better power to weight ratio.

The V6 would have been my choice, and yes I have driven one, and like citrojim I found it a very enjoyable driving experience. 8)

Point taken about the diesel variants we could have had, I delibrately was not specific about the engine choice(s) in the above post as it should be up to the individual (not a suit at Citroen) , as to what they would want under their bonnet.

If they want a diesel then so be it, as it's the freedom of choice we never had.

Also the low blow type engine tends to drive like a diesel, but won't match the engine braking, and torque of a HDI engine. It's a bit like trying to make a petrol copy a diesel, and not really getting a better result. It's a compromise.

The C.T spec engine needs the extra power that you mention in the other post, with the useful information about making the CT perform better.

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=25463

I for one will certainly be attending to my car to get the extra power mentioned in that thread, and thanks for providing the information. 8)

KP · Unread post by KP » 20 Nov 2008, 14:14

There should really have been a few engine options.

2.1td with bosch pump

2.0t 16v engine(better economy IIRC)
2.0HDi 110
3.0v6
and 3.0v6 Turbo low boost.

The latter one would be the one with say 16" alloy wheels, a slightly more sporty setup, slightly lowe ride hieght setup and more supportive seats as well for driver and passenger, recaro maybe?

Leather should have been an option as well as cruise control standard across the range(it cant cost that much as most of the engines are flyby wire types anyway) and also an estate available as well.

Then a v6 turbo and HDi 110 4x4 version for better traction and launch off the mark as well. ( a slight relapse to the Xantia Buffalo and BX GTi 4x4..)