Errata: The large bar in the chart should be "total worldwide" rather than "rest of the world" as it also included UK sales. The map showing the French design sites is majorly messed up!
@@anatolbaskak the gap was the look ,one already seen a lot and other at the time looked like a spaceship, and i drove for a couple of years (and kept it) a high-end car ,CX model with a 2.5 diesel engine (silver metalized paint with blue interiors ,still with those 70´s side mirrors) ,maybe 2 years ago i went in holidays with it and after being stoped for maybe 5 years ,it never gave me a problem ,i took it because to get to the finest beaches there are no roads and the CX is great at is highest suspenction level , better than some allroad vehicules, regards
What I like the most in your videos is the extensive old footage, because it gives us an immersion on each era, helping us to understand the context on those 70's-80's-90's days!
I drove the XM Diesel Automatic. It had an 80 liters fuel tank and it used about 6,5 liters per 100 km. It had nearly the double of range, than MB 250D. That one used at least 9 liters per 100 km. What a car, and stunningly comfort.
The thing with older Citroens was guessing where they'd put the handbrake. Middle of the dashboard or fourth pedal on the floor next to the clutch pedal?
@@briansinclair2223 The pedal for the handbrakes was common with the older Mercedes-Benz (W115 aka /8) as well. Actually, I do not know any Citroen model with a pedal for the handbrakes.... The BX 19 RD I had from 1989 until 1992 had the usual lever and my current Berlingo does have one as well......Anyway, the high pressure hydraulic brakes of the BX were quite weird: No ABS, two centimetres of pedal way only and special tools required to press back the brake pistons when changing the brake liners (took me half day to do this without that special tool!). Finally, the BX was written off, when all the spheres of the hydraulic system needed a change and the costs exceeded the value of the car itself.
@@carmadme Just could not believe it, but you are right! Finally, I found a picture of an XM-cockpit where I can see the pedal! Too strange that Citroen used this technique as well......
I sold these brand new and they were a brilliant car. The quality of the ride had to be experienced to be believed. It always drove level thanks to the suspension no matter what the load. The diesel version was incredible. I loved the handbrake system too that worked really well and was very practical. A great car which was very much underrated.
They didn't have a handbrake (besides the release plunger) and it was a pain to use when doing hill starts - the complete opposite of practicality of having a conventional handbrake. The XM's suspension was firmer and nowhere near as good as the CX (which in turn was firmer than the DS), even when fitted with 'comfort' spheres - the XM felt more like a German car by comparison with the firmer suspension and seat cushioning. I had two XMs (V6 Si and a 2.0 SEi auto, later converted to manual on it's 3rd gearbox) and neither were a patch on my CX 25 GTi Turbo 2. The only plus points it had over the CX was it being a hatchback and having better ventilation. I never bought another big Citroen after the disappointment of the XMs.
@@chrisperyagh I was the Sales Manager of a Citroen Dealership when the XM came out and I drove many of them right across the model range. I know they don't have a conventional 'handbrake'. It was a foot operated parking brake with a release lever under the dashboard on the left hand side of the column. It could be used in exactly the same way as a handbrake on a hill start if you knew the technique, but it did fox some people. You like CX's, I liked the XM. Vive la différence 😀😀😀
It took some choreography to do a successful hill start at a set of traffic lights - at least the automatic ones made that whole routine easier. My ID19B had the same parking brake/release plunger set-up. For those who don't know the hill start routine, it's come to a stop holding the brake pedal down and clutch in, into neutral, release clutch, set parking brake, set parking brake plunger, release brake pedal, clutch in, into 1st, bring the revs up and clutch up to biting point, then release the parking brake plunger and you're off accompanied with a bang from the parking brake pedal. Nice and dignified. I also lost count of how many times I had hydraulic pipes burst and ended up having to be transported home on a low loader the moment I got to where I was meant to be and ended up missing the gig as a result - never had that with the CX or ID19B. The XM was a great car on those times it was running well and an expensive, inconvenient nightmare when it wasn't.
@@chrisperyagh ooooo that's a bit of a long winded and complicated explanation. With the car stationary, in neutral, and with the parking break on, perform a standard hill start and release the parking brake at the biting point. I demonstrated it loads of times and people got straight away. Top Gear deliberately made it look difficult and ineffective. It wasn't, it was just different.
@@koll789 I've no idea what Top Gear did as I don't watch that drivel, but that's the detailed step-by-step routine I found myself having to go through whenever stopping on an upward gradient at a junction or at a set of traffic lights in a manual XM. It's always going to be long winded to explain anything in every single minute detail, even if it's fairly routine when done in practice. If there's a much simpler way with far fewer steps involved, then by all means demonstrate it.
When Citroën came to Brazil in early 90's, my dad took me to a dealer to see this car. I was 7-8 years old. I'll never forget how impressed we were with its design and features. The self leveling suspension, the electronics, the comfort, the ride, the fact that it went all the way down when you lock it...amazing The seller put me on the trunk and sat beside me to show the self leveling suspension. So cool. And he gave us a cassete tape with a video clip of the XM. I hope my dad has it stored somewhere. I often recall this car, nevertheless I don't remember seeing one on the streets, at least for a long...very long time. In early 90's Brazil was in a very unstable economy, so not many people could buy expensive and foreign cars. I think that's why it's hard to find these XMs around here. And the fact that it became an unreliable car, maybe was one of the factors that change the citroen mind of keep selling it here. But as you said, I think it will be a collectable car someday, and I hope to find one in good condition to buy. I would love to have one.
Great comments. I live in Brazil and I'm a proud owner of two in great shape. We have a Citroen Club here but XM's are very few. I also own other classics cars but the XM it's so special. If you want one don't hesitate to contact me.
A blast from the past. My parents bought 2 of them; the first at launch. This after 2 BXs I remember the comfortable seats, cossetting ride and contrived footbrake
My C5 X seven Exclusive doesn't loose hydraulic pressure because of the electronic systems. But the ride quality is still excellent!!! Iam such a big fan of big Citroëns! My dad's BX 19 RD was a joy to drive an know what you mean as cool as bud!
Citroen XM was my first car. Bought second hand with a bit of financial help from my dad. Since then I have owned at least 9 other cars but if you ask my wife what car I should ideally get, guess what her answer is? Yes, another Citroen XM. The other 9 cars, she doesn’t even remember their names. I remember once in the lake district we were stuck in a jam because the road was inundated after heavy rainfall. Nobody dared to cross it, fearful of flooding their engines. We drove out of the jam, stopped in front of the flooding, raised the suspension to max and forded the road. Once across, we stopped again and brought the suspension back to normal. The looks on the faces of the other motorists! Gold.
I loved the time I owned a Citroën BX. Considering that they had a bit of a cruddy reputation.. Mine was utterly reliable and in the 4 years of ownership, it only ever failed its MOT on a broken number plate. Not bad for a 9 year old car. Got written off in a 40mph head on crash... I was doing 40.. Wallyknob in a Granada came around the corner on my side of the road. I had seat belt marks for a while but the BX sacrificed itself and saved me.
Our family BX made it for almost 20 years. No other car (especially the "reliable" german ones) of that era was around, while at the same time, the humble citroen was able to make 1500+ km roadtrips without any issue....
My 18 years old BX failed Dutch MOT because of the rotten Subframe. It was not allowed to weld that subframe. Replacing the subframe was absurd expensive in those days. The rest of the car was 100% rustfree and it hurted alot bringing that car to the scrapyard. Seeing a BX today still gives me a positive vibe. The most comfertable car i ever owned !
We had a BX in the family for over 28 years. Never missed a beat! Finally, a Fiesta hit me sideways and ran me off the road. The BX kept me safe but was written off. What a shame, only two years before becoming a propper oldtimer...
I had one too. Loved it but the steering without servo was way to heavy. Unfortunatly the hydropneumatics didn't do anymore after a year. The car was 8 years old.
My BX manual gearbox was gone in 2 yrs after purchasing. Very stunt!!! Another strange phenomenon was fuel line was bitten to leak by rat which I'd never seen in any car before. Lucky enough I'd smell it prior to being grilled.
I can remember my dad wanting an XM V6 when I was a kid in the mid 90's, but being a mechanic he was always looking for a bargain repairable example, the few that did pop up in the salvage section of the Auto Trader were either way too battered or sold quickly. In the end he bought a 1995 (3 years old at the time) Renault Laguna 3.0 V6 that needed a lot of repairing (B pillar, sill, 2 doors and several hours on the jig). My mum loved the car but my dad was always nonplussed by it because it wasn't an XM!
Hi! I am selling my Citroen XM turbo injection, automatic, 1998 cc, 1997, petrol, dark red, owned since 2011, under 82.500 miles. I have two keys and all service history. It is off the road, parked in my driveway (Greater London). On the good side : impeccable grey velvet interior. Spheres do not need replacing. On the attention side : The lacquer has peeled, new tyres needed, new alternator required. As a quick sale, because I am moving, I ask only £1.600. Reply here if interested
I had a 'K' registered XM and did just over 140,000 miles in it. Apart from all the various "bells and whistles" it came with, people always commented on the seats - how comfortable they were. I then had various other cars before going back to Citroen with a 2009 C4 Picasso the a 2015 C4 Picasso (both 1600cc Turbo Diesels). The seats are just as comfortable in the Picasso as in the XM. Thank you for the video. Brought back some very pleasant memories.
I learned a lot of lessons in my Dad's new 1982 Volvo 265GLE. When I pressed the windscreen defrost button on the over simplified HVAC and turned the heat on the windscreen instantly fogged up completely...at 110 km/h...I'd never heard him swear that much...then I learned about live rear axles and Michelin high profile tyres....I've distrusted Michelin since then. I sure learned a lot about vehicle undynamics in that car. These Citroens have always appealed. Thanks. Great presentation.
I had a few of these - they were pretty good apart from the problems with the ABS warning light staying on - so pleasing to see it was doing just that in your video. If you turned it off and back on again it usually went out, unless you took it get it fixed and then it would refuse to anything wrong, so no fault - until you got back home.
And i thought peugeot 205 video was a treat for french car owners. Never expected to see video about XM. As a XM owner, nice way to start weekend. Thank you!
Every Citroën owner has been touched to his soul. Even if you dont have a Citroën at the moment you still are connected to the brand and its heritage. I have a 100% practical and reliable Japanese car now and am still hunting for a 1st generation Citroën HY van to restrore and drive.
@@obelic71 I could have had an HY for free back in 2004 in SW France.The brakes were binding but the engine was fine. I just didn't have the know how to make it roadworthy! Since then, by the the time it got covered with brambles an enthusiast came along and bought it !
@@melesmelesfaber3866 I know and he had propably to buy it for alot of money. €4000 for a restoration project HY van is the starting point in France now. They are highly sought after due to the foodtruck craze.
Just one more cool car that we can't get here in the US. I was totally smitten the first time I saw one, both in pictures and in person, when I went to Europe for the first time in August 1990. I've always been a big fan of Bertone styling since the 80's. Thanks.
My parents had a xantia, i loved it! Seeing it stand up on its wheels when you start it, the very specific sound it was doing... It was so cool! I will surely buy one after my drive test done.
In late 1994 the xantia received modifications to keep them at the same height even stopped, so if you're looking for one that lowers itself when stopped you gotta look at the very first ones. I also agree with you, it is really cool for them to do that on the early models, it gives that alive feeling to the car, I loved it too, same for the noises it made. Really unique stuff !
My dad got a dark green metallic 98’ V6 24V XM Exclusive back in 2000. It was like new, with manual TM, leather seats and no solar roof. He would let me drive it soon after I got my driving license with him on the passenger’s seat. We made a few long familly vacation trips in it. The car’s acceleration and overtaking performance was impressive for such an elegant sedan, and once you put the suspension in Sport mode the roll reduced a lot in twisty roads. My dad loved to that car so much. Sadly, we sold it soon after he passed away in 2013. I miss them both!
I remember seeing one drive passed me as a kid. I thought it was some sort of concept car at the time. I remember chasing it on my bike as it got stuck in traffic up ahead to try and see the badge. It got away and remained a mystery as to what it was. I even remember my dad being quite interested and asking me all about it when I said I'd seen a concept car on the road. The next time I saw it it drove passed again before I could see what it was. I was annoyed but at least I now knew it stayed in the area. The mystery came to an anti-climatic end when I just stumbled across it parked up one day and checked it out properly.
When I was studying in Coventry in the 90s, I had 2 friends with Citroens, one had a base spec 1.4 BX, the other an XM V6. Both were amazing in their own way. I was always in awe of the XM though. That wonderful styling and excellent ride. Another Grande Damme.
It never ceases to amaze me that while Citroen and Toyota have both utilized the same basic aerodynamic shape, the XM makes it look classy and futuristic while the Prius looks like something my cat hurled up on my Persian rug. Great video!
Not really sure why the prius had to look like it did. The wheels were much to small the car was to narrow for how long it was, a hybrid auris looked much better. I think they just made it look bad like the nissan leaf. Looked like a ugly frog with wheels
My overriding memory of those big Citroens is that the seats were more comfortable than my sofa. I didn't drive them very much but had a mate who had a CX followed by an XM as company cars so rode in them a lot.
I know a guy who had an XM with the 2.5 turbo diesel and it was great for towing his large caravan and the comfort and the ride was sublime. After a couple of years the engine head gasket failed and he spoke to three Citroen dealers about having it repaired: only one of those dealers had ever had an XM come in for a minor repair, the other two had never even physically seen one and none of them had ever come across the 2.5 TD engine so could not give an estimate of the repair costs, how long it would take, whether the parts would be available or if they would need any special tools to do the repair. The guy then contacted Citroen UK who very nicely provided him with a service manual that covered the head gasket replacement on that engine - but it was all in French! He was able to get it translated, managed to source the correct head gasket kit and did the full replacement on his driveway in his spare time over two weeks. Unfortunately, he missed tightening one bolt and the head gasket failed again two weeks later. He had to do the replacement again, but this time it only took him two days and he made sure he tightened all the bolts up. He kept the car another couple of years and it was perfectly reliable, but eventually the transmission started playing up (it was an automatic) so he quickly sold the car to avoid a potentially ruinous repair bill.
Yeah, The big Citroëns are always subject to a certain amount of unnecessary fears. Typical though that you could not find a manual. An English Hayness workshop manual does however exist. I guess it's mostly a matter of the car being so rare in the UK that nobody has any experience with it. Replacing a head gasket is however a standard repair. No specific Citroën expertise is needed.
As a teen I stayed with a host family in France one summer. The neighbors had a CX I rode in a few times. I totally forgot about the cool gauges on the dashboard!!! Thanks for posting!
i loved my 2 XMs back in the days, one of them ran 550.000km without any problems, only had standard repairings and a view electric problems which they were known of until the 92 models, the V6 (not the early 24V version which was crap!!) was great and had enough power. A wonderful car.
The Citroën XM has always been a staple car for me. I love its spaceship design, the smooth suspension and the fact that it is a large luxury car. Infact it is my absolute favorite car!
As a fan of Citroens, the XM is one of my favorites. Love the futuristic design. I wish they sold more here. Buy us Yanks are a picky lot. But I would have bought one even used. That’s why I like Swedish cars as well, they are also quirky. 😀
Can't belive how much you can learn on cool old French cars from other countries, usually if you would want some info about late 80 Citroëns and Renaults you would ask your uncle who has too many dogs. Thanks for keeping it alive
Thanks for another great video! I found this really interesting because my first large car was the Xantia and my next was the C5 which I kept for 15 years!! It's interesting to hear the history that came before them and why finding a car like them now is so difficult.
I love this Car. My dad himself owns a Xantia and both of these Designs are so nice and sleek! Why does nobody today produce cars with such a nice and sleek design?!
I think exactly the same! I just bought a Xantia 2.0 from 1998 one month ago and im loving it! Cars today look all the same, and Citroen lost all the charme they always had since the DS
Cars have become marketing soulless items today The yought is not interested in cars anymore and see them as pure apliances. Citroën is one of those soul having brands. The old ones have their faults you hate and love them at the same time.
Pedestrian safety bullshit has basically killed off bumpers and sleek front ends. Now virtually every car has to have a tall, flat front end to be safety certified. As a child of the 80s and 90s, it makes you miss all the low, sleek, futuristic designs we had back then!
I had one of these. What an extraordinary car! Literally like riding in a motorised sofa, but with good handling. Mine was a burgundy red with black leather upholstery.
My father had a 90 first serie and I remember it fondly. I remember the speed on every surface and the troubles at the Hal-like computer. Couple of years ago met a gentleman in one,and excitedly asked him about keeping one. His answer chilled me:"I have 3, 2 for spares and 1 working".
My Dad swapped a Rover Sterling for an XM in the late eighties. He had lunch every day in a pub that was frequented by Joe Brown who tours the UK every year. He really liked the level suspension and bought an estate version which he could fill with his instruments and still have a level ride. Last time I spoke to him, he had had six XMs!
The C6 could probably be produced today,with minimum changes! Too bad that european consumers didn't appreciate much all those large french cars! For some reason,Europeans just love paying Germany!!
@@alphatrion100 I had CX,XM and still have a C6. They are all great cars, but had some ups and downs. C6 failure was marketing, and unpractical sedan configuration. XM was much more practical because it had giant trunk space.
MrCarGuy20 The C6 was and still is a tribute. It was introduced too late and with too little marketing. It is easily a great performer compared to the German models, reliability it on par with the 5 series, E class, A6, moreover because these German cars are as unreliable as the electronics they use.
i had a 1990 2.0si as my third car when i was 19 or 20. comfort incredible, performance perfectly adequate, technology crazy. reliability ...eerrr.... but i totally adored it. it was an adventure every time you got in it. great video!
I had an absolutely enormous XM estate around the turn of the century. It was my 3rd Citroen and the most unreliable heap of junk ever screwed together by man. Permanent electrical problems, dodgy hydraulics and it eventually threw a con-rod through the crank case near the German border and spent 18 months living on a garage forecourt in Luxembourg before it was scrapped. It was also the smoothest, most comfortable car I have ever been in and I'd buy another now if I could find a good one.
you still find good ones - if you pay the price..i've found a V6 12 exclusive from 1996 with 92.000 km on the counter, for 8.000 € , strangely enough, in germany ! but it's almost perfect - the only problem is finding spare parts...you actually should buy TWO xm's, and keep one for the parts .. :-)
When I was a kid (bout 4-5) my parents hired one in france and drove it down to Portugal. My dad absolutely loved it. I still have photos of me leaning back on the bonnet of it.
I loved my XMi Turbo. Great acceleration and really comfortable for driving across Europe. It could sit comfortably and quietly at 200kph on the German autobahns. It also had a huge petrol tank. But I admit I bought it because of depreciation, it was cheap at 2 years old. It replaced my Renault 25, which my ex girlfriend called the Enterprise. I thought about replacing the XM with a Citroem Xanthia but it was very mundane.
I owned a '89 XM at the turn of the century. 3.0 V6, leather seats, the works. Performance was great, suspension to die for. The lights really were awful though, and every mechanic that saw me drive in started crying, that's how bad it's reputation was. And it did strand me on the road more than once. Missed it for a long time, even after a decade with our trusty Berlingo. If I had a garage for it, I would still have it, quirky and all.
An uncle in law had one of these for some years. Don't think he has it now think he has a C5 now. He only ever drives Citroens as he works on them too and knows everything about them.
Wow this brings back a lot of memories! We had 2 XM in our family! My grandpa had an entry level 2.1 turbo diesel from 93 to 2006. He was supposed to trade in his BX for a ZX but brought the XM back home. My grandma was so mad, she didn’t talk to him for a whole week! As a kid, I remember playing with my cousins with the dash. Using every button to control our spaceship through the galaxy! I also remember the sequence of the suspension when he started the car... you couldn’t drive right off, you had to wait for the car to rise. The car always had a problem and he spent about the value of the car in repair over the course of his ownership! We often moked this car but I felt sad when he sold it for a C3. My brother also had one, from 1998 to 2000. Still turbo d 12 but higher grade with electronic A/C, hydractive. This one handled a lot better, but also spent more time in the shop than on the road. It’s been a while and I probably forgot everything about the following cars but these, I clearly remember the plain wheels covers with the 4 circles, the way the suspension rises, the one spoke steering wheel, the clock at the right of the steering wheel, the lever to raise the suspension... everything that was unique to the XM!
Great vlog as always! I remember the ads «The cost of developing the XM was NOK 7,5 bn. That is the same price to upgrade the E-6 from Oslo to Trondheim to a 4 lane hwy. The result would be the same.»
As always a great video. A few mistakes: the 2,0 l petrol engine was never used in de 205 GTI, the 2,1 l diesel was never used in the BX. Both engines were the successors of the petrol and diesel engines with 1.905 cc displacement.
I remember sittning om the passenger seat in this one. The amount of space in front was jawdropping and I still remember the feeling of what felt as out-of-this-world interior chilin from Volvos and audis
Great video Ronin deserves a mention for the large screen presence of the XM doing battle with the BMWs. A great car chase, slightly marred by the continuity errors of using MK1 and MK2 XMs
Another great informative show, i just love Citroens, so quirky so innovative, so ahead of their time, oh and big car i was a messer as well ha ha. Keep up the great work :)
Thanks very much for sharing!! I 've got a Xm 2,0 L Carburettor (115 HP) Mk I and a 2,5 L TD (130 HP) Mk II and, how could I say, it's the way to road heaven.
When we moved from Germany in 1980, my dad sold his DS to an older gentleman who’d been a test pilot during the war. He’d had so many crashes and broken bones that he couldn’t bend his knees more than 90 degrees, which makes standing up from a low position rather difficult. The high, armchair-like seats and ability to set the suspension high when getting out of the car were perfect for him.
Back in 1995 I got to drive a BX 16v for about 20 minutes. Loved it. Then about 2012 I had a DS5 hire car. Loved it. Maybe one day I should actually own a Citroen?
Beautiful looking car. For some reason, the Citroen XM was never sold here in North America. Probably because of its complex hydropneumatic suspension, among other things, it wouldn't have sold well. There'd probably have to be specialty shoppes all over the country that could service the car.
I chuckled twice. First, at your self mocking. Then at the memory of that RV attempt video. And now, as a Dutch dude, and the chuckles have faded away, I am contemplating my love/hate-relationship with Citroëns. Cheers, Indycoone!
Great video! I remember how fascinated I was as a child with the XM futuristic design + I love these 80’ graphics!! I love how Citroen did they’re stuff so different (sometimes crazy) then other more ‘conventional’ car companies. Perhaps it was a financial failure back then, but as time moves forward and things are seen from different angle - the more you appreciate them.
My old cx turbo diesel familiare are one of the best cars i will ever have owned, my dad bought a xm and had it for 10 years and only did service on it so they are great cars to have!
Your videos are getting better and better, Sir 🙂 The timing, the edit, the narration, the music....all good, stuff. Hats off. Best regards from a car detailer in Norway.
Fantastic video, glad to see some love for the humble XM! :D There was an XM that lived not too far from me in my hometown of Teignmouth, and I was always amazed by the low, smooth French styling of this otherworldly looking car, such a stark contrast to the mundane looking Vauxhall Corsas and Ford Mondeos that sat parked next to it. :D
This is crazy! I was also working in the Windows CE group at Microsoft in the late 90s. I clearly remember that Citroen permanently parked in the garage under building 32! I’m sure our paths crossed... in fact, I created several technical illustrations for the Auto PC developer documentation. I’d drop some names, but I feel I ought to protect the innocent ;)
Big Car hmmmm, no, those names don’t sound familiar. I was a contractor, doing design with Barry Potter/ David Brunet’s group. It was my first job out of college.
Excellent presentation as always! I enjoy every one of your videos. I've always been a fan of these big Citroens. I'm stunned at the level of electronic sensor tech that they were using in the mid 80s, as well as the overall cost of development. Then that later model you mentioned, before the turn of the century, with wireless and internet? Wow! Seems they may have spent too much money trying to be too far ahead on technology while neglecting the basics like reliable engines, competitive horsepower, and the driving characteristics customers actually wanted at the time. If they had put their genius to work on those issues, what might they have wrought? An early hybrid, revolutionary power output, a pneumatic suspension more suited to a sport saloon?
Hi, actually the 200 hp V6 24 only had trouble in the beginning. They replaced the lifters with upgraded ceramic coated ones to fix this issue. And true, not many people loved the suspension. They preferred the harder and more sporty ones. Even though the XM could offer comparable sportiness thanks to its adaptive suspension. And that's exactly the reason why I drive them today. Go slow and easy to enjoy a comfy ride. But if you go harder, the car allows it too. Without the insane amount of body movement from other comparable cars of the era, like the Ford Scorpio.
From my point of view, a big engine without a good suspension is dangerous and some european companies are selling overpowered cars because of this. The only way of making a heavy but stable family car is Citroën's aproach. The Xantia was smaller, had the same engines available (including the V6) and was a success as it is the C5 after it. The video does not mention the 2.5 Turbo diesel (130cv) that came after the 2.1 which was at the same level with the BMW 525Td for example, althought it was not available in the Xantia which took part of XM's sales through it's luxury versions and it is still today the fastest car ever in the moose test. Then the minivans and SUV's came in, ending the car golden age (1960's to 90's) we still see good sports and familiy cars, but they are not as affordable/popular as they were before.
@Joe Costner I wasn't talking about all French cars, only Citroën. You generalize too much, not all German cars are fast, propulsion and reliable, most of them are overrated and had to be paid in Marks back then, what made them even more expensive than cars paid in other currencies.
Having had 2 CX and 2 XM as family cars, imagine rolling onto a French gasoline station with these cars bearing a German license plate. Big smile. As Citroen engineers designed the best chassis ever, surely they had to vanish. They simply charged Merc600/3.5 and Rolls Royce too little. Like the channel a lot.
Errata: The large bar in the chart should be "total worldwide" rather than "rest of the world" as it also included UK sales.
The map showing the French design sites is majorly messed up!
Hi mate. I love your videos. Please make more and never stop.I've learnt so much off you. Can you do a video on the mercsades sprinter? Thanks
@@dieselpower7075 Thank you! Maybe, but lots of other ones ahead of it.
@@BigCar2 OK thank you for your reply and again keep these videos going mate you are awesome
hi, two corrections if i may. there never seemed to be a 2.1 diesel bx, and the prices for 1989 cxs and xms seem quite similar, no gap there
@@anatolbaskak the gap was the look ,one already seen a lot and other at the time looked like a spaceship, and i drove for a couple of years (and kept it) a high-end car ,CX model with a 2.5 diesel engine (silver metalized paint with blue interiors ,still with those 70´s side mirrors) ,maybe 2 years ago i went in holidays with it and after being stoped for maybe 5 years ,it never gave me a problem ,i took it because to get to the finest beaches there are no roads and the CX is great at is highest suspenction level , better than some allroad vehicules, regards
I have a XM V6 12v 1990 and I love it. It flies through time and space.
I love the look and engineering of old Citroens... I'd give almost anything to have a garage filled with an XM, a CX, an SM and a DS.
If you’d give almost anything, it should be no problem filling your garage with these cars.
And an Xantia Activa V6 ;)
Yeah they shouldn't cost much unless you want a pre-fixed one lol
that would cost you a grand total of 672 american dollars
You forgot the BX 😎
A beautiful XM is gathering dust in my granddads garage. I should start restoring it to its original glory!
If it isn't rusting too much it's totally worth it. Parts are getting scarcer but prices for them are still low.
@@marcbrasse747 but they are a beautiful looking car.
@@isthereanybodyoutthere9397 Indeed!
aventdrr Contact Citroën specialists and go for it!
do it since you cant do much during quarentine!
What I like the most in your videos is the extensive old footage, because it gives us an immersion on each era, helping us to understand the context on those 70's-80's-90's days!
I drove the XM Diesel Automatic. It had an 80 liters fuel tank and it used about 6,5 liters per 100 km. It had nearly the double of range, than MB 250D. That one used at least 9 liters per 100 km. What a car, and stunningly comfort.
they ALL have 80 liter fuel tanks 😂
I owned a few Citroens and i loved the ride and the strange things you got for free, special was the suspension really a class on its own !
Even the ZX was fun with passive rear steering. Reliable as well.
The thing with older Citroens was guessing where they'd put the handbrake. Middle of the dashboard or fourth pedal on the floor next to the clutch pedal?
@@briansinclair2223 The pedal for the handbrakes was common with the older Mercedes-Benz (W115 aka /8) as well. Actually, I do not know any Citroen model with a pedal for the handbrakes.... The BX 19 RD I had from 1989 until 1992 had the usual lever and my current Berlingo does have one as well......Anyway, the high pressure hydraulic brakes of the BX were quite weird: No ABS, two centimetres of pedal way only and special tools required to press back the brake pistons when changing the brake liners (took me half day to do this without that special tool!). Finally, the BX was written off, when all the spheres of the hydraulic system needed a change and the costs exceeded the value of the car itself.
Primus Interpares the XM has foot operated handbrake
@@carmadme Just could not believe it, but you are right! Finally, I found a picture of an XM-cockpit where I can see the pedal! Too strange that Citroen used this technique as well......
2020, I'm 40...still love this car!
I have a 2L grey XM, truly an amazing car and still going strong. Thanks for the great video!
Glad you enjoy it!
These big Citroens and also the Renault 25 were like driving magic carpets - so comfortable.
Right. I owned a R25 and now 5 XMs.
@@hgsert2733 Me too!
@neil eastell Many people are balanced about this
I sold these brand new and they were a brilliant car. The quality of the ride had to be experienced to be believed. It always drove level thanks to the suspension no matter what the load. The diesel version was incredible. I loved the handbrake system too that worked really well and was very practical. A great car which was very much underrated.
They didn't have a handbrake (besides the release plunger) and it was a pain to use when doing hill starts - the complete opposite of practicality of having a conventional handbrake. The XM's suspension was firmer and nowhere near as good as the CX (which in turn was firmer than the DS), even when fitted with 'comfort' spheres - the XM felt more like a German car by comparison with the firmer suspension and seat cushioning. I had two XMs (V6 Si and a 2.0 SEi auto, later converted to manual on it's 3rd gearbox) and neither were a patch on my CX 25 GTi Turbo 2. The only plus points it had over the CX was it being a hatchback and having better ventilation. I never bought another big Citroen after the disappointment of the XMs.
@@chrisperyagh I was the Sales Manager of a Citroen Dealership when the XM came out and I drove many of them right across the model range. I know they don't have a conventional 'handbrake'. It was a foot operated parking brake with a release lever under the dashboard on the left hand side of the column. It could be used in exactly the same way as a handbrake on a hill start if you knew the technique, but it did fox some people. You like CX's, I liked the XM. Vive la différence 😀😀😀
It took some choreography to do a successful hill start at a set of traffic lights - at least the automatic ones made that whole routine easier. My ID19B had the same parking brake/release plunger set-up.
For those who don't know the hill start routine, it's come to a stop holding the brake pedal down and clutch in, into neutral, release clutch, set parking brake, set parking brake plunger, release brake pedal, clutch in, into 1st, bring the revs up and clutch up to biting point, then release the parking brake plunger and you're off accompanied with a bang from the parking brake pedal. Nice and dignified.
I also lost count of how many times I had hydraulic pipes burst and ended up having to be transported home on a low loader the moment I got to where I was meant to be and ended up missing the gig as a result - never had that with the CX or ID19B.
The XM was a great car on those times it was running well and an expensive, inconvenient nightmare when it wasn't.
@@chrisperyagh ooooo that's a bit of a long winded and complicated explanation. With the car stationary, in neutral, and with the parking break on, perform a standard hill start and release the parking brake at the biting point. I demonstrated it loads of times and people got straight away. Top Gear deliberately made it look difficult and ineffective. It wasn't, it was just different.
@@koll789 I've no idea what Top Gear did as I don't watch that drivel, but that's the detailed step-by-step routine I found myself having to go through whenever stopping on an upward gradient at a junction or at a set of traffic lights in a manual XM. It's always going to be long winded to explain anything in every single minute detail, even if it's fairly routine when done in practice.
If there's a much simpler way with far fewer steps involved, then by all means demonstrate it.
When Citroën came to Brazil in early 90's, my dad took me to a dealer to see this car. I was 7-8 years old. I'll never forget how impressed we were with its design and features. The self leveling suspension, the electronics, the comfort, the ride, the fact that it went all the way down when you lock it...amazing
The seller put me on the trunk and sat beside me to show the self leveling suspension. So cool. And he gave us a cassete tape with a video clip of the XM. I hope my dad has it stored somewhere.
I often recall this car, nevertheless I don't remember seeing one on the streets, at least for a long...very long time.
In early 90's Brazil was in a very unstable economy, so not many people could buy expensive and foreign cars. I think that's why it's hard to find these XMs around here. And the fact that it became an unreliable car, maybe was one of the factors that change the citroen mind of keep selling it here.
But as you said, I think it will be a collectable car someday, and I hope to find one in good condition to buy. I would love to have one.
Great comments. I live in Brazil and I'm a proud owner of two in great shape. We have a Citroen Club here but XM's are very few. I also own other classics cars but the XM it's so special. If you want one don't hesitate to contact me.
@@Francis0275 hi, where are you from?
@@ricardoramos1242 eu moro no mesmo pais que voce :)
@@Francis0275 ahahahahahahahaha. Sou de Curitiba e vc?
Well it was impressive. And it's interesting that all the most impressive French cars were designed by Italians...
A blast from the past. My parents bought 2 of them; the first at launch. This after 2 BXs
I remember the comfortable seats, cossetting ride and contrived footbrake
I always liked it when you got out of your car and after a few seconds it sat down. Like a good Dog making sit....
My C5 X seven Exclusive doesn't loose hydraulic pressure because of the electronic systems. But the ride quality is still excellent!!! Iam such a big fan of big Citroëns! My dad's BX 19 RD was a joy to drive an know what you mean as cool as bud!
Citroen XM was my first car. Bought second hand with a bit of financial help from my dad. Since then I have owned at least 9 other cars but if you ask my wife what car I should ideally get, guess what her answer is? Yes, another Citroen XM. The other 9 cars, she doesn’t even remember their names. I remember once in the lake district we were stuck in a jam because the road was inundated after heavy rainfall. Nobody dared to cross it, fearful of flooding their engines. We drove out of the jam, stopped in front of the flooding, raised the suspension to max and forded the road. Once across, we stopped again and brought the suspension back to normal. The looks on the faces of the other motorists! Gold.
I loved the time I owned a Citroën BX. Considering that they had a bit of a cruddy reputation.. Mine was utterly reliable and in the 4 years of ownership, it only ever failed its MOT on a broken number plate. Not bad for a 9 year old car.
Got written off in a 40mph head on crash...
I was doing 40.. Wallyknob in a Granada came around the corner on my side of the road. I had seat belt marks for a while but the BX sacrificed itself and saved me.
Our family BX made it for almost 20 years. No other car (especially the "reliable" german ones) of that era was around, while at the same time, the humble citroen was able to make 1500+ km roadtrips without any issue....
My 18 years old BX failed Dutch MOT because of the rotten Subframe. It was not allowed to weld that subframe.
Replacing the subframe was absurd expensive in those days.
The rest of the car was 100% rustfree and it hurted alot bringing that car to the scrapyard.
Seeing a BX today still gives me a positive vibe.
The most comfertable car i ever owned !
We had a BX in the family for over 28 years. Never missed a beat!
Finally, a Fiesta hit me sideways and ran me off the road. The BX kept me safe but was written off.
What a shame, only two years before becoming a propper oldtimer...
I had one too. Loved it but the steering without servo was way to heavy. Unfortunatly the hydropneumatics didn't do anymore after a year. The car was 8 years old.
My BX manual gearbox was gone in 2 yrs after purchasing. Very stunt!!! Another strange phenomenon was fuel line was bitten to leak by rat which I'd never seen in any car before. Lucky enough I'd smell it prior to being grilled.
I can remember my dad wanting an XM V6 when I was a kid in the mid 90's, but being a mechanic he was always looking for a bargain repairable example, the few that did pop up in the salvage section of the Auto Trader were either way too battered or sold quickly. In the end he bought a 1995 (3 years old at the time) Renault Laguna 3.0 V6 that needed a lot of repairing (B pillar, sill, 2 doors and several hours on the jig). My mum loved the car but my dad was always nonplussed by it because it wasn't an XM!
Hi! I am selling my Citroen XM turbo injection, automatic, 1998 cc, 1997, petrol, dark red, owned since 2011, under 82.500 miles. I have two keys and all service history. It is off the road, parked in my driveway (Greater London).
On the good side : impeccable grey velvet interior. Spheres do not need replacing.
On the attention side : The lacquer has peeled, new tyres needed, new alternator required.
As a quick sale, because I am moving, I ask only £1.600. Reply here if interested
I had a 'K' registered XM and did just over 140,000 miles in it. Apart from all the various "bells and whistles" it came with, people always commented on the seats - how comfortable they were.
I then had various other cars before going back to Citroen with a 2009 C4 Picasso the a 2015 C4 Picasso (both 1600cc Turbo Diesels). The seats are just as comfortable in the Picasso as in the XM.
Thank you for the video. Brought back some very pleasant memories.
Still own a XM 2.1 diesel. I love this 1998 car. Thanks for the video!
I learned a lot of lessons in my Dad's new 1982 Volvo 265GLE. When I pressed the windscreen defrost button on the over simplified HVAC and turned the heat on the windscreen instantly fogged up completely...at 110 km/h...I'd never heard him swear that much...then I learned about live rear axles and Michelin high profile tyres....I've distrusted Michelin since then. I sure learned a lot about vehicle undynamics in that car. These Citroens have always appealed. Thanks. Great presentation.
Always loved the “starship “ Xm it made others look old and stodgy
Actually the xm made itself look old and stodgy
@@fritzdaddy-135mmgetstagger4 actually nope
I saw one for the first time in Ireland in late 1989 and the word that came to my mind then was "spaceship". A spectacular car.
Lucyperson to own 2 CXs. Enjoyed every bit of its comfort.
My mother on back seat never realised, I was doing 150.
I wish Citroën was as quirky today, sure the C4 Cactus exists but it’s nothing compared to cars like the XM
It's kinda sad that the cars had to become more mediocre for the brand to survive.
Maybe the merger with FCA will do something. After all we got the Giulia, the first sporty, rear drive Alfa Romeo since the 75.
The Cactus is on par with Fiat Multipla on ugliness
See the C6 with its concave rear screen (and to a lesser extent the C5).
@@gplusgplus2286 The original Multipla was fantastic!
I had a few of these - they were pretty good apart from the problems with the ABS warning light staying on - so pleasing to see it was doing just that in your video. If you turned it off and back on again it usually went out, unless you took it get it fixed and then it would refuse to anything wrong, so no fault - until you got back home.
And i thought peugeot 205 video was a treat for french car owners. Never expected to see video about XM. As a XM owner, nice way to start weekend. Thank you!
Congratulations!!!!
Every Citroën owner has been touched to his soul.
Even if you dont have a Citroën at the moment you still are connected to the brand and its heritage.
I have a 100% practical and reliable Japanese car now and am still hunting for a 1st generation Citroën HY van to restrore and drive.
@@obelic71 I could have had an HY for free back in 2004 in SW France.The brakes were binding but the engine was fine. I just didn't have the know how to make it roadworthy! Since then, by the the time it got covered with brambles an enthusiast came along and bought it !
@@melesmelesfaber3866 I know and he had propably to buy it for alot of money.
€4000 for a restoration project HY van is the starting point in France now.
They are highly sought after due to the foodtruck craze.
@@obelic71 I think he paid literally sommething like €200, need to confirm that with my friend however!
The old feel of Cittroens comes back. Always loved the XM - there's an estate near me
Just one more cool car that we can't get here in the US. I was totally smitten the first time I saw one, both in pictures and in person, when I went to Europe for the first time in August 1990. I've always been a big fan of Bertone styling since the 80's. Thanks.
My parents had a xantia, i loved it! Seeing it stand up on its wheels when you start it, the very specific sound it was doing... It was so cool! I will surely buy one after my drive test done.
In late 1994 the xantia received modifications to keep them at the same height even stopped, so if you're looking for one that lowers itself when stopped you gotta look at the very first ones. I also agree with you, it is really cool for them to do that on the early models, it gives that alive feeling to the car, I loved it too, same for the noises it made. Really unique stuff !
Very successful Citroen movie about a very rare underrated car! Go XM!
My dad got a dark green metallic 98’ V6 24V XM Exclusive back in 2000. It was like new, with manual TM, leather seats and no solar roof. He would let me drive it soon after I got my driving license with him on the passenger’s seat. We made a few long familly vacation trips in it. The car’s acceleration and overtaking performance was impressive for such an elegant sedan, and once you put the suspension in Sport mode the roll reduced a lot in twisty roads. My dad loved to that car so much. Sadly, we sold it soon after he passed away in 2013. I miss them both!
I remember seeing one drive passed me as a kid. I thought it was some sort of concept car at the time. I remember chasing it on my bike as it got stuck in traffic up ahead to try and see the badge. It got away and remained a mystery as to what it was. I even remember my dad being quite interested and asking me all about it when I said I'd seen a concept car on the road. The next time I saw it it drove passed again before I could see what it was. I was annoyed but at least I now knew it stayed in the area. The mystery came to an anti-climatic end when I just stumbled across it parked up one day and checked it out properly.
When I was studying in Coventry in the 90s, I had 2 friends with Citroens, one had a base spec 1.4 BX, the other an XM V6. Both were amazing in their own way. I was always in awe of the XM though. That wonderful styling and excellent ride. Another Grande Damme.
It never ceases to amaze me that while Citroen and Toyota have both utilized the same basic aerodynamic shape, the XM makes it look classy and futuristic while the Prius looks like something my cat hurled up on my Persian rug. Great video!
Not really sure why the prius had to look like it did. The wheels were much to small the car was to narrow for how long it was, a hybrid auris looked much better. I think they just made it look bad like the nissan leaf. Looked like a ugly frog with wheels
Japanese always struggled with designs especially in the 90s, old Daihatsus are some of the most disgusting things on the road
My overriding memory of those big Citroens is that the seats were more comfortable than my sofa. I didn't drive them very much but had a mate who had a CX followed by an XM as company cars so rode in them a lot.
I know a guy who had an XM with the 2.5 turbo diesel and it was great for towing his large caravan and the comfort and the ride was sublime. After a couple of years the engine head gasket failed and he spoke to three Citroen dealers about having it repaired: only one of those dealers had ever had an XM come in for a minor repair, the other two had never even physically seen one and none of them had ever come across the 2.5 TD engine so could not give an estimate of the repair costs, how long it would take, whether the parts would be available or if they would need any special tools to do the repair.
The guy then contacted Citroen UK who very nicely provided him with a service manual that covered the head gasket replacement on that engine - but it was all in French! He was able to get it translated, managed to source the correct head gasket kit and did the full replacement on his driveway in his spare time over two weeks. Unfortunately, he missed tightening one bolt and the head gasket failed again two weeks later. He had to do the replacement again, but this time it only took him two days and he made sure he tightened all the bolts up.
He kept the car another couple of years and it was perfectly reliable, but eventually the transmission started playing up (it was an automatic) so he quickly sold the car to avoid a potentially ruinous repair bill.
Yeah, The big Citroëns are always subject to a certain amount of unnecessary fears. Typical though that you could not find a manual. An English Hayness workshop manual does however exist. I guess it's mostly a matter of the car being so rare in the UK that nobody has any experience with it. Replacing a head gasket is however a standard repair. No specific Citroën expertise is needed.
He sold someone a lemon that's messed up
As a teen I stayed with a host family in France one summer. The neighbors had a CX I rode in a few times. I totally forgot about the cool gauges on the dashboard!!! Thanks for posting!
i loved my 2 XMs back in the days, one of them ran 550.000km without any problems, only had standard repairings and a view electric problems which they were known of until the 92 models, the V6 (not the early 24V version which was crap!!) was great and had enough power. A wonderful car.
My dad was a Citroen car dealer!
And my dad was a dealer 😢
The Citroën XM has always been a staple car for me. I love its spaceship design, the smooth suspension and the fact that it is a large luxury car. Infact it is my absolute favorite car!
Agh, now I have to have one. *looking on Autotrader now*.
I had one and I named mine Battlestar Galactica because of the amount of buttons in the dash. I absolutely loved it.
I like the personal experiences in this episode. Makes it feel much more passionate.
I wish Citroen still made quirky, weird cars. The Citroen DS was one of the most revolutionary cars ever
As a fan of Citroens, the XM is one of my favorites. Love the futuristic design. I wish they sold more here. Buy us Yanks are a picky lot. But I would have bought one even used. That’s why I like Swedish cars as well, they are also quirky. 😀
"Quirky" is the right word for Citroën and Volvo at that time, because it's useless to tell stories. "Time is performance", upon Volvo? 😉
Citroen has the most beautiful elegant design ever and much better than new cars these days .
Fantastic video. I was so in love with the design of the Citroën XM when it was released. For me it was the future of car design, back then at least!
Can't belive how much you can learn on cool old French cars from other countries, usually if you would want some info about late 80 Citroëns and Renaults you would ask your uncle who has too many dogs. Thanks for keeping it alive
Thanks for another great video!
I found this really interesting because my first large car was the Xantia and my next was the C5 which I kept for 15 years!!
It's interesting to hear the history that came before them and why finding a car like them now is so difficult.
I love this Car. My dad himself owns a Xantia and both of these Designs are so nice and sleek! Why does nobody today produce cars with such a nice and sleek design?!
I think exactly the same! I just bought a Xantia 2.0 from 1998 one month ago and im loving it! Cars today look all the same, and Citroen lost all the charme they always had since the DS
Cars have become marketing soulless items today
The yought is not interested in cars anymore and see them as pure apliances.
Citroën is one of those soul having brands.
The old ones have their faults you hate and love them at the same time.
Pedestrian safety bullshit has basically killed off bumpers and sleek front ends. Now virtually every car has to have a tall, flat front end to be safety certified. As a child of the 80s and 90s, it makes you miss all the low, sleek, futuristic designs we had back then!
Oh wow, I loved the xantia, my favourite childhood car, would absolutely love one now
It's today's adhd society they need tasteless big ugly SUVs to show how rich they are
Indeed hilarious translations. Thanks for another great feature. I never owned a citroen but they sure are quirky.
I had one of these. What an extraordinary car! Literally like riding in a motorised sofa, but with good handling. Mine was a burgundy red with black leather upholstery.
I worked in a Citroen garage and loved driving the XM 2 litre turbo
My father had a 90 first serie and I remember it fondly. I remember the speed on every surface and the troubles at the Hal-like computer. Couple of years ago met a gentleman in one,and excitedly asked him about keeping one. His answer chilled me:"I have 3, 2 for spares and 1 working".
You have done a great job making this short documentary. Thank you very much for your valuable effort. XM sure deserves it.
Warm regards from France
Thank you! If you're able to make French subtitles, it would be wonderful! th-cam.com/users/timedtext_cs_panel?c=UCTGrgT-Ld4kH3CxHnCMGn8w&tab=2
@@BigCar2 I will try and do it as soon as possible. Team work. I like that.
@@guillaumeromain6694 Wonderful!
My Dad swapped a Rover Sterling for an XM in the late eighties. He had lunch every day in a pub that was frequented by Joe Brown who tours the UK every year. He really liked the level suspension and bought an estate version which he could fill with his instruments and still have a level ride. Last time I spoke to him, he had had six XMs!
The C6 could easily be mistaken by anyone for a modern design.
The C6 could probably be produced today,with minimum changes! Too bad that european consumers didn't appreciate much all those large french cars! For some reason,Europeans just love paying Germany!!
C6 is not as pretty as cx and xm
Yeah for some reason Europeans prefer quality over rubbish
@@alphatrion100 I had CX,XM and still have a C6. They are all great cars, but had some ups and downs. C6 failure was marketing, and unpractical sedan configuration. XM was much more practical because it had giant trunk space.
MrCarGuy20
The C6 was and still is a tribute. It was introduced too late and with too little marketing. It is easily a great performer compared to the German models, reliability it on par with the 5 series, E class, A6, moreover because these German cars are as unreliable as the electronics they use.
Remember seeing the XM at my local dealer. It was huge, it was cool, it was like The Future.
Citroën, one of my favorite makers. Rented many in Europe, back in the day.
Never have and never will buy a Citroen.
The C6 is a beautiful car, and it's always a (rare) pleasure to see one in the UK.
The most beautiful car ever drawn.
i had a 1990 2.0si as my third car when i was 19 or 20. comfort incredible, performance perfectly adequate, technology crazy. reliability ...eerrr.... but i totally adored it. it was an adventure every time you got in it. great video!
I had an absolutely enormous XM estate around the turn of the century. It was my 3rd Citroen and the most unreliable heap of junk ever screwed together by man. Permanent electrical problems, dodgy hydraulics and it eventually threw a con-rod through the crank case near the German border and spent 18 months living on a garage forecourt in Luxembourg before it was scrapped.
It was also the smoothest, most comfortable car I have ever been in and I'd buy another now if I could find a good one.
So it's like the hot psycho ex
you still find good ones - if you pay the price..i've found a V6 12 exclusive from 1996 with 92.000 km on the counter, for 8.000 € , strangely enough, in germany ! but it's almost perfect - the only problem is finding spare parts...you actually should buy TWO xm's, and keep one for the parts .. :-)
When I was a kid (bout 4-5) my parents hired one in france and drove it down to Portugal.
My dad absolutely loved it.
I still have photos of me leaning back on the bonnet of it.
Sitting in a French car has always been as soft, plush and cozy as sitting on grandma's lap. :)
Very true! It's always so jarring getting into a different car from my Peugeot 407. Why does everyone make their seats so hard?
I saw one of these like 12 years ago driving around San Diego California... super rad! =D
I loved my XMi Turbo. Great acceleration and really comfortable for driving across Europe. It could sit comfortably and quietly at 200kph on the German autobahns. It also had a huge petrol tank. But I admit I bought it because of depreciation, it was cheap at 2 years old. It replaced my Renault 25, which my ex girlfriend called the Enterprise. I thought about replacing the XM with a Citroem Xanthia but it was very mundane.
I owned a '89 XM at the turn of the century. 3.0 V6, leather seats, the works. Performance was great, suspension to die for. The lights really were awful though, and every mechanic that saw me drive in started crying, that's how bad it's reputation was. And it did strand me on the road more than once. Missed it for a long time, even after a decade with our trusty Berlingo. If I had a garage for it, I would still have it, quirky and all.
An uncle in law had one of these for some years. Don't think he has it now think he has a C5 now. He only ever drives Citroens as he works on them too and knows everything about them.
Wow this brings back a lot of memories! We had 2 XM in our family! My grandpa had an entry level 2.1 turbo diesel from 93 to 2006.
He was supposed to trade in his BX for a ZX but brought the XM back home. My grandma was so mad, she didn’t talk to him for a whole week! As a kid, I remember playing with my cousins with the dash. Using every button to control our spaceship through the galaxy! I also remember the sequence of the suspension when he started the car... you couldn’t drive right off, you had to wait for the car to rise. The car always had a problem and he spent about the value of the car in repair over the course of his ownership! We often moked this car but I felt sad when he sold it for a C3. My brother also had one, from 1998 to 2000. Still turbo d 12 but higher grade with electronic A/C, hydractive. This one handled a lot better, but also spent more time in the shop than on the road. It’s been a while and I probably forgot everything about the following cars but these, I clearly remember the plain wheels covers with the 4 circles, the way the suspension rises, the one spoke steering wheel, the clock at the right of the steering wheel, the lever to raise the suspension... everything that was unique to the XM!
Great vlog as always! I remember the ads «The cost of developing the XM was NOK 7,5 bn. That is the same price to upgrade the E-6 from Oslo to Trondheim to a 4 lane hwy. The result would be the same.»
As always a great video. A few mistakes: the 2,0 l petrol engine was never used in de 205 GTI, the 2,1 l diesel was never used in the BX. Both engines were the successors of the petrol and diesel engines with 1.905 cc displacement.
Correct. A more correct way of saying it was that it was a later evolution of the one from the 205gti.
Exactly. And the PSV engine does not exist. It is called the PRV engine.
I remember sittning om the passenger seat in this one. The amount of space in front was jawdropping and I still remember the feeling of what felt as out-of-this-world interior chilin from Volvos and audis
My parents had one, I loved it :)
My Dad bought one and loved it so much that when it was time to replace it, he bought a younger one to replace it.
Love the XM have owned 2 of them, my favourite was the top of the range v6 auto I owned for about 3 years.
Love that car, owned 4 of those
Great video
Ronin deserves a mention for the large screen presence of the XM doing battle with the BMWs. A great car chase, slightly marred by the continuity errors of using MK1 and MK2 XMs
Another great informative show, i just love Citroens, so quirky so innovative, so ahead of their time, oh and big car i was a messer as well ha ha. Keep up the great work :)
Thanks very much for sharing!! I 've got a Xm 2,0 L Carburettor (115 HP) Mk I and a 2,5 L TD (130 HP) Mk II and, how could I say, it's the way to road heaven.
My uncle had one of these purely down to him having a bad back so the sofa like driver's seat was ideal
When we moved from Germany in 1980, my dad sold his DS to an older gentleman who’d been a test pilot during the war. He’d had so many crashes and broken bones that he couldn’t bend his knees more than 90 degrees, which makes standing up from a low position rather difficult. The high, armchair-like seats and ability to set the suspension high when getting out of the car were perfect for him.
I was overtaken yesterday by an XM on the M4, whilst in my E30. Made me smile seeing such a rare car.
Awesome!
Ha! I used to have a Majorette version of the Citroen XM, it had an opening bonnet.
Very suitable, Majorette were the only ones making cars with a suspension!
the "off" green one or the silver one?
Back in 1995 I got to drive a BX 16v for about 20 minutes. Loved it. Then about 2012 I had a DS5 hire car. Loved it.
Maybe one day I should actually own a Citroen?
Beautiful looking car. For some reason, the Citroen XM was never sold here in North America. Probably because of its complex hydropneumatic suspension, among other things, it wouldn't have sold well. There'd probably have to be specialty shoppes all over the country that could service the car.
I had some XM. The first really reliable big CITROEN (I also had DS and CX)
. Thank you for your profound research work.
Reliable? The CX ~sinze model 1980, was much more reliable as the XM who had many quality problems...
Everytime I see an XM I can't help but picture Jeremy Clarkson's 3-story RV attempt
Correction: it was a CX. I am a dumb yank :(
That was a cx
Was it an XM or a CX estate?
CX estate
That's ok, you're welcome here
I chuckled twice. First, at your self mocking. Then at the memory of that RV attempt video. And now, as a Dutch dude, and the chuckles have faded away, I am contemplating my love/hate-relationship with Citroëns. Cheers, Indycoone!
I remember when it came on the market - looked like a spaceship. I’ll always like them.
I hope the electric fairy appears in my suspension someday
I read your comment before watching the whole video and I thought it was quite original LOL
Great video! I remember how fascinated I was as a child with the XM futuristic design + I love these 80’ graphics!!
I love how Citroen did they’re stuff so different (sometimes crazy) then other more ‘conventional’ car companies. Perhaps it was a financial failure back then, but as time moves forward and things are seen from different angle - the more you appreciate them.
My old cx turbo diesel familiare are one of the best cars i will ever have owned, my dad bought a xm and had it for 10 years and only did service on it so they are great cars to have!
Ralf Risberg Why do they have such a bad reputation?
@@nicola6323 HOW would i know why their reputation, People must be stupid or something!
Your videos are getting better and better, Sir 🙂 The timing, the edit, the narration, the music....all good, stuff. Hats off. Best regards from a car detailer in Norway.
Great video. How 'bout Simca/Talbot Horizon? Another "lost" car.
Yes, probably at some point.
My late Uncle worked on the assembly at Linwood building them
Максим Сахаров
Uhh yeah. My first car in 1982. That would be interesting😊
Solar?
Solara
Fantastic video, glad to see some love for the humble XM! :D
There was an XM that lived not too far from me in my hometown of Teignmouth, and I was always amazed by the low, smooth French styling of this otherworldly looking car, such a stark contrast to the mundane looking Vauxhall Corsas and Ford Mondeos that sat parked next to it. :D
It's a very cool car. I would have loved to drive it.
Oh oh oh!!! Follow up video of the Citroen suspension and how it ended up in the Rolls-Royce 🤓
I had a Citroën GSA Pallas (1981) in 1993 and I loved it.
2:40 That map is very accurate ^^
It is awesome isn't it?!? Looks like I missed that mess while editing it.
@@BigCar2 if you were trying to be disrespectful to half of Europe, you sucked seed err... succeed.
@@ChristianJanssen I would never try to do that!
This is crazy! I was also working in the Windows CE group at Microsoft in the late 90s. I clearly remember that Citroen permanently parked in the garage under building 32! I’m sure our paths crossed... in fact, I created several technical illustrations for the Auto PC developer documentation. I’d drop some names, but I feel I ought to protect the innocent ;)
Brilliant! Do you know Ben Rabelos/Truelove?
Big Car hmmmm, no, those names don’t sound familiar. I was a contractor, doing design with Barry Potter/ David Brunet’s group. It was my first job out of college.
Excellent presentation as always! I enjoy every one of your videos.
I've always been a fan of these big Citroens. I'm stunned at the level of electronic sensor tech that they were using in the mid 80s, as well as the overall cost of development. Then that later model you mentioned, before the turn of the century, with wireless and internet? Wow!
Seems they may have spent too much money trying to be too far ahead on technology while neglecting the basics like reliable engines, competitive horsepower, and the driving characteristics customers actually wanted at the time. If they had put their genius to work on those issues, what might they have wrought? An early hybrid, revolutionary power output, a pneumatic suspension more suited to a sport saloon?
Hi, actually the 200 hp V6 24 only had trouble in the beginning. They replaced the lifters with upgraded ceramic coated ones to fix this issue. And true, not many people loved the suspension. They preferred the harder and more sporty ones. Even though the XM could offer comparable sportiness thanks to its adaptive suspension. And that's exactly the reason why I drive them today. Go slow and easy to enjoy a comfy ride. But if you go harder, the car allows it too. Without the insane amount of body movement from other comparable cars of the era, like the Ford Scorpio.
Brilliant, comprehensive and engaging. Good car history/documentary.
From my point of view, a big engine without a good suspension is dangerous and some european companies are selling overpowered cars because of this. The only way of making a heavy but stable family car is Citroën's aproach. The Xantia was smaller, had the same engines available (including the V6) and was a success as it is the C5 after it. The video does not mention the 2.5 Turbo diesel (130cv) that came after the 2.1 which was at the same level with the BMW 525Td for example, althought it was not available in the Xantia which took part of XM's sales through it's luxury versions and it is still today the fastest car ever in the moose test. Then the minivans and SUV's came in, ending the car golden age (1960's to 90's) we still see good sports and familiy cars, but they are not as affordable/popular as they were before.
@Joe Costner I wasn't talking about all French cars, only Citroën. You generalize too much, not all German cars are fast, propulsion and reliable, most of them are overrated and had to be paid in Marks back then, what made them even more expensive than cars paid in other currencies.
Having had 2 CX and 2 XM as family cars, imagine rolling onto a French gasoline station with these cars bearing a German license plate. Big smile.
As Citroen engineers designed the best chassis ever, surely they had to vanish. They simply charged Merc600/3.5 and Rolls Royce too little.
Like the channel a lot.
Thank you, thank you!