The Citroën CX Celebrates Its 40th Anniversary

The Citroën CX Celebrates Its 40th Anniversary since it was unveiled at the 1974 Paris Motor Show. The car on display was the CX 2000, which soon stood out for its comfort, ergonomics and road behavior.

These qualities earned it several awards recognizing the excellent work carried out in developing the car. It was named “Car of the Year in Europe” in 1975, and was also recognized with the “Safety Award” and the “Auto Style Award”, for its innovative styling.

It had the responsibility of succeeding the legendary Citroën DS, a difficult task, but in a short time it became a real success for the French brand.

It was designed by Robert Opron. Its brief was to improve ride comfort and sound insulation while maintaining the interior roominess of the DS within the same dimensions. With an air drag coefficient of 0.35, very low for the era, from which it inherited the name that would identify it. All thanks to an aerodynamic Kammback-type bodywork.

With exterior dimensions of 4.63 metres in length, which made the interior very spacious, it was the first vehicle in Citroën’s history to fit a diesel engine. It thus offered an alternative to petrol engines during the 1973 oil crisis, with powerplants that delivered lower consumption, greater efficiency and a more pleasant driving experience.

In the years following its debut, Citroën continued to update the CX, introducing an estate version (Break) in 1975, a sporty 2400 GTI with electronic fuel injection in 1977, and the arrival of the Prestige series, with a bodywork 28 centimetres longer, in 1978.

It inherited from the DS the hydropneumatic suspension with constant ride height, which gave it enviable stability on the road. Also, from the 1970 SM, it borrowed the speed-sensitive power steering with automatic return to straight-line driving.

Its innovations gave it greater ease of use. One of these elements was the C-Matic torque converter, which eliminated the clutch pedal, providing greater comfort and space for the driver.

Its interior design was built for comfort. The seats resembled armchairs at home more than car seats. The driving position was futuristic and designed for the driver’s comfort, allowing easy access to all controls without major distractions.

In 1985 the Citroën CX was fitted with the ABS braking system, becoming the first French car to use this system. It became a real commercial success for the brand, since from 1974 until 1991, the period during which it was in production, more than 1.2 million units were sold.

Source | Citroën