We celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Citroën AX, a classic that also triumphed in Spain

Those of us who are a bit older still remember models that, in our youth (which isn’t so far away, eh?), gave us a thrill and let us enjoy the open road. These were the 80s and 90s of the last century, and with them we saw the birth and growth of many models that shaped an automotive industry that was expanding and bringing an air of modernity. These were the years when we saw the Citroën AX appear, a car that became part of our lives.

This compact was built to replace a true classic, the Citroën 2CV, as well as the Visa, cars that had defined an era and now needed a generational successor. It was presented as a concept under the name ECO 2000, a car that weighed no more than half a tonne and featured a consumption of 2 litres per 100 km. It was not a production car, but it laid the foundations for what, two years later, became the Citroën AX.

The 1986 Paris Motor Show was the stage where we first saw the model fully developed, with everything needed to meet the challenges of a new era of urban mobility. Weighing between 645 and 695 kg, with a boot offering a considerable capacity of 273 litres, large for what could be found in a city car of the time. Low maintenance costs, together with comfort and convenience standards above the norm, made it a huge success, both in Spain and abroad.

In fact, between 1986 and 1998, when production ended, 2,425,138 units were sold. Of these, 812,951 vehicles were built at the Vigo plant. In Spain, the Citroën AX’s presence drove market share up from 5.2% in 1986 to 7.6% in 1988, clearly demonstrating that it was a small car sought after by a segment of the population.

There were several versions of the model, the greatest expression of its sportiness being the AX Sport, launched in 1987. Its engine delivered 95 CV, a power output that, given its weight of 765 kg, allowed for considerable performance, reaching a top speed of 186 km/h. Today this may seem unremarkable, but it was a real achievement for the era in which it was born, when the cars that gradually took shape in our present day were just getting started.

As a curious detail, the Citroën AX was part of a marketing campaign called “Operation Dragon”, in which 140 young Europeans drove 4,500 km across China in several red Citroën AX cars. The caravan set off from Shenzhen and reached Beijing, travelling through places no Westerner had previously visited. The campaign culminated in an advertisement showing a Chinese boy standing beside the Great Wall with an AX, making the victory sign with his fingers. An advertising success that became a milestone.

Fuente | Citroën