Citroen CX celebrates 40th

Hard to believe, but Citroen’s ground-breaking CX is 40 years old this year.

Unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 1974 and produced until 1991, the Citroën CX has reached a landmark birthday.

Bold and stylish, the CX was advanced for its time featuring a turbocharged diesel engine, a GTi version, updated hydropneumatic suspension for new standards of comfort and it was the first French car to be fitted with ABS brakes in 1985

It quickly established a reputation for exceptional comfort, advanced ergonomics and impeccable road holding, claiming the ‘Car of the Year’ award, ‘Safety Prize’ and ‘Award Auto Style’ in its first year on sale.

A rare sight on the roads of today, the CX was a huge success, selling more than 1.2 million globally up to 1991.

Designed by Robert Opron, the CX was a two-box saloon, measuring 4.63m in length. The aerodynamics of the CX played a key role in achieving its impressive levels of fuel efficiency and the acronym CX in itself illustrated the vehicle’s low drag coefficient – Cx being French for the aerodynamic coefficient Cd.

Over the next few years, Citroën continued to upgrade the CX with further technological improvements, including an estate version in 1975, a 2400 GTi electronic injection sports version in 1977 – considered as the fastest French tourer of its time – and a Prestige version in 1978, which was 28cm longer than the original car.

The CX was also very comfortable, inheriting the constant-height hydropneumatic suspension of the DS as well as the power-operated self-centring steering system seen on the SM in 1970.