Citroën XM
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The Citroën XM was a full-size car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën between 1989 and 2000. Citroën sold 330,000 XMs during the model's 10 years of production.
History
Launched in 1989, the XM was the modern iteration of the 'Big Citroën,' a replacement for the Citroën CX.There were many advances, most apparently designed to counteract concerns about the vintage CX design. The CX leaned in corners, so the XM had active electronic management of the suspension; the CX rusted, so the XM had a part-galvanised bodyshell (most surviving XMs have very little corrosion); the CX was underpowered, so the XM offered the option of a 3.0 L V6 engine – the first in a Citroën since the Maserati-engined SM of 1970.
The XM was voted European Car of the Year for 1990.
The XM shared a floorpan with the Peugeot 605 - the two models fared similarly in both teething problems and market acceptance. Unlike the CX and the 605 sedans, the XM was a hatchback design - a feature thought to be desirable in certain European markets.
The XM inherited a loyal global customer base of executive class customers and a clear brand image, but did not enjoy the commercial success and iconic status of its predecessors, the CX and the DS, which both raised the bar of automotive performance for other manufacturers.
Export markets experienced lower sales from the outset, and home market sales also declined, after the mechanical issues of the first few model years became known. The least expensive XM was nearly 50% more expensive at the time of launch than the corresponding CX. In spite of that, it sold well during the first two years. Unfortunately it suffered from defective electrical connectors, due to excessive economies on the components, since the company was in financial difficulty at the time of the design of the XM.
With total sales over its lifetime of just 330,000 units and no immediate replacement, the XM might be considered a failure. But despite its common roots with the Peugeot 605, the XM may still emerge as a collectible car, as is the case with the DS and CX.
Suspension
The hydropneumatic self-leveling suspension (featuring grapefruit-sized metal spheres containing nitrogen, acting as both springs and shock absorbers) gained a very sophisticated electronic control system called Hydractive, which used sensors in the steering, brakes, suspension, throttle pedal and transmission to feed information on the car's speed, acceleration, and road conditions to on-board computers. Where appropriate - and within milliseconds - these computers switched an extra pair of suspension spheres in or out of circuit, to allow the car a smooth supple ride in normal circumstances, or greater roll resistance for better handling in corners.
The Hydractive system was somewhat "ahead of the curve" when the car was launched and early versions were sometimes unreliable. Many problems stemmed from the sensitive electronics controlling the car's hydraulic system, often caused by the poor quality of the multipoint grounding blocks — one on each inner front fender, one at the rear, and one under the dashboard. These tended to corrode (especially the ones under the hood), causing all manner of intermittent faults which were hard to diagnose. On later cars, these were changed to screw terminals bolted through the bodywork, and most of the older cars have been modified in a similar way.
When the Hydraactive system worked, the result was a big car with a smooth "magic carpet" ride, and better handling than many smaller, lighter, sports cars. When it didn't work, it was quite harsh and bumpy, although no worse than any contemporary high-performance sports sedan. However, right-hand drive XMs were never fitted with the DIRAVI variable fully-powered steering of the CX, having an almost conventional DIRASS power-assisted setup.
Some production models of the XM were not equipped with the Hydractive system, but had a 'conventional' hydropneumatic suspension closer to that of the BX. These lower specification vehicles were all built for markets in mainland Europe.
Engines
The XM was fitted with a wide range of gasoline and diesel engines.- Engine - Displacement - Power(PS) - Torque(Nm)
- 2.0 - 1998 cc - 115 - 168
- 2.0i - 1998 cc - 130 - 177
- 2.0i 16V - 1998 cc - 135 - 179
- 2.0 Turbo - 1998 cc - 150 - 225
- 2.1 TD - 2088 cc - 111 - 255
- 2.5 TD - 2446cc - 130 - 285
- 3.0 12V - 2975cc - 170 - 235
- 3.0 24V-S1 - 2975cc - 200 - 260
- 3.0 24V-S2 - 2946cc - 195 - 278
Dimensions and weights
- Length: 4709 mm/185.4 in (Berline) or 4950 mm/194.9 in (Break) or 4963 mm/195.4 in (1998 V6 Break)
- Width: 1793 mm/70.6 in
- Height: 1392 mm/54.8 in (most Berline models); some turbo models 1385 mm/54.5 in; 1466 mm/57.7 in (1998 V6 Break)
- Wheelbase: 2850 mm/112.2 in
- Ground clearance: 140 mm/5.5 in
- Weight: 1310 kg/2888 lb (2.0i Berline) - 1400 kg/3086 lb (2.0 Turbo Berline) - 1453 kg/3203 lb (Turbo Break) - 1475 kg/3256 lb (1990 V6) - 1642 kg/3620 lb (Turbo 2.5D Break) - 1655 kg/3649 lb (1998 V6 Break)
- Fuel tank capacity: 80 L (17.6 US gal)
Differences between first and second generations
There are a number of visible differences between the first and second generation XMs. The most distinctive external differences are that in second generation cars, the Citroën double-chevron logo was moved back to the centre of the front grille and was larger, rather than the offset position in the first generation cars; the 'XM' badge on the rear had a more stylised font; and mirrors and bumpers on second generation cars were color-coded on all models of second generation cars rather than the black plastic on lower-specification first generation vehicles. Other differences were internal; the instrument panel was modernised and the second generation introduced a conventional steering wheel including an integrated airbag. The second generation model never saw Citroën’s distinctive single-spoke wheel, which was replaced by a two-spoke wheel partway through first generation production. The second generation cars were also fitted with a lower rear spoiler on the tailgate, sitting much closer to the lip of the lid.Variants
The standard 5-door models were called 'Berline'. The XM was also available as a ‘Break’ (station wagon) – and in France, Tissier continued a tradition begun with the DS and CX, converting many to be used as ambulances and specialised delivery vehicles.Headlight issues
One criticism of the XM was that the dipped beams of the ‘complex surface’ headlights were not powerful enough, though main beam was perfectly adequate. This could be traced to the use of a plastic diffuser, between the bulb and the outer lens, which yellowed with age. The XM was not alone here; early Ford Mondeos suffered from the same problem. Later left-hand drive XMs had improved light units, but fading UK sales meant these were never fitted to right-hand drive cars. Kits using multiple individual light units are available from third party suppliers, but the aesthetics of the car can be affected by the modifications.US import
The XM was imported into the US by CXA, a company that had imported several hundred CX Prestige cars for Citroen loyalists in the US. Unfortunately, the XM cost 40% more than the CXA Prestige and only a few examples were sold. XM parts must be sent over from Europe.XM in film
The XM made notable appearances in Ronin with Robert De Niro, The Good Thief with Nick Nolte, and French Kiss with Kevin Kline.Owning an XM
Enthusiasts consider XMs to be great cars; indeed, the view is growing that they are on the verge of genuine ‘classic’ status. They are often very cheap, but with minor problems that can, despite the apparent complexity, be fixed on a DIY basis. Nearly everything is within the reach of a well-equipped home mechanic, and basic maintenance (oil change, ignition, etc.) will give no surprises to anyone who has serviced a car before.External Links
| Citroën car timeline, 1980s-present - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |
| City car | C1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Supermini | LNA | AX | C2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Visa | Saxo | C3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Small family car | ZX | Xsara | C4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Large family car | BX | Xantia | C5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Executive car | CX | XM | C6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leisure activity vehicle | Berlingo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Compact MPV | Xsara Picasso | C4 MPV | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Large MPV | Evasion | C8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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