What if...

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 11:48 am

I thought I'd start a BX-related thread with links to details and images of BX prototypes. Anyone fancy a BX people carrier? (c.1985):

Check out the Heuliez link here for lots more BX variations! Some are truly hideous. But would any of us say no?

http://leroux.andre.free.fr/h3m.htm

Post by **Tim Leech** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 11:51 am

That would be ideal for you Phil, wonder if its for sale? A bit Ugly though compared to the hatch!

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 12:00 pm

Given the date, it wasn't far off what ended up being produced by Matra for Renault... I think with some more work on the styling front, and some close attention to panel-fit

(not a Heuliez strong-point) it could've given the Espace a run for its money, to be honest.

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 12:06 pm

Funny how that still shouts 'BX' at you when you look at it isn't it? It also seems to have traits of Espace and Fiat to me and almost looks like a fore-runner to the 806.

Looks sort of crap but vaguely cool at the same time, rear doors are bloody huge and it's very plain but sort of wantable on a comedy/rareness basis.

Post by **Tim Leech** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 1:43 pm

If you cover over the top half of the car with your hand just above the first swage line its a Mk1 asides the lamps.

Tourist · Post by **Tourist** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 2:22 pm

Some interesting ones here:

http://www.citroenet.org.uk/prototypes/xb/xb.html

The BX was originally going to be a VOLVO "Tundra". [1979]

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 2:30 pm

That dash is very 'Space 1999' lol

Tourist · Post by **Tourist** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 2:58 pm

Bertone also made a design for Reliant called the FW11.

Some interesting coupe designs around aswell, definitely think Citroen should have made a coupe ...

MK1

MK2

This one sort-of reminds me of a really curvy Volvo 480 (maybe)

I like the digital displays aswell, suppose they were to expensive.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 4:19 pm

The Reliant FW11 is very similar to the BX - externally at least - and is regarded as it's closest progenitor. I believe it was considered as a cheap mass-market car for the Turkish market?

Anyway, I think with the BX coupé Heuliez were not onto a winner - after all it was still uncommon for mainstream manufacturers to take a four/five door model and produce a coupé version. I wonder what a Pug 405 coupé would've looked like? Or indeed a Renault 21.

I don't many medium-sized 'family' cars of the mid to late 80's suited this extension to the range: Imagine how a coupé version of the Merc 190, Austin Montego, or Ford Sierra would've looked... I do seem to remember Vauxhall doing something though.

Anyway, I think it's a shame Citroen didn't 'bite' with the MPV. (Sad - I know

)

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 4:36 pm

Tourist wrote:Some interesting ones here:

http://www.citroenet.org.uk/prototypes/xb/xb.html

The BX was originally going to be a VOLVO "Tundra". [1979]

That is absolutely magic!
Anyone fancy creating one out of a Mk1?

Post by **Tim Leech** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 4:59 pm

Its very Renault 17 from the rear dont you think?

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 9:35 pm

Aye and a bit Renault Apine-ish too. Fucking cool though.

Aerodynamica · Post by **Aerodynamica** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 10:10 pm

cavmad wrote:
Tourist wrote:Some interesting ones here:

http://www.citroenet.org.uk/prototypes/xb/xb.html

The BX was originally going to be a VOLVO "Tundra". [1979]

That is absolutely magic!
Anyone fancy creating one out of a Mk1?

Can't believe you guys ain't seen the Tundra before!

This is the car that eventually became the Volvo 480 ES. If you look closely enough you can still see the similarity on the real car

There's a really wickid looking GS coupé on the HEULIEZ site.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 11:06 pm

Many of us have seen it (or others) of course, but it is good to dust of these archives once in a while - to see the BX roots - and where the early designs might've gone.

Having said that, I'd not noticed (although I guess I might've seen trawling through the Heuliez images in the past

) the Espace-like MPV. And I think Citroën missed a trick. They would've had to sort out the line of the front door upper edge.

Aerodynamica · Post by **Aerodynamica** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 11:57 pm

I agree Phil, I reckon the BX 'Espace' would've been better than the Renault.

I believe it was going to be named the 'BX monospace' but can't confirm that.

I really like the 2 door BX coupé with the blacked out C- pillars, that is really cool