Free car!

[Tim Leech]

Having driven 160 miles cross country in the 2.0i Auto Xantia I recently acquired, I can say it was a pretty good experience. Less neutral than the BX, - it's a bit more 'understeery' - and a bit less feel through the steering, but it is sure-footed with a better ride than the BX over difficult camber/surface-changing twisty roads. The car is quieter and more refined too, but it isn't going to beat a BX on driver appeal - especially if that car is a GTi or 16v over those sort of roads.

The seats - with the lumbar support adjusted right - are good, but not as good as a BX GTi's.

Perfomance from the 2 litre is pretty strong and the pre-auto adaptive box (a ZF unit similar if not the same as the BX GTi auto) you can 'play' almost like a manual with good kickdown response and smooth changes (downshifts are almost imperceptible).

I had a drive in Jim's V6 Xantia. With nearly 200 bhp and bags of torque that really does 'go'


Overall it's a good car and worth my time and effort to get right. But the BX will stay here, and be used as out daily driver.

They are two very different cars, but are both worthy and have positives and negatives, with that engine/box set up you shouldnt have hopefully too much bother as they are simple and tried and tested!

[scarecrow]

That's what counts - if you like it then it's good enough.

[Des Smith]

I quite agree - they make a perfect engine donor for a BX.

...is that because Xantia engines are superior?

[Dollywobbler]

I really like the Xantia. It's got beautiful styling and the V6 autos really are superb. I imagine others are a bit more dull, but then the BX already represents quite a compromise compared to say a CX or GS - even a BX Mk2 has had the quirky charm largely removed compared to a Mk1, especially inside. The Xantia is just the natural evolution of things - though sadly the C5 is a definite blot on the copy book.