I don't know who is responsible for this... but seriously??
Roll these two words around your head: 'French' and 'Engineering'. Never the happiest combination, they combined in the BX to produce an unfortunate mechanical fragility. Fuel economy in the petrol models would vary between the acceptable (but still not really good enough, given the lightness of the car) and the jaw-droppingly bad, for no apparent reason. Doors might fall off. Engine fires were a problem and so was failure of the hydraulic system, which also operated the brakes.
Marty said: "Take some small comfort from the fact that the driver of the other car, having failed the breath test will even now be in a little cell, with luck they will double him up with some mean bastard who will be tattooing a fandango on his arse"
Ummph. Small Volvos used Renault engines and the XM autobox whilst it is pretty complex was not French. It is a German ZF product...
Everyone is entitled to his opinion and mine is that French engineering is very good. Concorde, as you say Jack, is a perfect example. We and the French did something absolutely brilliant noboby else could do and Boeing never got over their jealousy...
The XUD is anglo-French as well. Combustion chamber design by Ricardo, a well known British engine design consultancy. They to engines are what Pinin Farina are to styling...
Jim
'98 Xantia 1.9TD in Red - Gabriel the Bus...
'96 Xantia Activa in Red - My favourite toy...
'07 Pug 207 in Blue - The Deathtrap...
'15 Giant Defy Bike in Blue - Daily rider...
'16 Giant TCR Bike in Black/Lime Green - Fine weather only...
mmm... i know one of the editors for this site, might have to have a word
'92 16TXS (m), Dark metallic green, 74k
'90 16TZS (m), White, 86k
'89 19TRS auto, Olympic Blue, 133k
'88 Saab 900 8v Turbo (auto) 107k Red with Tan leather, lovely drive and well maintained.
'07 Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 CRDi 85k (m). Practical family wagon
Mike E (uk) wrote:Car innovations such as:
First single foot pedal to operate coupled four-wheel brakes, first successful mass-produced front-wheel-drive car.
In 1769, Frenchman Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot built the first
automobile.
Mike
Add first mass-produced European car, first car with a plastic dash and then check out the Grp B, Paris-Dakar and current WRC domination.
But in the Uk, if it's not German it's rubbish sadly.
Mike E (uk) wrote:Car innovations such as:
First single foot pedal to operate coupled four-wheel brakes, first successful mass-produced front-wheel-drive car.
In 1769, Frenchman Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot built the first
automobile.
Mike
Add first mass-produced European car, first car with a plastic dash and then check out the Grp B, Paris-Dakar and current WRC domination.
But in the Uk, if it's not German it's rubbish sadly.
I agree that people think like that but I don't agree it's neccessarily true.
Whilst I don't hold with the overall sentiment of the article, I can agree with a lot of his points. We all know that Citroen plastics of the period are not great. The seats are ok, but not great, certainly they don't compare to the seats in an XM, which I'm told don't come close to the seats in a CX. Paint fade - well, it might depend on the colour, but red ones (both of mine) definitely settle into a patchwork of different reds. I've found the switchgear to be about on par with other cars from the period I've driven, which makes it way better than most Citroens! I don't buy the failure prone hydraulics (which don't go wrong any more often than something will go wrong with standard suspension and brakes), nor the doors falling off etc.
What he seems to have missed is how well the package works DESPITE these things. Even today, it's hard to find a car which will match both the performance and economy of a BX, never mind one with as much style and attention grabbing looks, still less anything with a comparable ride.
The article kinda suggests that he's owned either one for a long time or several, which makes the whole thing a bit odd. On top of that, he can't structure an article for toffee!
1966 Triumph Herald convertible with big valve twin carb Spitfire head
