Johanna betermi
In addition to being an iconic emblem of Paris, the Eiffel Tower is closely linked to the history of the brand. If André Citroën showed his advertising genius by illuminating it with his name and the logo of the two chevrons with thousands of bulbs, almost half a century later Citroën returned to this emblematic monument of the French capital to create suspense before what was to be a key model in its history: the BX.
In 1982, Citroën it had just left its historic headquarters on the Quai de Javel in Paris to move to the outskirts, to the exclusive town of Neuilly-Sur-Seine. He needed a model to replace the Citroën GSA that would square the circle. A groundbreaking alternative was sought in terms of aesthetics, which would connect with the needs and tastes of people and which would maintain the hallmarks of the brand: performance, comfort and excellent road performance.
On the eve of the Paris Motor Show, the brand opted for the show to publicize its new model and make it stand out among the legion of novelties that were presented in that edition. Nothing better than an iconic place to present a vehicle destined to mark an era. A large wooden box was suspended from the first floor of the Eiffel Tower on September 16, 1982. It only announced that it was inside "The new Citroën".
To provoke even more anticipation, the mystery box descended a few meters each day. Finally, just a week later, the press was summoned to the foot of the monument for the big day. The then President of Citroën, Jacques Lombard, was in charge of unveiling the car that had been waiting for so long: the Citroën BX.
It attracted attention for its straight and very angular lines, the result of the futuristic and dynamic design of the designer of Bertone Marcello Gandini author of several mythical Italian sports cars from the 70s. A collaboration and an aesthetic that continued until the 90s, with the Citroën AX, ZX and XM as outstanding models. On the outside, it respected Citroën hallmarks, such as the single-blade windshield wiper, introduced in the Citroën CX, or the five-door architecture of the Citroën GSA.
At the wheel, the Citroen BX It was revealed as one of the most comfortable and performance vehicles of its time. Its hydropneumatic suspension ensured unrivaled road holding, while its wide range of finishes and engines enabled it to reach a diverse audience. In 1988, it became even more legendary with its GTi version, equipped with a 16-valve engine, capable of developing 160 DIN hp and reaching a top speed of 218 km / h.
1988 was also the year in which, in Spain, the National Police Corps chose the Citroën BX as the Z vehicle, a status that it maintained for a decade and that made it a regular feature on the streets of our cities since the late 80s. 90 and throughout the XNUMXs.
An icon of our recent past of which 222.325 units were manufactured at the Vigo Production Center, between 1983 and 1992.
* News produced by Citroën press release
