Michael Angel Vazquez
[su_dropcap] S [/ su_dropcap] and it is now 40 years since the launch of one of Citroën's most impressive models. Presented to the specialized press in the summer of 1974, it would not be until the beginning of autumn when the commercialization of what would have to be the replacement for the most charismatic car of the Citroën and at the same time one of the most fascinating cars of all time began. : the DS.
A complicated task, taking into account that the model to be succeeded was considered worldwide neither more nor less than "La DioSa" (remember that car, car in French, is feminine).
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- Is it possible to combine, in a harmonious and balanced way, the successive technical innovations introduced in the car by a manufacturer?
- Is it possible to harmonize avant-garde and common sense in a model designed by and for its future users, and whose components have been intensively tested as a guarantee of reliability and ease of maintenance?
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- Is it possible to design, build and sell a car that is elegant, spacious and powerful, and that thanks to the efficiency of its aerodynamics and the precision with which its power mechanism can be adjusted, it becomes the star of an extremely marked by energy saving?
- Is it possible to mass-produce a vehicle in which active and passive safety are so taken into account that it achieves at least the same results as the best experimental prototypes?
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For those four questions that seem freshly asked by today's obsession with fuel efficiency and car safety, Citroën already had the answer in the summer of 1974, with two letters: CX. In this way, the launch campaign for our protagonist was prepared just now 40 years ago.
A global energy crisis
So we go back to 1974, in the midst of a global energy crisis That made manufacturers rethink the design of cars looking for fuel savings, and giving rise to smaller and cheaper cars. For Citroën, the summer of that year was marked by two great events. One was the announcement, on June 24, of a merger between Automobiles Peugeot and Automobiles Citroën, which would maintain two independent networks from each other, and which would help strengthen the position of both brands in the market.
In July, Peugeot and Michelin formed SONEDIA (Société Nouvelle pour l'Étude et le Développement de l'Industrie Automobile), the purpose of which was to prepare the ways and means to bring both companies together. The other big event was the launch, on August 26, of the new CX, initially with only two versions: 2000 and 2200.
Tested by more than 400 specialists from the European motoring press during the summer of 1974, the CX was presented to the public in the autumn. As a curiosity, that year the joint production of Peugeot and Citroën reached a total of 1.517.435 vehicles, thus achieving third place in European production behind Volkswagen and FIAT, but ahead of Renault.
The symbol of aerodynamics
"CX" was the symbol with which in France at that time (now it is used worldwide) the coefficient of penetration in the air of a moving body was expressed; that is, the drag coefficient. It is no coincidence that Citroën took that name, since the CX became the most aerodynamic series-produced car at that time, improving by 11% the coefficient of the frontal surface of the one that until then had been the world reference in the matter, and which was also a Citroën: the DS.
Aerodynamics was also associated with fuel economy, so the launch premise in the midst of the socioeconomic context of the moment fitted perfectly: The market demanded a car that was economical in consumption and maintenance. In this way, a complete list of customer needs, the indications of the after-sales service and the research and advances of the design department were taken into account.
The initial models
CX 2000, CX 2000 “Économique” (both from 1985 cc), and CX 2200 (from 2175 cc) were the three initial models marketed in France, which came to complete the Citroën range that remained unchanged and still included the “D” models. or "Jaws". They quickly became popular cars there, for achieving the levels of safety, robustness, economy and comfort that the most demanding users demand of a modern car.
Apart from its good performance, consumption was relatively low. At 90 km / h, the CX 2200, the most powerful, did not go from 7,8 liters of gasoline to 100 km with two occupants and their respective luggage. An economical version of the CX 2000 was also launched for more fuel-conscious customers, which differed from the normal version in the longer gearbox and gear ratios.
A revolutionary compendium
The technical systems of the CX, already long tested in previous Citroën models and considered revolutionary at the time of their respective implantations, proved to be much more reliable compared to the solutions considered classic by other manufacturers: the front-wheel drive (already 40 years of experience). experience), “hydropneumatic” suspension (20 years) and assisted disc brakes (20 years), to name a few examples.
The engine had been developed from the one that equipped the DS, famous for its exceptional robustness and durability, backed at that time by the victories in the World Rally Championship of the Australian Welinski at the controls of a DS 23 in May 1974 and after touring 17.500 km through Europe and the tracks of Africa and the Middle East.
The CX's “hydropneumatic” suspension had already been tested in more than two million vehicles, allowing the car to maintain a constant ride height regardless of load. and have a high degree of comfort and stability. In addition, the safety of this system and its economy are greater than those of the all-metal suspension.
The brake system that equips the CX has already been used by Citroën since 1955: assisted disc brakes with independent dual circuit, equipped with load-dependent brake limiter. Its high pressure “hydraulic” control and short pedal travel reduce response time. The front discs are ventilated, for more efficient cooling.
The rack and pinion steering is precise and surprisingly smooth once for a front-wheel drive car. As an option, it could be assisted, with a servo return system similar to that of the Citroën SM, in which the assistance varies inversely with speed, although it was adapted to the CX due to its different number of turns of the wheel from lock to lock (2,5 instead of 2 in the SM) and its different benefits.
The design of the car was made with the purpose of reducing maintenance and repairs. Access to the main mechanical parts is extremely easy, and a standard self-diagnosis system allows quick checks and adjustments.
* Header photo: Jaime Sáinz de la Maza
