Miguel Sánchez
In the panorama relative to the French body industry, the Chapron workshop stands out in its own right. Founded in 1919, it immediately stood out as a distinguished reference among the high-end clientele of the moment. In this sense, His creations based on Hispano-Suiza or Panhard-Levassor They garnered praise not only thanks to the quality of their finishes, but also for the fluidity of their lines. Something especially visible in the enormous but at the same time light appearance of its K6 Coupé in maroon tones.
However, if this body shop is remembered for something, it was for everything related to convertibles based on Citroën DS. Without a doubt, one of the most attractive designs in the entire history of French motorsports. And it is that, on the already attractive volumes of this saloon designed by Flaminio Bertoni, Chapron added the possibility of driving in the open air. All this generating at least up to three variations on the same concept. All of them capable of turning the top of the Citroën range into a delicious convertible saloon with two doors.
Without a doubt, a difficult concept to assimilate in our days. And it is that, not in vain, after the Second World War, convertibles settled as models that, in most cases, only sported brief proportions. So much so, in fact, they were contemplated as designs where only two places could be housed. Something perfectly visible in the popularization of the English roadsters and, equally, in that of the open-air models made in Italy on FIAT or Alfa Romeo bases.
With all this, the future of convertible sedans was being relegated to a narrow market niche. The one where there were only these Citroëns and, occasionally, a Mercedes. Thus, they disappeared, giving way to the sedan as a closed vehicle with three volumes and, from the Citroën CX and Rover SD, occasionally with rear tributaries to Wunibald Kamm. Also this fact coincided with the withdrawal of Citroën from the US market. Not only constrained by new anti-pollution laws - like other European manufacturers since the XNUMXs - but also by a sales rate that had never really gotten off the ground.
However, that gave the Dutch company CX Automotive an opportunity. Responsible for acquiring units of the Citroën CX, adapt them to US approvals and market them on the other side of the Atlantic. And it is that, although the projection of that model in the United States was irrelevant, its numbers did add up for a small company focused on fans of the French house.
At this point, CX Automotive thought of offering a halo model with which to put the media focus on it. And boy, for that, nothing better than a convertible. Specifically, a convertible made on the basis of the CX, thus rescuing the concept of the open-air saloon that was definitively buried in the XNUMXs. In fact, even with obvious differences, this was similar to what Renault had done with the Floride two decades earlier.
A convertible ordered by the distributors of the house of the rhombus in the United States, in need of a media impact with which to boost sales of the Dauphine. Thus, the Dutch company turned to Chapron around 1985. Anyway, What better option for the project of a convertible Citroën CX? However, although the historic coachbuilder was able to deliver some sketches, in the end it was impossible for him to finish even a prototype since, after a few months, his financial situation forced the closure after seven decades of history.
CITROËN XM CONVERTIBLE, A RARITY FOR THE AMERICAN MARKET
After that setback, CX Automotive continued its activities even with clear hostility from Citroën. In fact, the French brand demanded the removal of its symbol on the units transformed by the Dutch company, thus torpedoing any possible collaboration. Nevertheless, the idea of reviving Citroën's convertible sedans was still present. In this way, when the XM designed by Bertone CX Automotive was presented in 1989, it returned to the fray. Of course, this time the engineering work -that implied completely retouching the chassis- was entrusted to Koninklijke Hoogovens.
An expert in metallurgical manufacturing, it carried out a multitude of tests with what was to be its flagship solution. A lightweight aluminum structure located on the sides of the vehicle, responsible for improving its rigidity. In fact, the longer the wheelbase -and therefore this piece- the more it could be improved in this regard. Without a doubt, something truly necessary in a convertible model. Where the rigidity of the set can decrease by almost half if we compare it with that offered by a body with a closed monocoque.
With all this, in 1993 the prototype was finally presented under the name of XMPLE. However, the final results were somewhat disappointing. It's more, the vehicle's torsional rigidity was half the records offered by a standard XM saloon. Likewise, the weight increased by almost 50 kilos even without a roof. And that's not to mention manufacturing costs. Launched at a gallop after having to completely section the chassis into two areas in order to incorporate that lateral reinforcement in the middle.
However, even poor, those results were better than those delivered by production convertibles such as the Audi 80 Cabrio. Thus, in 1993 Citroën seemed to be interested in that prototype without a powertrain - there was still a lot of development ahead. A gesture that filled CX Automotive with optimism, which expected to be able to award some 350 units of this eccentric convertible Citroën in the US market. However, the French house never delivered XM parts for the production of the XMPLE.
A fact that, obviously, made the final cost of the future model even more expensive. Possibly the straw that broke the camel's back in the already uncertain hopes of the Dutch company. which, in this way, lived the revenge of Citroën for having sold CX units in the United States and Canada for years without his permission. In short, in motorsport there are also small “vendetta".
Photos: Koninklijke Hoogovens (today at Tata Steel) / RM Sotheby's / Chapron (Defunct) / CX Automotive
