What's the XM
Stefanel1
10-03-2002, 05:09 PM
If you do not know this car, it appeared in 1989 and was stopped in 1997.
Guido
10-07-2002, 04:18 PM
I know the car. I thought they have been sold in Belgium till 99 when C-5 arrived, but I might be wrong. I looking at bying a second hand one to replace my 5 year ZX 1.9D.
Ssom
10-08-2002, 04:21 AM
Well.............
The XM ceased production last year upon the arrival of the C5, they aren't that good of a car.............:(
The XM ceased production last year upon the arrival of the C5, they aren't that good of a car.............:(
Stefanel1
10-08-2002, 07:35 AM
I guess you know the XM, but some people outside of Europe don't know well Citroën.
Are you Flamand ou Wallon ? ;)
Are you Flamand ou Wallon ? ;)
Guido
10-10-2002, 04:29 AM
I'm from the Flemish part so Flamand.
Stefanel1
10-10-2002, 02:30 PM
From where ? what town?
Guido
10-12-2002, 06:47 AM
Sint-Truiden, Limburg.
Can I ask you why? ;)
Can I ask you why? ;)
Stefanel1
10-22-2002, 08:59 AM
Just because I'm curious ;)
vick
02-02-2003, 05:49 PM
In my mind, the XM was the best sedan on earth, we had 3 XM in our family and we still have an V6 one, it's a fantastic car...
that's my father's XM
http://autopix.free.fr/cit/029.jpg
that's my father's XM
http://autopix.free.fr/cit/029.jpg
Stefanel1
02-02-2003, 06:35 PM
Very good car indeed with an extraordinarly handling and comfort.
My father had an XM V6 Ambiance too (Estate)
My father had an XM V6 Ambiance too (Estate)
D[X]P
02-03-2003, 09:41 PM
all i know is that it aint a cool car!
tanirdriver
10-10-2003, 05:18 AM
"The XM ceased production last year upon the arrival of the C5, they aren't that good of a car.............:("
Well, apparently Citroën are trying to solve the reliability problems which affect the C5 (a lot of electronic devices onboard). This car seems to be selling quite well in Australasia for a European liftback (I suppose that more than ten examples per year would be considered satisfactory). ;-)
I already drive a Xantia and I love it for its incredible comfort. According to what I've read, the C5 isn't that bad either. I'll wait a few years until prices go down...
Regards,
Tanir
Well, apparently Citroën are trying to solve the reliability problems which affect the C5 (a lot of electronic devices onboard). This car seems to be selling quite well in Australasia for a European liftback (I suppose that more than ten examples per year would be considered satisfactory). ;-)
I already drive a Xantia and I love it for its incredible comfort. According to what I've read, the C5 isn't that bad either. I'll wait a few years until prices go down...
Regards,
Tanir
Ion Pulse
06-25-2004, 07:39 AM
The XM is one of my favourite cars in the world, and was the last 'real' Citroen. With quirky looks and unusal(typically French features). So I can't wait on the C6 replacment out in 2006.
tagreath
09-28-2005, 08:44 PM
I used to own an XM - V6 SEI.
When it was going it was a fantastic car, the ride was second to none, and it was quick too. You would be on the highway cruising along and before you knew it you were doing 100 mph. The fastest I ever took it too was 145 mph (235 kms/h) and there was still some left to go.
Unfortunately I had many problems, first the engine developed an oil leak into the coolant system, then the transmission failed, I got it back on the road and eventually sold it. i was still a little sad to see it go.
Citroen cars have the best ride with the hydro-elastic suspension and one of the coolest features on the XM was that you could switch the ride in an instant from comfy highway style suspension to harder sportier suspension that would take corners like it was on rails.
I live in Canada now and most people here have never seen a Citroen of any description.
Well thats enough reminiscing for now............
When it was going it was a fantastic car, the ride was second to none, and it was quick too. You would be on the highway cruising along and before you knew it you were doing 100 mph. The fastest I ever took it too was 145 mph (235 kms/h) and there was still some left to go.
Unfortunately I had many problems, first the engine developed an oil leak into the coolant system, then the transmission failed, I got it back on the road and eventually sold it. i was still a little sad to see it go.
Citroen cars have the best ride with the hydro-elastic suspension and one of the coolest features on the XM was that you could switch the ride in an instant from comfy highway style suspension to harder sportier suspension that would take corners like it was on rails.
I live in Canada now and most people here have never seen a Citroen of any description.
Well thats enough reminiscing for now............
crossfireabstrakt
11-14-2005, 04:31 PM
On 23rd May 1989, the new car went on sale. Christened XM in order to pay homage to the SM which was the last six cylinder Citroën, it also featured a kicked up waist line that was reminiscent of the SM. Originally available with a choice of a carburettor XU engine bored out to 2 litres, a fuel injected version of the same or a V6, the considerable extra weight of the XM compared with the BX endowed the 2 litre versions with pedestrian performance and even the V6 was slower than the BX 16 Soupapes. In July 1990, a 170 bhp 24 valve V6 was offered. Virtually all the 176 24 valve cars developed problems with oil flow which led to premature camshaft failure. Citroën must have been aware that this engine was stretched beyond its limits but this did not dissuade them from manufacturing such a severely flawed car. Then in 1993, a turbocharged 2 litre XU engine was provided which finally overcame the performance deficit of earlier 2 litre models.
The diesel versions similarly suffered from lack of performance – the XUD was extended to 2,1 litres and offered 110 bhp compared with the 120 bhp of the CX 25 Turbo D which was a lighter vehicle than the XM. Contrast this however with the 143 bhp of the Mercedes 300D. The success of the BMW 325TDs led PSA to drop the 4 cylinder 2,5 litre engine from the C25 van into the XM in 1996. This unit was, at 130 bhp, powerful but it could also be thirsty. Having only four cylinders as opposed to the six cylinder units that powered the Germans which were sold at similar prices and lacking the image of either BMW or Mercedes, its appeal was limited to a small circle of Citroën enthusiasts who, in Britain at least, mainly purchased second-hand vehicles since the majority of them were pre-registered by Citroën dealers.
Following the restyle of 1995 and the fitting of Hydractive 2 which had been pioneered in the Xantia, the XM was not really developed any further. Activa suspension was not fitted to this haut de gamme model but to the mainstream Xantia. The same held true for the new V6 jointly developed by PSA and Renault which first saw the light of day in 1996 in the Xantia and a year later in the XM and also for the auto-adaptive gearbox. The headlamps which had been a source of much criticism were revamped in 1996 but right hand drive cars continued to be fitted with the original, inadequate units – presumably the sales figures did not justify the development of RHD versions. Similar lamps were fitted to early versions of the Xantia but sales were sufficiently healthy here in Britain to justify developing replacements.
Other mainstream manufacturers had abandoned the field to the Germans – Fiat threw in the sponge in 1995 and Ford did likewise in 1997. Apart from the Germans, the only other players are Saab, Volvo and GM with only GM being a volume manufacturer.
In 1989, 46,282 XMs were sold worldwide. In 1990, a total of 96,196 were sold and thereafter, numbers declined rapidly - 49,119 in 1991, 43,487 in 1992, 20,977 in 1993, 20,591 in 1994, 17,799 in 1995, 12,500 in 1996, 9,594 in 1997, 7,500 in 1998 and only a couple of thousand in 1999. More than 45% of total XM production occurred in the first two years of an eleven-year run. From 1996, in its home market of France, the XM was outsold three to one by each of its German competitors. Production ended without any sort of fanfare in June 2000.
Approximately ten per cent of all XM production went to the Netherlands where the car continues to be very popular with customers and where values hold up well. Contrary to the position in Britain, most specialist Citroën dealers would be happy to have ten low mileage, late model XMs sitting on their forecourts since they have waiting lists. Many former DS and CX specialists are now turning to the XM as their clients have learned to recognise its very real qualities.
In the French Contrôle Technique (MOT) statistics, the XM came out as the third most reliable luxury car – after the Mercedes 190 and BMW 5 series. In the 1998 EuroNCAP safety tests, the XM was reckoned to be one of the safest cars in its class – not bad for such an old design.
At launch, PSA said that 4 x 4 versions of the XM would follow, together with a classic three box design intended primarily for North America.
The XM fell between two stools – it was not different enough to attract the hardened Citroën enthusiast but was too different to appeal to mainstream purchasers. In efforts to attract mainstream purchasers, the feel of the brake pedal was made more conventional thanks to the insertion of a deformable tube in the brake valve to make the pedal feel spongey. DIRAVI was only fitted to left hand drive V6 models and was quietly dropped in 1997. The DIRAVI equipped cars actually had lower geared steering than the lesser XMs. The non-turbocharged XM 2 litre was slower and substantially thirstier than the BX19TRi and furthermore, thanks to its Hydractive suspension did not ride as well.
In some respects, the XM continued in the traditional Citroën mould – it was released prematurely – by at least eighteen months – and suffered from considerable teething problems which gave it a reputation from which it never recovered. The use of totally inadequate wiring and connectors was a recipe for disaster and was undoubtedly brought about by the PSA bean counters’ desires to reduce costs wherever possible. Quality control was not all that it might be – many cars suffered from water leaks and an appetite for front tyres and brakes did not help either.
And here in Britain, the majority of dealers hated it. They hated it because it was a slow seller and because of its reputation for unreliability. The result was £10k depreciation in the first year. And for the hapless owner of one of these cars, there was the hostility and ignorance of the dealer network to add to your woes. To an extent, the hostility was understandable – why tie up capital in a vehicle that might sit in your showroom for six months when you could shift a dozen Xantias in the same period? The ignorance is a direct result of the hostility – few dealers ever got to work on an XM so it was terra incognita to them. Diagnosing intermittent suspension faults cost the dealer man-hours that could not easily be passed on to the customer.
And then there is the appearance - a car that looks like a hatchback in a market that eschews them as utilitarian. Unusually styled cars do not normally sell well in this area of the marketplace. Nor do front wheel drive cars.
Yes, the XM was undoubtedly a failure in commercial terms and yet it offers all of the traditional big Citroën strengths and virtues; the ability to make light work of long journeys in adverse conditions, unique styling, excellent aerodynamic performance, good economy (V6 aside), superb comfort and luxury; the list goes on. It offers a unique driving experience and in true Citroën style, looks like nothing else on the road.
When it was launched, I observed that it looked as if it had been designed by a committee that had never met. Familiarity has led me to modify my views – I think it is a great design which is let down by detailing. The concave flanks do little for the aesthetics and the leading edge of the bonnet should be continued to the line above the headlamps. There are too many panes of glass in the much-vaunted "band of light" while the front quarter lights are so designed that when it is raining, the exterior mirrors are worse than useless thanks to the water running across these panes. I like the exterior door handle design but some people have likened these to RSJs. It is a pity that the rear wheels are fully exposed. The design has not dated because it is essentially right – just like the DS and the CX. I suspect that C5 will look old-fashioned in 2012.
CAR magazine’s acerbic comment was "It will be a great car when it is finished". Unfortunately, it was both never finished and is now finished. It was never finished since development ceased. It is finished because production has ceased.
The diesel versions similarly suffered from lack of performance – the XUD was extended to 2,1 litres and offered 110 bhp compared with the 120 bhp of the CX 25 Turbo D which was a lighter vehicle than the XM. Contrast this however with the 143 bhp of the Mercedes 300D. The success of the BMW 325TDs led PSA to drop the 4 cylinder 2,5 litre engine from the C25 van into the XM in 1996. This unit was, at 130 bhp, powerful but it could also be thirsty. Having only four cylinders as opposed to the six cylinder units that powered the Germans which were sold at similar prices and lacking the image of either BMW or Mercedes, its appeal was limited to a small circle of Citroën enthusiasts who, in Britain at least, mainly purchased second-hand vehicles since the majority of them were pre-registered by Citroën dealers.
Following the restyle of 1995 and the fitting of Hydractive 2 which had been pioneered in the Xantia, the XM was not really developed any further. Activa suspension was not fitted to this haut de gamme model but to the mainstream Xantia. The same held true for the new V6 jointly developed by PSA and Renault which first saw the light of day in 1996 in the Xantia and a year later in the XM and also for the auto-adaptive gearbox. The headlamps which had been a source of much criticism were revamped in 1996 but right hand drive cars continued to be fitted with the original, inadequate units – presumably the sales figures did not justify the development of RHD versions. Similar lamps were fitted to early versions of the Xantia but sales were sufficiently healthy here in Britain to justify developing replacements.
Other mainstream manufacturers had abandoned the field to the Germans – Fiat threw in the sponge in 1995 and Ford did likewise in 1997. Apart from the Germans, the only other players are Saab, Volvo and GM with only GM being a volume manufacturer.
In 1989, 46,282 XMs were sold worldwide. In 1990, a total of 96,196 were sold and thereafter, numbers declined rapidly - 49,119 in 1991, 43,487 in 1992, 20,977 in 1993, 20,591 in 1994, 17,799 in 1995, 12,500 in 1996, 9,594 in 1997, 7,500 in 1998 and only a couple of thousand in 1999. More than 45% of total XM production occurred in the first two years of an eleven-year run. From 1996, in its home market of France, the XM was outsold three to one by each of its German competitors. Production ended without any sort of fanfare in June 2000.
Approximately ten per cent of all XM production went to the Netherlands where the car continues to be very popular with customers and where values hold up well. Contrary to the position in Britain, most specialist Citroën dealers would be happy to have ten low mileage, late model XMs sitting on their forecourts since they have waiting lists. Many former DS and CX specialists are now turning to the XM as their clients have learned to recognise its very real qualities.
In the French Contrôle Technique (MOT) statistics, the XM came out as the third most reliable luxury car – after the Mercedes 190 and BMW 5 series. In the 1998 EuroNCAP safety tests, the XM was reckoned to be one of the safest cars in its class – not bad for such an old design.
At launch, PSA said that 4 x 4 versions of the XM would follow, together with a classic three box design intended primarily for North America.
The XM fell between two stools – it was not different enough to attract the hardened Citroën enthusiast but was too different to appeal to mainstream purchasers. In efforts to attract mainstream purchasers, the feel of the brake pedal was made more conventional thanks to the insertion of a deformable tube in the brake valve to make the pedal feel spongey. DIRAVI was only fitted to left hand drive V6 models and was quietly dropped in 1997. The DIRAVI equipped cars actually had lower geared steering than the lesser XMs. The non-turbocharged XM 2 litre was slower and substantially thirstier than the BX19TRi and furthermore, thanks to its Hydractive suspension did not ride as well.
In some respects, the XM continued in the traditional Citroën mould – it was released prematurely – by at least eighteen months – and suffered from considerable teething problems which gave it a reputation from which it never recovered. The use of totally inadequate wiring and connectors was a recipe for disaster and was undoubtedly brought about by the PSA bean counters’ desires to reduce costs wherever possible. Quality control was not all that it might be – many cars suffered from water leaks and an appetite for front tyres and brakes did not help either.
And here in Britain, the majority of dealers hated it. They hated it because it was a slow seller and because of its reputation for unreliability. The result was £10k depreciation in the first year. And for the hapless owner of one of these cars, there was the hostility and ignorance of the dealer network to add to your woes. To an extent, the hostility was understandable – why tie up capital in a vehicle that might sit in your showroom for six months when you could shift a dozen Xantias in the same period? The ignorance is a direct result of the hostility – few dealers ever got to work on an XM so it was terra incognita to them. Diagnosing intermittent suspension faults cost the dealer man-hours that could not easily be passed on to the customer.
And then there is the appearance - a car that looks like a hatchback in a market that eschews them as utilitarian. Unusually styled cars do not normally sell well in this area of the marketplace. Nor do front wheel drive cars.
Yes, the XM was undoubtedly a failure in commercial terms and yet it offers all of the traditional big Citroën strengths and virtues; the ability to make light work of long journeys in adverse conditions, unique styling, excellent aerodynamic performance, good economy (V6 aside), superb comfort and luxury; the list goes on. It offers a unique driving experience and in true Citroën style, looks like nothing else on the road.
When it was launched, I observed that it looked as if it had been designed by a committee that had never met. Familiarity has led me to modify my views – I think it is a great design which is let down by detailing. The concave flanks do little for the aesthetics and the leading edge of the bonnet should be continued to the line above the headlamps. There are too many panes of glass in the much-vaunted "band of light" while the front quarter lights are so designed that when it is raining, the exterior mirrors are worse than useless thanks to the water running across these panes. I like the exterior door handle design but some people have likened these to RSJs. It is a pity that the rear wheels are fully exposed. The design has not dated because it is essentially right – just like the DS and the CX. I suspect that C5 will look old-fashioned in 2012.
CAR magazine’s acerbic comment was "It will be a great car when it is finished". Unfortunately, it was both never finished and is now finished. It was never finished since development ceased. It is finished because production has ceased.
citroens
11-27-2006, 10:19 PM
I used to own an XM - V6 SEI.
When it was going it was a fantastic car, the ride was second to none, and it was quick too. You would be on the highway cruising along and before you knew it you were doing 100 mph. The fastest I ever took it too was 145 mph (235 kms/h) and there was still some left to go.
Unfortunately I had many problems, first the engine developed an oil leak into the coolant system, then the transmission failed, I got it back on the road and eventually sold it. i was still a little sad to see it go.
Citroen cars have the best ride with the hydro-elastic suspension and one of the coolest features on the XM was that you could switch the ride in an instant from comfy highway style suspension to harder sportier suspension that would take corners like it was on rails.
I live in Canada now and most people here have never seen a Citroen of any description.
Well thats enough reminiscing for now............
Hi ,
I live in Canada too and have 3 x Citroens, one being the 1986 CX sedan with the Douverin engine, the second one is a 1988 CX TRI Safari Auto and the third hopefully arriving soon a 1990 XM 3 Litre V6 with the self centering steering. You can have Citroens in Canada too if you wanted to.
regards
When it was going it was a fantastic car, the ride was second to none, and it was quick too. You would be on the highway cruising along and before you knew it you were doing 100 mph. The fastest I ever took it too was 145 mph (235 kms/h) and there was still some left to go.
Unfortunately I had many problems, first the engine developed an oil leak into the coolant system, then the transmission failed, I got it back on the road and eventually sold it. i was still a little sad to see it go.
Citroen cars have the best ride with the hydro-elastic suspension and one of the coolest features on the XM was that you could switch the ride in an instant from comfy highway style suspension to harder sportier suspension that would take corners like it was on rails.
I live in Canada now and most people here have never seen a Citroen of any description.
Well thats enough reminiscing for now............
Hi ,
I live in Canada too and have 3 x Citroens, one being the 1986 CX sedan with the Douverin engine, the second one is a 1988 CX TRI Safari Auto and the third hopefully arriving soon a 1990 XM 3 Litre V6 with the self centering steering. You can have Citroens in Canada too if you wanted to.
regards
Stefanel1
12-04-2006, 11:19 AM
You have an XM ? In Canada ? There was 20 XM sold in North America at maximum, it's quite rare over there. Do you have some pics ?
citroens
12-04-2006, 11:39 PM
You have an XM ? In Canada ? There was 20 XM sold in North America at maximum, it's quite rare over there. Do you have some pics ?
Hi, I have many pictures of the Citroens I have at present, the only thing is I am not sure how I would post it here, I do not have a webpage, but I have many pictures on my Macintosh that I could perhaps send you direct, unless you can show me a way to upload pictures here.
b.t.w the XM is a 3 Litre V6 with cloth interior it is an early model 1990 which has the deravi powered steering, Hydraactive 1 suspension system, the latter XM's did not come with this feature I have heard. Also the latter XM's were 24 Valve, yours may have been that, however I have heard that the 24 valve engine camshaft used to churn and give problems, hence the reason I would stay away from them.
I recently had a 1988 CX TRI 5-speed on the ebay.com for sale it did not meet my reserve, hence a private collector from Long Island came and bought it.
I still have another one but it is an automatic.
regards
Hi, I have many pictures of the Citroens I have at present, the only thing is I am not sure how I would post it here, I do not have a webpage, but I have many pictures on my Macintosh that I could perhaps send you direct, unless you can show me a way to upload pictures here.
b.t.w the XM is a 3 Litre V6 with cloth interior it is an early model 1990 which has the deravi powered steering, Hydraactive 1 suspension system, the latter XM's did not come with this feature I have heard. Also the latter XM's were 24 Valve, yours may have been that, however I have heard that the 24 valve engine camshaft used to churn and give problems, hence the reason I would stay away from them.
I recently had a 1988 CX TRI 5-speed on the ebay.com for sale it did not meet my reserve, hence a private collector from Long Island came and bought it.
I still have another one but it is an automatic.
regards
Stefanel1
12-05-2006, 06:17 AM
My father had an XM V6 too, the station wagon, 12 valves 170hp, bought in 1992. A very good car with a comfort and an handling exceptionnals. He had also some CX but I don't remember, I was too young.
To post a picture, go to "Gallery" (on the top of the page, between "Forums" and "Articles"). The login if it's not done (top right of the page). Then click on "Upload photos" and finally, when it's done, you copy the link and you paste it in your message.
Very boring to do but quite easy. Give attention to the size of your photo, if it is too big, you will have to resize it smaller.
Good luck btw ! ;)
To post a picture, go to "Gallery" (on the top of the page, between "Forums" and "Articles"). The login if it's not done (top right of the page). Then click on "Upload photos" and finally, when it's done, you copy the link and you paste it in your message.
Very boring to do but quite easy. Give attention to the size of your photo, if it is too big, you will have to resize it smaller.
Good luck btw ! ;)
paul_houle
04-02-2010, 11:54 AM
paul_houle
04-02-2010, 12:01 PM
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