eBay Find of the Day: 1988 Citroën CX
We wonder if this thing tells you "Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time!" whenever you shut it off. Hilarity aside, this long-wheelbase CX Prestige looks like it's made out of the same material that fashioned Darth Vader's mask. Maybe the hydro-pneumatic suspension even makes the same kinds of breathy noises. Probably not, as the seller claims the spheres are in good shape. Citroëns are pretty rare in the US, and the CX's are funk-tastic executive expresses.
This series-II car is a fine example of the last Citroën design before Peugeot purchased the brand. The long, tapered body dressed in black gives this thing an evil presence we think absolutely rocks. This is the car that replaced the space-capsule DS, and there's definitely a familial resemblance (though the CX looks more like Gumby's SAAB 900 than anything alse, if you ask us).
Underhood, there's a 2.5L four-cylinder that smokes Gauloises and is powered by croque monsieur. The price is up to $2650, which is actually pretty reasonable for a CX Prestige in good shape. 1988 was the second-to-last year for this smooth-riding teardrop that was first introduced in 1974, so any teething pains were long gone by then. Of course, the joys of maintaining a luxed-up European car with a very small support base are part of the thrill of ownership. We'd wear a Vader suit wherever we went. And limo-tint the windows. That'd make pulling up to the curb, any curb, the Best. Arrival. Evar.
more photos after the jump
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ISAAC BOTI 2:53PM (5/26/2008)
i want to buy this mobile couch if it is availlable, cause you don't know how it feels until you are behind the steering wheel
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SLakin 12:46PM (1/25/2007)
What was the car in "Scarface" that they were going to blow up? It looked like this...
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Steve C. 3:19PM (1/25/2007)
Great, great car. I remember hiring one in France in the mid 80's and cruising along at 150 kph, floating like you were on a cloud. And though the cruising ride was, well, "slushy", it was pretty quick through the twisty bits, too.
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Valentin Schneider 12:59PM (1/25/2007)
In fact, there are breathy noises in a CX, but they don't come from the Hydropneumatics, but from the steering system, which is also assisted with the 160 bar created by the hydraulic pump. Like in a plane, you don't have any physic contact with the steering components. In a CX (like in a DS and SM as well as the XM V6) The steering wheel only opens and closes a valve. Growing artificial resistance is created as the speed grows, in order to not let you steer fully when you're at 140 mph.
A similar system also actions on the brakes: pressing the brake pedal opens a valve which leads the hydraulic fluid to the brake calipers (as it is the same fluid circuit used as for the suspension, a dammage on the latter could induce a braking failure - that's why Citroen preferred to abandon the American market, fearing trials in case of an accident).
Everytime you steer, it makes a lot of incredible, little noises, which all are normal and which gives you more the feeling of flying some kind of space ship than drive a car. This sensation is reinforced by the fact that you almost don't feel the road as you're suspended by the hydraulics...
Best greetings from Europe, and thanks Autoblog.com for not forgetting Citroen in America (Andre Citroen was the first guy to bring chain fabrication to Europe after having met with ... Henry Ford).
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Gavin 1:12PM (1/25/2007)
Nice, nice car. As a kid in the U.K in the seventies, the CX used the scare the living crap out of me!
I've grown to appreciate them since...
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felipe 1:33PM (1/25/2007)
that is sweet. i wanna know how big the back seat area is. looks like a assload of butt room, and enough leg room for an amazon.
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LGM 1:49PM (1/25/2007)
Hahahaha, Darth Vader's mask?! How about a 1994 Pontiac Grand Am... I'm kidding, hehehehe
If you, US people think that CX is weird, you should see its smaller brother, Citroën BX...
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Richard 1:49PM (1/25/2007)
Not much more beautiful than one of the aero Citroens from the 70's through the 90's.
Had I the cash and time I'd buy this outright and restore it to use for cross country hauls. Might even be able to find a diesel for it.
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MJL 1:51PM (1/25/2007)
Yeah, thanks for giving me credit for tipping you guys off....
Anyway, I love this car. If I weren't a broke, broke college student, and maybe it if were a manual, I would buy it.
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band.wagon 4:37PM (1/25/2007)
you left out the best pictures from the auction - first I thought the stereo location was wierd, but is the spare tire really in the engine compartment? not in the front trunk a la 911, but shoved in there with the engine.
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TheOne442 5:05PM (1/25/2007)
Sweet ride, don't see to many of these!
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C\\\'est Raoul 3:07PM (1/25/2007)
Here is the link I mentionned:
http://www.vea.qc.ca/vea/club/annonces1.htm
a GTI a 10000$can
http://www.vea.qc.ca/vea/v/citcxgti86.jpg
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fizzandpop 2:26PM (1/25/2007)
The problem with the later CXs is that Citroen smoothed off the edges. This car lacks the earlier cars' bizarre instrument package (digital magic eights mixed with strange expanding bar things). Overall the car lost chrome, creases and some of its more avant guard styling touches (what was that plastic sphere thing that sat on top of the center console?). For the full CXperience (sorry) you have to get an early eighties Pallas model in metalic maroon. Having said that, I have never seen a CX in California, so driving this example would still be a blast.
Oh and I love Citroen's car stereo placement (horizontally, where the arm rest should have been). It made the thing impossible to tune whilst driving and ensured that all the radio's nooks and cranies filled up with dust and gunk in about two weeks.
Oh and one more thing. If you buy this, please fit the French-style yellow headlamp bulbs. Nothing else looks right.
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Vince 6:53PM (1/25/2007)
Isn't this the same piece of trash that was being chased in Ronin that had the guy with the diamonds in the briefcase? Probably an older model.
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Fabulo 6:45PM (1/25/2007)
I did not know Citroen ever hit the states. If I had a little less brain, I'd just buy this one. When I was a kid, this was one of my dream cars!
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Valentin Schneider 3:16AM (1/26/2007)
In Ronin, it's a Citroen XM V6, a faboulous ride too.
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Spule4 10:24AM (1/27/2007)
#4, a lot of room, but an awkward position for your feet if you have long legs, a lot of room, but not very comfortable in the Prestige (same platform lenght as the CX Break/Estate/Station Wagon)
#13, there were grey market imports, but they were officially sold in the US as CX Automotive, or CXA. There were road tests in the magazines and even on Motorweek on PBS back in the day.
Common on US eBayMotors, there is generally one or a Rover SD1 on there at any given time.
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