24 Nov 05
Citroen got the XM right on one score: comfort. "There can be few more comfortable long-distance cruisers than an XM", praised Car's Mark Gillies: "In between spells in dry dock, we liked the XM." However: "The XM chassis has surprisingly good grip, a fine handling balance and lousy steering." It was no sports car to drive.
The hardcore Citroen faithful were tempted by the upgraded V6s (194bhp from 1997, and 200bhp in 24-valve format) and the utility-minded liked the diesel estates - though the latter preferred them in second-hand form. These diesel estates were really the only XMs to retain much of their original cost new - the other versions fetched pitifully low sums when they were sold on, which deterred even more customers from making such a poor investment.
With increasing numbers of new car buyers turning to the ever-more popular 4x4s and MPVs rather than traditional family saloons and estates, or getting increasingly badge-conscious with compact executive models like the BMW 3-Series and Audi A4, the non-premium large car market was dying, anyway. The C5, which replaced the Xantia, was plenty large enough, despite the C6 Lignage concept car (Geneva 1999) hinting that Citroen was not ruling out a full-scale replacement for the XM.
It has taken nearly seven years for Citroen to return with the C6: "A comeback in a segment where Citroen should be", said the C6 project leader Carlo Bonzanigo at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show.
"It's interesting that some of the letters to the German car magazines show that even German buyers are becoming bored with luxury German cars. They want more individuality and there's a good opportunity for us here."
But is the expensive C6 individual enough? Read on to find out more about Citroen's latest luxury model.
Road Test: Citroen C6 (2006-)
