Anniversary

The Citroen CX turns 50: a myth of technology and design

Heir to the French brand's most divine car, the DS, it was unveiled on 26 August 1974 with the aim of emulating the most iconic model, but at a lower cost.

by Corrado Canali

11 September 2024

3' min read

Key points

Many innovations introduced almost equal to the legendary DS
The concave rear window without windscreen wiper
The CX was voted Car of the Year 1975.
From sedan to Break the station wagon
After petrol engines it's the turn of diesel
The major redesign in 1985
Citroen CX Prestige the lux variant
A career of over 17 years between saloon and Break
From the CX of 1974 to the C5 X of today

3' min read

The Citroen CX the undisputed heir to the most iconic of the French manufacturer's models, the DS, is one of the car models with a history to say the least. And it recently turned 50 years old. It was first presented to the then French President Giscard d'Estaing just before the 1974 Paris Motor Show. The name CX derives from the term for the aerodynamic drag coefficient value, which for the CX was 0.39, very good for a car of 50 years ago.

Many innovations introduced almost equal to the legendary DS

Mechanically, the car was designed with a transverse engine, hydropneumatic suspension with non-adjustable, but independent ground clearance, disc brakes on the front and rear wheels, plus a dual-circuit power brake system and the iconic and extravagant Diravi, a power steering system of the self-restoring type depending on the speed travelled, which was only introduced a few months after the official debut.

The concave rear window and no windscreen wiper

The car was designed with a very special rear window because it was concave like that of the later Citroen C6 and had the special feature of allowing rain to run down the centre, to the point that it did not require a windscreen wiper at the rear. The body was designed under the direction of the then head designer Robert Opron, and was conceived with a narrow track width at the rear axle and a small boot lid.

The CX was voted Car of the Year 1975

In terms of engines, Citroen's engineers chose to install on the CX, albeit at an early stage of marketing, two engines that were already familiar, namely the 2,000 cc petrol engine with 102 hp and the 2,200 cc petrol engine with 112 hp, derived from that of the DSuper5. In 1975, the Citroen CX was awarded the Car of the Year award as well as the Prix de la Sécurité and Prix Style Award.

From sedan to Break the station wagon

At the same time, the CX 2200 made its debut in the Pallas variant, known for its very luxurious equipment. A few months later the first diesel entered the range, a 2,200 diesel used in the Citroen C32 and C35 from 1973. September 1975 saw the arrival of the CX Break, the station wagon, with a wheelbase 25 cm longer than the saloon and a third bench seat for eight passengers.

After petrol engines it's diesel's turn

In the same year the French manufacturer also removed the veils from the elegant CX Prestige, and in 1977 electronic fuel injection arrived in the range, increasing the power of the 2,200 cc version to 128 hp. In 1978 the CX 2500 D entered the range, but with 75 hp, with which the saloon became the fastest car with a diesel engine, thanks to a speed of 156 km/h, a truly impressive figure for the fuel-saving years.

The major redesign in 1985

In July 1985, the Citroen CX is updated with a major facelift, adding new plastic bumpers and new round interior instruments. The car again takes the title of the world's fastest diesel vehicle thanks to its engine, now turbocharged, revised and capable of a top speed of 195 km/h. But that was not all, as prestigious versions entered the range

Citroen CX Prestige the lux variant

At the same time the ABS system was introduced in the safety equipment and the CX Break, the station wagon, was adopted as the basis by several companies for some special conversions such as ambulance or newspaper deliveries across Europe. In the same year, the luxury version Citroen CX Prestige was chosen by European heads of state for representation cars.

A career spanning over 17 years between saloon and Break

Between the late summer of 1974 and 1991, a total of 1,041,560 units left the factory with saloon bodywork and 128,185 with station wagon or Break bodywork. In its 17-year career it was recognised for its unique styling, for its instantly recognisable low-slung lines and aerodynamics. The CX was replaced in the summer of 1989 by the XM, while the Break was produced until the summer of 1991.

From the CX of 1974 to the C5 X of today

Decades later, the CX finds a successor in the C5 X that shares its bold styling and ambitions in terms of comfort and technology. While the CX was acclaimed for its innovative aerodynamic design, the C5 X combines the elegance of a saloon and the practicality of a station wagon with the robustness of an SUV. Either way, both models emphasise comfort, a central element of Citroen's identity.