Citroen BX (1985-1994)

The Citroën BX was launched on 2nd October 1982  in Paris under the famous Eiffel Tower, a feature of the many Citroen’s advertising campaigns over the years. Designed by Marcello Gandini at the Bertone design studio. There was also a little known concept based on the BX platform and styled by Carrozzeria Bertone called Bertone Zabrus.

The BX was a mid range family car that was built by Citroen and produced in hatchback form with an estate car coming later. Using a mix of petrol and diesel engines it was in production between 1982 – 1994.

The BX was well received by the buying public on its UK debut which was nearly a year later in August 1983, it was to be one of the first mass produced cars to utilize plastic body panels which were corrosion free and with minimal weight as well this gave better fuel consumption Citroen's produced the BX with its brilliant magic-carpet ride hydraulic suspension system and the benefit of adjustable ride height which was also quite maintenance free.  With disc brakes all round it was a car that had superb handling with an  effortless ride and would sell far in excess of 2,000,000 units in its 12 year run.

Back in the early 80's Citroen decided it was time to join the rally scene and they were of course anxious to be successful they would choose their best selling BX as a platform to launch them into the group-B rally series.Citroen would now have to build some 200 road going BX 4 TC as a less powerful copy of their brutal rally car the BX 4 TC Evolution which would compete in the series but would not be around for long as the  group-B cars  had become far to dangerous. After a number of fatalities  FISA (the governing body) would soon abort the series all together.

Th BX 4 TC also shared some similarities with the BX Sport as the bumpers, skirts, spoilers and interior were all comparable although the dashboard, engine, gearbox were totally different. Sales of the BX 4 TC were very low and it  may be that as little as 62 out of the 200 were ever sold. Estimates vary as to how many are around today there could be as little as just 30 left.

In 1986 the street going BX got its first major facelift with the quirky dashboard being exchanged for a more conventional analogue dial system and with more normal stalks either side of the steering wheel for operating the wipers and lights etc, plus changes for the interior fabrics. The exterior saw some changes with bigger bumpers and new white front indicators with revised front wings and flared wheel arches along with some new models and engines.

The BX in hatchback form ran until 1993 and the following year the final BX estate came of the production line and the Xantia took its place in the Citroen line up.

In all some  2,502,566 units were sold worldwide with more than 60 variants just for the UK market. After a run of good sales in the UK during its 11 year reign through out the eighties and nineties  there are just around 1,800 left either taxed or sorned.  

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