Friday 21st March 2014

Citroen XM V6 24v: PH Ad Break

A car advert with no claims to speed or any engine noise? Must be Citroen

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Now we all know from that Audi R8 V10 advert that manufacturers can't properly display the performance potential of a car in a commercial nowadays. But what if the car's USP is in fact nothing to do with speed at all?

Take the Citroen XM, for example. Outright performance is about as relevant to Citroen's luxobarge as infotainment is to a new Caterham. So how to create a dramatic advert then?

Well the car was of course legendary for its hydropneumatic suspension and the stunning body control it facilitated. So Citroen decided that should be demonstrated with the most breathtaking scenery it could find (is that Iceland?) and with plentiful close-ups of the body remaining unruffled as the wheels bobble along the craggy surfaces.

But there's so much else to enjoy too. See the gloriously Gallic single-spoke wheel sprinkled with buttons, for one. A proper PHer, this gentleman has specced his V6 24v XM with a manual gearbox that features an appropriately long-winded throw. But perhaps best of all is the selector switch for suspension; no fancy dials here! It's that or the electric armrest, for sure.

Want one? Yeah, us too. None on PH at the moment but XMs do seem to be around elsewhere. Then you must drive it around Iceland immediately,

See the ad here.

 

(N.B. Another press pic and not the lovely French car in the vid unfortunately. Screengrabs from 240p videos don't look so good)

[gofasterrosssco]

Some commute this chap has eh..?!

[Evo]

A car advert with no claims to speed or any engine noise? Must be Citroen




A car advert with no claims to speed or any engine noise? Must be 2014 F1

[Podie]

My old man had the option for one of these as a company car - decided to go for the Pug 605 instead as the floaty feelin from the suspension made my mum sick on the test drive

[VladD]

My Dad had a purple one of these, he loved it. It broke down once and the suspension sunk down, which meant it was a real bh to get on the recovery lorry.

[andyps]

Never mind any of the other features, I want the dirt proof paint finish that one has.

I had an XM for a couple of years, only the 2.0 unfortunately but it was a lovely car, all floaty and comfortable with good handling because of the semi-active ride. Would happily have another and do really want a C6 but don't have need for one at the moment.

[Impasse]

So that's why XM's gone to Iceland.

[myhandle]

From the days when France made stylish cars powered by petrol engines.

[newdogg06]

So that's what Clark Kent drives.

[beko1987]

Wish my Mk2 rode as well as that does. The passage of time put paid to that I think though!

Still, Manual, full leather S1 v6 24v... very rare car nowadays!

[Dog Star]

These had the worst depreciation of any car - I think it was 69% in the first year

[Ocellia]

I thought "It can't be Iceland. The road is tar"!! But then it got dusty/gravel.
When I was there in '81, there was only about a mile of tarred road in the whole country!
Consequently I rolled a car off a bridge into a river!
Love Citroens, and this vid always rekindles this! Never had an XM, but came close last year, before the 'Been there' set in.
A car with character.

[Tophatron]

Looks like Icelandic Ponies, so I think saying it's Iceland is a safe bet.

XMs are getting thin on the ground in the UK - can't remember the last time I saw one on the road.

[Turbobanana]

I recall that the MD of Citroen UK had one, but returned it because he wanted an auto and they were only available with the 12V unit.

One of these was brought in to the garage where I worked with some fault or other. The owner left it for repair and never picked it up. Eventually we sold it for spares / repairs; the new owner applied for a log book and got one. Back on the road 2 weeks later and promptly wrote it off.

[Philbar]

I owned a 12v 3 litre V6 SEi in metallic green, H317CKL, and it was 'ok' till the autobox went, which I replaced with a used one. One of the big problems I found no one inc the local dealer knew anything about them, eventually rust killed it off helped by a goon in the local garage when MoT'ing it put it up on a 2 post lift, without the engine running, the suspension dropped and when lowered it to the ground the lift pushed up through the sills!.. Scrapped it after selling the leather interior to a guy who wanted to make it fit in a ZX, I was never convinced it would but he said it would, he paid me, who was I to argue?!

[canucklehead]

it had a 'sport' setting?

[daytona111r]

Wasn't called sport, but suspension had 2 firmness rates.

A very sexy car.

[cologne2792]

Tophatron said:

Looks like Icelandic Ponies, so I think saying it's Iceland is a safe bet.

XMs are getting thin on the ground in the UK - can't remember the last time I saw one on the road.

We currently have four - perhaps that's why you haven't seen many...

[boyse7en]

cologne2792 said:

We currently have four - perhaps that's why you haven't seen many...

I've had three

I've still got my 2.1TD one. Failed the MoT last year and I'm not sure whether to scrap, sell or try and fix.

I'd love another one sometime.

[Mabbs9]

Yep defo Iceland. Nearly all on the south coast, nice to be able to donut at the base of Skogafoss!

[Whiters]

Tophatron said:

Looks like Icelandic Ponies, so I think saying it's Iceland is a safe bet.

XMs are getting thin on the ground in the UK - can't remember the last time I saw one on the road.

I've seen a couple of lowish milers knocking around with people asking silly money for them. Not many sensible miles/sensible price ones come up.