The ex-Performance Car Magazine 1996 Saxo VTS

[P883DJM]

After many years of reading the great restoration threads on here(The banger racing XK, 1275GT's SD1 Rover etc), I thought I'd best finally register and try to add some readable content myself. You get out what you put in and all that....

I have a Quartz silver Saxo VTS tucked away which has a great history to it, having been the car that was used by Performance Car magazine back in 1997 as their "long termer", along with being used by Citroen UK as one of the cars at the VTS Launch in late 1996.

I've just pulled it out of its slumber ready to commence a full restoration, would it be of interest if I were to document its history and restoration?

29767441148_30e84fcd62_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr

43970574622_702fc7b5f2_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr

[Tommie38]

Absolutely!

I was reading PC at that time and went on to become an Evo subscriber for many years. Struggling to remember the Saxo (I’m not sure I can remember any of the other cars… maybe a 944).

[FNG]

Definitely, yes.

I really love the styling of these, and they're (seriously) a really rare thing now. Not least cos so many got bodykitted, and most of the remaining VTSs are facelifts which I just can't get on with the look of.

Be interested to see how well it's lasted and what it's like after some TLC.

[Scoobydrew95]

Be absolutely all over this!

[Cambs_Stuart]

Absolutely! I Love a light weight twin cam 16v hot hatch.

[mooseracer]

Any Saxo VTS is rare these days, let alone such an early one (nice bit of history with it).
Definitely interested in seeing your progress with it.

[Chunkychucky]

Absolutely OP please post updates of your revival, be good to see it brought back to life - hardly ever see phase 1 VTSs anymore...

[P883DJM]

What an amazing response, I truly wasn't expecting that so quickly!

I think the best place to begin then, is right at the start...

43589834812_10d7a7e6a7_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr

Cast your mind back to September 1996. It's a very easy time to place in your memory, as the country was still on a downer from a certain Mr Southgate taking(and missing) a penalty a few months previously, along with Geri, Emma, Victoria and two Melanie's being at No'1 in the UK charts, with Wannabe.

At this point, the UK did not know of a Citroen Saxo VTS, and wouldn't do until the following January. Over in France though, at the Aulnay Suis Bois factory, 9 RHD Saxo shells had been pulled from the standard production line, and put to one side to be hand finished into new VTS models, ready to be sent over to the UK. When they arrive in the UK, they are sent straight to Citroen UK's press fleet maintenance depot, to be fully PDI'D and have extra sound deadening added to the doors and rear quarter panels. P883 DJM is one of these 9 cars, ready to rock as a Citroen UK press fleet car and to be used at the media launch, planned to take place at Brands Hatch in late 1996...

Around the same time, Peter Tomalin (Car Journo) and Tim Andrew (photographer) take the car to Dartmoor to prepare a launch feature for Citroens own dealer magazine, Citroen Directions.

45141871584_106b3c417a_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr

44953096765_be9fe1d30c_c (1) by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr

44953096955_f9a0479ccf_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr

45866229591_cee27e1fe1_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr

With the Brands Hatch launch and the Citroen Directions road test complete, January 1997 rolls around and the media gets their launch packs through the post. P883 DJM takes centre stage, with the official press photos being from the Brands Hatch day and the Dartmoor visit!

49894845956_7dc0c62f4e_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr

49895153757_0a6a1b752c_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr

Edited by P883DJM on Monday 10th October 13:22

[darkyoung1000]

Another interested party here! Please keep the updates to the thread coming as I love a restoration thread, even more so on a 90's Citroen...

[12TS]

Another yes.

I bought an early example - mine was on a P plate but it was dark green. I have happy memories of it on the whole and only sold it when an expanding family made it impractical.

It did have a clonk coming from the driveshafts when I sold it, but the Citroen garage wasn't successful in finding and the trader only found out too late after he'd taken it on a test drive.

[mnaylor]

Yes I would also be very interested in this thread.

I had a year 2000 facelift Poseidon blue VTS around 2005/2006 I think. Great memories of that car as I was in my early 20's and the car was great fun and punched well above it's weight.

[P883DJM]

As you can maybe imagine, once the media are aware of Citroens new hot hatch, they all want a go

Autocar:

43983177541_9635bd531b_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr

WhatCar?

43264568234_467407b1d8_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr

Car & Car Conversions:

45816358122_c8d8068633_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr

Auto Express:

33996069198_75188270f4_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr

Not to mention being used as the press shots in local newspapers

Next update, its time for the car to go out on loan to Performance Car magazine....

[R56Cooper]

Ah brilliant, getting in on this!

Never had a Saxo myself but a few pals did. My dad had an AX GT and I had a C2 GT so lot of love for small French stuff here.

[ChocolateFrog]

Excellent.

What state is it in now?

[Gandoolie]

My old l, blue VTR was the most fun car I’ve owned…for the 2 weeks where everything worked!

[P883DJM]

So with over 2000 miles under its belt and 5/6 months of being on the road, Citroen hand over the keys and the logbook to Emap Publishings "Performance Car Magazine", where such characters as Richard Meaden, Brett Fraser and Dan Strong all lurk.


42174529530_66f1866d54_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr


A fairly standard practice by manufacturers at the time to get their cars out there in the public eye on a monthly basis. Consider that Citroen also supplied Top Gear Magazine with a car and also WhatCar? magazine with one too and you realise how amazingly cheap the "advertising" would of been.



Quite a collection of Long Termers on Performance Cars books when P883DJM joined them in the April 1997 issue. Imagine having these at your disposal most days...



Volvo 850R

Ph1 Peugeot 306 GTI-6

BMW 318iS Coupe

Peugeot 106 Rallye

Seat Cordoba SX(remember them!?)

Subaru Impreza WRX



Lucky devils....

43970577052_f2640acd3f_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr

I wont bore you with everything but during the year with them it's highlights include...



3700 mile round trip to Italy covered in 7 days to spectate and report on the Italian Baja Rally. Apparently the car regularly sat at 100mph for hours on end with 120mph being touched at points.

42210155140_15a975a62f_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr

A 0-60 MPH Challenge thrash at Santa Pod alongside a whole range of performance and racing cars, starting with the humble VTS and climaxing at a Stewart F1 and a Top Fuel Dragster! The little VTS posting a 0-60 of 7.44 in their hands and the standing quarter in 15.82.

43970574092_a6c7a4e043_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr

43970574562_e3707123d2_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr

Being used as a benchmark car for the magazine's TPR series or "Total Performance Rating. This took place at MIRA testing grounds and assessed the car on its speed, handling and braking capabilities.

43300771974_0573783b6f_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr

43300771854_167387be8c_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr


Taking part in a 12 car mega Hot Hatch test in their January 1998 issue..

43971237122_e6706f7454_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr

And just generally thrashed every month, spending most of its time on three wheels.

43301131144_18673cdf1c_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr

Like all good things though it came to an end for Performance Car after a year in their care and 28,000 miles. In that time amazingly it only had two replacement front tyres, a windscreen and a new bumper after it took out a pheasant! To send the car off in style they dedicated a whole 5 pages in the May 1998 issue to it to reminisce about their time with the car, signing off with...



"The call from Citroen that marked the end of the test came all too soon. It was hard to believe we'd run the car for more than a year, and now we're all missing it. The Saxo was like a friend, one we could drive mercilessly hard, knowing it was on our side. It's one car we'll never forget"


43970574622_702fc7b5f2_c by Danny Whitworth, on Flickr


Time for the car to go back to Citroen finally and inevitably be sold on to joe public for an easier life.



That "easier life" in the next update...



Being written off

used continuously as a track car for 5 years

left to rot outside for 8 years

being bodged up

somehow finally finding its retirement home with me

Edited by P883DJM on Tuesday 11th October 10:43

[StonedRollin]

Looking forward to this. Keep it coming.

[anonymous-user]

This is brilliant! Look forward to hearing the rest of the story

[Stealthracer]

Great cars! Always wanted one, came close to buying a 2001 VTR back in 2014, but after a test drive, decided I didn't like the brakes (or rather lack thereof).

Bought a 206 GTi instead. Hated it.

Edited by Stealthracer on Tuesday 11th October 13:19

[Brett748]

Great to have a car with a story. I almost bought a VTS myself back in 2009 but went for a Clio 172 instead, always wish I'd had the opportunity to have both.

Yours is definitely a classic, I'm sure you will keep it well kept.