Wednesday 30th May 2012

Citroen C6 bids au revoir

Much loved but little bought, it's finally game over for the big Citroen in the UK

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Citroen in the UK has axed its arresting but glacial-selling C6 - right about the time the cheapest used versions are closing on £5,000 barge bargain territory.

The C6, which is still being sold on the Continent, marked a return to Citroen's quirky, design-led glory days when it was launched in 2006. That looooong bonnet, pendulous front overhang, concave rear window and stubby boot all recalled the wonderful CX from the 70s and 80s.

Powered by the 208hp 2.7-litre twin turbo V6 diesel from Ford, it'd waft to 60mph in under nine seconds and do it some comfort too.

But it was always going to struggle against the likes of the 5 Series at a price ranging from just under £30K to £37K and last year just four cars found homes in the UK. A decent year was 2008, when Citroen sold a whopping 354.

And of course, being a big Frenchie, values plummeted faster than a wine bottle off the Pont Neuf. We found this 2007 mid-spec Lignage 2.7 HDI with a healthy 99,000 miles on eBay for just £5,800. And a couple of slightly pricier ones can be found on the PH classifieds too. There are other engine options - the 173hp 2.2-litre diesel four is the one to hunt out for a manual gearbox and decent economy. The 3.0-litre V6 petrol is filed next to chicken molars on eBay, as is the most desirable engine, the later 3.0-litre version of the V6 diesel. That ups power to 240hp and lowers the CO2 below the point you've got a £400+ tax bill, one problem with the 2.7 V6.

According to Citroen the arrival of the DS5 has speeded the C6's appointment with Madame Guillotine. "It's our new flagship in the UK. Why confuse things?" a spokesman told us.

Interestingly, Citroen is now predominantly a seller of warm hatches in the UK. In April over a quarter of its sales were the DS3 hatchback, the most popular version of which is the 1.6-litre petrol turbo.

 

[sinbaddio]

Adieux rather than au revoir me thinks. Don't reckon it'll be back

[Iamnotkloot]

I think this is a shame - but inevitable, none of us were buying them so why sell them?

Prices might go up in future due to rarity (talking 20 years time!).

I don't really know why but I quite fancy one.....

[marcosgt]

A shame - I sat in one of these at the Excel London Motorshow and it was a great luxury saloon.

But most buyers are obsessed with badges and resale value (not that many big saloons hold their value well), rather than comfort, so it was always going to be a hard sell.

I tried to persuade the wife she needed one when one she got shot of her Xantia, but wanted something smaller - Shame.

M.

[v8will]

Curse of the big Frenchie strikes again.

[billzeebub]

I have much love for this car, but I wouldn't have been brave enough to buy one new. As no one else in Uk did either, there will be no second hand ones available. Indeed it was so scarce that I reckon it may be a bit of a classic one day. Absoloutely love the way it looks and the design ethos. My brother lives in Paris and there are obviously quite a few knocking around the central areas? If I had a family and children I would be looking through many haystacks to find one of these second hand..

Real shame it didnt work out for Citroen in the UK, probs wasn't White or blingy enough for the average Brit

Edited by billzeebub on Wednesday 30th May 11:26

[rohrl]

I'd love to own one but I wouldn't spend a load of money of one. Does that make any sense?

[sjabrown]

How long before a C6 is shed of the week?

Very nice looking cars. It's on my list of "cars yet to own".

[vixen1700]

Really liked these the first time I saw one on the road, but being a big Citroen it was always going to fail over here.

[Podie]

Iamnotkloot said:

I don't really know why but I quite fancy one.....

me too

[Mr_Sukebe]

Have to say that I'd love one. Not sure I'd get it past the missus as our primary car, but might be able to for commuting purposes. I know they have zero effective value, but to me that has a LOT more appeal than a 5 series.

[louiebaby]

Saw one at the weekend, I love 'em.

I always thought if I ever had a job with a company car, and it was an option, I'd have it, just so there were more available to the second-hand market further down the line.

They need to go a bit cheaper for me to take the plunge, but they will, and may well do...

[TobesH]

The only Citroen I like. Good hi-fi in this too

[marcosgt]

Mr_Sukebe said:

Have to say that I'd love one. Not sure I'd get it past the missus as our primary car, but might be able to for commuting purposes. I know they have zero effective value, but to me that has a LOT more appeal than a 5 series.

I can't help thinking it'd be a dead loss as a commuter. The 5 series is nice to drive, the C6 almost certainly less so and all the luxury (reclining airline bench, etc) is in the back, so you need to get the wife to accept it as the primary and sit in the back whilst she drives you around!

M.

[Chicane-UK]

Shame really - think they're very handsome cars. Would love to drive one to see what they're like!

[anonymous-user]

Always liked this car and it is a shame that it didnt sell better, but I guess that is down to terrible residual values compared to the Germans!

I hope they sell the replacement over here when they bring it out as the latest concepts and the DS5 show it could be pretty decent!

[M@1975]

Got offered one as a company car, was actually pretty impressed by what you got in it as standard compared to it's german rival... still went German though...

[MrB1obby]

Never driven it but my dad has one. He's always been a big fan of them and even had the a set of the drawings before they started to make it (don't ask how). It's an absolutely beautiful car to be in, it just wafts along effortlessly like riding on cushions. Also because it's so rare you stand out from the crowd and people not in the know just don't know what it is. His is the 2.2 Diesel with only about 30,000 miles on as he uses the bike as much as possible to save on mileage.

It's a shame they depreciate so badly.

[Davey S2]

The Woolworths of the car market.

Everyone seems to love them and talk fondly about them but no one ever bought them.

[myhandle]

It's been facelifted in Europe and like the Vel Satis, that's the time chosen to kill it off in Europe.

More interestingly, how has PH not yet (unless I have somehow missed it) run anything on the new Aston Martin AM310? It appeared on other car sites more than a day ago eg Classic Driver, and is now appearing on non-motoring sites - come on PH, some people use your site for news.

http://www.classicdriver.com/uk/magazine/3300.asp?...

[MJK 24]

Who on earth writes these articles? The 2.7 V6 diesel is a Peugeot Citroen engine as is the 3.0 V6 diesel. Not Ford!

Excellent engines. Gold enough for Jaguar Land Rover to use anyhow.

Shame the C6 is going. I see a fair few. Easily a couple a week but I do a huge annual mileage.

Edited by MJK 24 on Wednesday 30th May 12:25