Citroen C6: Spotted
Oh sure, it is a diesel, but who's to turn their nose up at a £5k C6?
Youngsters who associate the Citroen badge with C4 Picassos might recoil in horror to see it featured so blatantly on PistonHeads, but the C6 was the last of those desirable wafters from the Quai de Javel, and the inheritor of a long line of engineering innovation and stylistic gorgeousness that can be traced all the way back to the 1934 Traction Avant.
Alas, buyers have never flocked to big Citroe?ns in quite the way people who fancy big Citroe?ns have always thought they should, largely due to the question mark over their complexity, and the reliability and depreciation issues attached therein. So hats off to those brave few who took the plunge and bought one of these lovely C6s when they were new. In fact, in the land of the UK, despite it being on sale from 2005 to 2012, fewer than 1,000 people did, which makes it something of a rarity and technically now a collector's car.
But those who have travelled in one - or even better, bought one - can hug themselves in self-congratulatory glee, knowing that this sleek aerodyne can, thanks to its self-levelling hydropneumatic underpinnings, waft with the very best of them. There's a soft, pillowy ride with plenty of pitch and roll, and a sybaritic interior of leathery goodness, with just enough of the traditional Citroe?n idiosyncrasies to keep it interesting and set it apart from its graceless German rivals.
With echoes of the glories of the past inherent in its low-drag lines, its looks are worth the sticker price alone. It's an undeniably beautiful old Hector, this C6, long and low and redolent of the wonderful DS and CX models; it even has a concave rear window like the CX, for heaven's sake, to keep the rain off at speed.
It's not all perfect, of course - nothing can be, not even an oleopneumatic Citroen. The V6 diesel engine under the bonnet of the car we've found is smooth enough but, at the end of the day, it is just a diesel. There are petrol-engined models, but you'll be hard-pushed to find one. The dashboard is a bit ho-hum too, but who cares?
This beauty we've plucked from our classifieds does come with a full service history and a mere 73,000 miles on the clock, though. You'll also get the laminated double-glazed windows and swivelling xenon headlights, as well as individually reclining rear seats. Buy it and it'll immediately set you apart from the twerps who serially purchase anything with four rings or a three-pointed star on the grille. It'll mark you out as a person of rare taste, unfettered wisdom and unceasing faith, and that's not a bad return for your £5,500.
SPECIFICATION - CITROEN C6
Engine: 2,720cc, V6 diesel
Transmission: Six-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 208@4,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 325@1,900rpm
MPG: 32.5
CO2: 230g/km
First registered: 2007
Recorded mileage: 73,000
Price new: £37,047
Yours for: £5,500
See the full ad here.
Mark Pearson
Always thought that these were an interesting car, it appeals to my something a little bit different side. Still very good looking and would appear to fit the role they were intended for perfectly.
It's 'piece' (i before e, except after c), by the way. People in glass houses...
Did you have anything to say about the car in question or was a clever comment enough for you?
Did you want to have another go at getting the last word in?
I am not the professional publishing cheap insults.
Or the person moaning about thread derailment whist doing exactly that.
These cars inside, where wonderfully insulated from road noise and external noise (loads of sound deadening and double pane glass), which meant that the stereo was fantastic to listen too. The interior quality felt as good as an A8 or S class in quietness and overall comfort, with nice touches like real wood veneer inside.
reliability wise, both mine where going over 100K miles on them, and apart from wearing droplinks and anti-roll bar bushes. Mechanically, just regular maintenance apart from that.
The 140K mile one (2006) snapped a crankshaft accelerating of a slip road onto the M25. Seized the engine (had all regular maintenance/jhistory etc and recently serviced). I've heard of this happening with the 2.7D on the Land Rover forums, and to be fair the independent mechanic, well known in Citroen circles said it was a rare issue (and did actually buy the car of me for his own use).
Honestly, apart from an odd failure of a engine common to JLR and PSA, the cars are reliable; I had no hydraulic issues/leaks, every toy worked (even the 2 stage boot spoiler).
I loved the cars, but sold the 2nd one as the wife simply hated Citroen's generally (said they are cheap cars/brand). When the one car had the engine trouble she said to sell the 2nd one immediately, refused to ride in it.
I replaced the Citroen's as my daily around London with a Bentley Turbo R, which used the same suspension technology in the. rear, and which I also loved, but once again the wife hated it, calling it an old man's car (I was 46 then and she's early 30s) and really refused to go anywhere in it (she was however fine to go anywhere in the DB9). I've then replaced the Bentley with a Maserati Quattroporte which is "acceptable" for her. I put all this in to say that despite having some nice cars, I'd still have a C6. I'd probably still jump at a petrol one, but I may get shot... LOL
The short story is that the C6 is a heavy car, so its a little hard on suspension rubbers, like all heavy cars are, but mechanically/electrically its on par reliability wise with any German. car I've owned (merc/bmw/vw/porsche).
I still like the styling and the general ethos behind these though and if they are as relatively easy to live with as you suggest it may well be worth another look the next time I'm in the mood for a cheap luxurious runabout.
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