Early '90s French Luxury Cars

[cawimmer430]

Citroen XM




Peugeot 605




Renault Safrane

[cawimmer430]

My vote went to the Citroen XM. It still looks good today, although I must confess that when I see a Renault Safrane I also turn my head to follow it.

[Raza]

Citroen.  Easily the best looker of the bunch and no doubt it has fantastic ride quality. 

[Madman]

I remember lusting after both the 605 and XM in 1991 when Peugeot Motors of America announced they would be selling both cars on these shores for the 1993 model year.  PMA actually created a second company, Citroen Cars USA and Peugeot's New Jersey office received a shipment of Citroen dealer signs in anticipation of the XM reaching US showrooms.

"One day", I thought.  "One day I'll have one of those!"

Then, one morning in August, 1991, a fax sent from Paris informed PMA that all exports to North America would cease.

Bastards! 


Maybe PSA Peugeot-Citroen wouldn't be in deep shit today if it had a presence in the resurgent and buoyant North American market.  Serves them right for screwing us!

[2o6]

XM. Looked fantastic in Ronin.

[Laconian]

Yes! Nice poll. XM every day of the week. They are still special, IMO, representing final evolution of the folded paper designs started by Giugiaro. The Safranes that are still loping around are like the Luminas of France.

[Cookie Monster]

XM for sure.

[MexicoCityM3]

Yeah, the Citroen is le roi here.

[Colin]

Yeah, the Citroen is le roi here.

Tout a fait!

The Peugeot suffered as it looked like a slightly enlarged 405 (which was the better looking car). Of course were beaten in the looks department by the third car with a similar profile, the Alfa 164.

The Safrane was a major disappointment - though the BiTurbo model might have been fun to drive, though not to own. 

[shp4man]

I had to vote Volare. You just can't get parts for those Frenchiemobiles here. 

[Colin]

Not much easier to get parts for them in Europe, either.. but that's really not the point!

That said, the previous generation of all three are much more desirable to me: Citroen CX, Renault R20/30 and the very elegant Peugeot 604. Lovely, all of them.

[Onslaught]

How can I vote on something I've never even seen or sat in?

[cawimmer430]

How can I vote on something I've never even seen or sat in?

I've never seen or sat in a '74 Dodge Monaco in real life, yet I adore that car. 


You can always vote for the RWD Plymouth Volare. All the French luxury cars here are FWD.

[cawimmer430]

I had to vote Volare. You just can't get parts for those Frenchiemobiles here. 

[Onslaught]

I've never seen or sat in a '74 Dodge Monaco in real life, yet I adore that car. 


You can always vote for the RWD Plymouth Volare. All the French luxury cars here are FWD.

Well, I think most French cars are ugly. So if it's ugly and FWD then I really have no need for it.

[cawimmer430]

Well, I think most French cars are ugly. So if it's ugly and FWD then I really have no need for it.

In that case the Plymouth Volare is your ride. RWD, baby. RWD!

[Eye of the Tiger]

In that case the Plymouth Volare is your ride. RWD, baby. RWD!

no

[280Z Turbo]

In that case the Plymouth Volare is your ride. RWD, baby. RWD!

[cawimmer430]

[68_427]

Pug.  Looks like a sts/sls

[68_427]

[cawimmer430]

That's actually a Peugeot 406. 

It was actually quite a handsome car in its day. Still looks good to me.

[hotrodalex]

Is the XM the one that can pull 1G on the skidpad?

[68_427]

Is the XM the one that can pull 1G on the skidpad?

XantiA

[cawimmer430]

French promotional video of the Citroen XM.

Novembre 1990 Citroen XM.avi

[cawimmer430]

And this German XM owner has been driving his 2.5 Turbodiesel for over 13 years with no plans of selling it. There's a nice suspension raising/lowering part at 3:00.

Citroen XM Y4

[FoMoJo]

Even the French lost their flair for design/style in the 90s.

[cawimmer430]

Even the French lost their flair for design/style in the 90s.

I think was mainly true for Citroen and Renault in my opinion. Peugeot had some handsome designs in those days.