Citroën C6

The Citroën C6 is an executive car (E) produced by the French car maker Citroën from 2005 to 2012. Production started up again in China in 2016, before ending in 2023. The Citroën C6 was inspired by the Citroën C6 Lignage concept car with fastback-saloon like styling.

The C6 was inspired by the Citroën C6 Lignage prototype, which was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in the spring of 1999, but can be differentiated due to a few minor details (such as the lack of suicide doors, which were present in the concept model). The C6 was intended to serve as a replacement for the late Citroën XM, and the company was intent on launching it before the end of the year 2000.

History

At the time, it was hoped that the C6 would go into production by the end of 2000, serving as the replacement for the ageing XM, which was first produced in May of 1989.

In July 2007, Car ran a 2.7 litre V6 on its long term fleet and rated it for its "waftability" and comfortable interior, but felt it was a car that the driver needed time to adjust to.[2] In isolation, the car's acceleration was regarded as "effortless" but not up to the standards set by similarly priced and equipped vehicles, such as the

Design

The Citroën C6 Lignage concept formed the basis of the Citroën C6, which was launched in November 2005, five years later than Citroën had originally planned.[4] The XM ceased production in June 2000, and the first C6 rolled off the production line almost six years later.

Features

The C6 is powered by either a 3.0 L ES9 V6 producing 211 PS or a 2.7 L V6 HDi diesel producing 204 PS.

In October 2006 a 2.2 L HDi producing 170 PS with FAP, four cylinders, and a dual turbo was introduced. Land Rover used the DW12 engine in the Freelander 2 and Range Rover Evoque, where it generates 150–190 PS.

In June 2009, the new 3.0 L V6 HDi diesel producing 240 PS replaced the 2.7 L V6 HDi.

The C6 has a fastback saloon profile, which is due in part to the concave rear window that resembles the Citroën CX. However, the C6 is a conventional saloon with a traditional trunk, and not a hatchback like the XM, its predecessor.

The C6 was aimed as a stylish alternative to executive cars, like the BMW 5 Series and the Audi A6, and it has been described as a "spaceship that rides on air", "charmingly idiosyncratic" and "refreshingly different".[5][6]

Citroën hoped that the C6's selling point would be its innovative technology, including a heads-up display, a lane departure warning system, xenon directional headlamps (also available on the Citroën C4 and Citroën C5), Hydractive 3+ suspension with electronically controlled springing and damping, and a rear spoiler which automatically adjusts to speed and braking.

The C6 was the first car to obtain four stars in the pedestrian test rating of EuroNCAP, due to the inventive design, where the bonnet pops up by 65 mm using a pyrotechnic mechanism if a person/animal is hit, thus increasing the gap between the deformable bonnet, and the non deformable engine components below.[7]

On an episode of Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson tested the C6's Hydractive suspension by mounting a camera on it and driving it on the infield of England's Towcester Racecourse while filming a horse race. Despite the bumps and potholes on the infield, the C6 managed to provide a comfortable ride and stable video coverage of the race while moving at 60 km/h. At the same time, a BMW 5 Series (with the M Sport package) performed the same test, but its suspension was unable to keep the camera upright.[8]

The C6 immediately became a prominent vehicle among the fleet of executive cars at the Élysée Palace. Former Presidents of France, Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy, have chosen the Citroën C6 as their official car. Chirac, in particular, used a pre-series car before the model was introduced.[9]

manufacturer	Citroën
production	2005 – December 2012 (LHD) 2005 – May 2012 (RHD) 2016–2023 (China)
model years	2006–2012
assembly	France: Rennes (PSA Rennes Plant)
predecessor	Citroën XM
successor	Citroën C5 X‡R1R‡ DS 9 Citroën C6 II (China)
platform	PSA PF3
class	Executive car/Mid-size Luxury car (E)
body style	4-door fastback saloon
transmission	6-speed manual 6-speed automatic
wheelbase	114.2 in
length	193.2 in
width	73.2 in
height	57.6 in
weight	4007 - 4125 lb
layout	FF layout
designer	Marc Pinson
engine	Petrol: 3.0 L ES9 V6 Diesel: 2.2 L DW12 twin-turbo I4 2.7-3.0 L AJD turbocharged V6

History

Design

Features

Worldwide production and sales figures

Safety

Citroën C6 (China: 2016–2023)

Total production

External links

References