When Citroen pulled out of the US market, that wasn’t the end of the company’s presence in the U.S. Cars like this 1987 AX CX Pallas were imported and federalized according to rigorous safety and emissions requirements. While the company may have packed up its tent, consumers could still purchase a completely street-legal car like the one seen here on eBay with bidding at $3K and no reserve.
A private company was responsible for the continued availability of the funky Citroen sedans, with pneumatic suspensions and windswept styling. The cost to federalize them was high, and likely a potential obstacle to profitability considering not very many cars were sold. This example shows off its adjustable ride height and raked design, along with its period-correct flat-faced allow wheels.
The interior looks incredibly comfortable – just check out that backseat. These cars were intended as executive saloons to rival the likes of the S-Class, but the unconventional styling likely turned conservative buyers away. No matter, as they were never a sales threat for the stalwarts of the luxury sedan class. Still, if you were willing to take a chance, you were likely treated to one of the nicest-riding sedans on the market.
Power comes from a 2.5L four-cylinder paired to a ZF 3-speed automatic. The seller notes the transmissions is shifting firmly at the moment. The other issues include a weak alternator that utilizes an obsolete design and will need to be rebuilt, and an auxiliary cooling fan that’s not kicking on – potentially a problem in heavy traffic. Overall, this unusual Citroen will need some TLC from a marque specialist, but it will absolutely be the only one on your block.
One of the few cars that I would not mind being in the back seat.
Vive la difference!
No such thing as a Citroen AX CX. The Ebay listing system won’t let you list any classic Citroen, so you have to list it as an AX (or something else from the drop down menu), then change the title to add what it really is. That is why you see so many Citroen AX SM, AX DS, AX 2CV etc…..
CXA was a consortium that federalized Citroen CX for legal importation back in the day.
Did they make any 2 doors? The heat under the hood i bet does a number on the spare lol. Ridiculous the way the hood stays up. & the same with the $40000 stangs & challengers with just prop rods in 2018! My lowly ’69 falcon had proper springs
to hold up the hood that never wear out – at your choice of angles! Struts are stupid under the hood too- they wear out & can be in the way. Tho the parts people love em.
The SM is two door and gorgeous if it suits your taste. Made with a Maserati engine for awhile too if I remember correctly.
Every SM was powered by a Maserati engine. Citroen owned Maserati at the time.
Hood prop actually looks pretty clever, hinged with a spring in the middle, so it unfolds and snaps into locked position automatically as you raise the hood.
I had two of these and one was a pink wagon. Bizzare car for sure. The ride was phenomenal! It had an adjustable hydraulic suspension that you could raise and lower from inside the car with a sliding switch. Speed bumps were non-existent. Not even a Rolls Royce handled speed bumps and rough roads better. They are also supposed to be incredible in snow too. Glad I got a chance to experience these.
Interesting, wasn’t this same one for sale not long ago in the southern US? I recall wanting to take a closer look. *tips hat*
Living in wind prone Oklahoma, I don’t really mind the prop rods that make sure the hood doesn’t come crashing down on you.
Never really did “get” Citroens, but every auto interior designer in the industry needs to do a design study of those seats, and take copious notes.
So right…..
Saw an imported one here, it made every car around it look positively antique by comparison. They have quite a presence in person. Like them a lot.
Cut some rear wheel openings in that thing and drive it!
no need for rear wheel openings; just put it in high position – put original jackstand under body and change with spare.
Did you know that this car was roadworthy with only ONE rear wheel???
check internet……
I mean, you could just remove the spats if you wanted the rear wheels more visible, no need for cutting anything.
The French may be known for their sense of style, but they can’t design a car worth a $hit.
Whitch planet are you from??
Uranus.
Has this company ever made a car that wasn’t weird in some way ?
What planet are you from?
As mentioned this had hydraulic suspension not pneumatic
Both! It’s hydropneumatic; the sphere at each corner has pressurized nitrogen in the top half and engine-driven hydraulic fluid in the bottom half, separated by a neoprene membrane. Wheel travel pushes the hydraulic fluid up into the sphere, compressing the nitrogen.
no removing of spats (whatever that means) In high sufficient room to remove the flat one.
On the DS (deisse in french means godess)
and the ID (means idea) removal of the rear fender (spats ?) could be done by loosening one bolt which was on the rear of fender.
Wheel travel pushes the hydraulic fluid up into the sphere, compressing the nitrogen. and raising the car to choosen height Then you put a stand under the car to keep it up and finish the job. 10 minutyes at most. Or drive it to tire repair on three wheels
It may have been built with the S Class in mind but I can’t even imagine the pain of driving that heavy sled with a 2.5l 4 cylinder n/a engine. It must have felt like it took a week to get to highway speeds
Ah contraire monsieur. We had one of these when we lived in France and they would do very well on the highways and secondary roads. I would be much less afraid of driving this in the states than the 300D I also had instead.
That’s so true. Even the smaller models with really skimpy engines had plenty of pull, not to mention the incomparable ride and interior comfort.
I was really surprised to see a four cylinder under the hood, not to mention that tire. I would’ve expected that six cylinder they shared with Renault and Volvo. Is this four cylinder also a shared engine? The Volvo four cylinders were strong engines with what felt like plenty of power, even in a heavy car like a Volvo 240 series. Interesting find!
This is a fabulous complicated car. Find someone who is familiar with it to fix it, or educate yourself, never a bad idea, and have the ride of your life.
For me it was not complicaterd; bought me an original factory manual – whitch I still own – and its for sale,
did all repairs at home. No problemo…..
Also special tool for refilling hydraulic spheres for sale
Hahaha, I see, only a few of the readers really know what kind of car this is.
I had 6 Citroens ID, DS. And then the Cx came. I made ride in it and boy, what a difference. It was when I drove back in my DS (it was a DS23 injection electronic) I drove in a truck. This Cx really is the top of comfy. Forget any MB, may be they look more reliable, but they are not.
These Cx cars are not difficult to maintain, they are straight cars, the suspencion is really simple. They only have 1 weak point, that are the lower balljoints, you have to change them every 50000 km, but when you know how to do it, it is quit simple. I had 2 of them, one a 1978 2200 D and a later break model, the largest station wagon I ever had.
To much load? No problem, the system will not rise the car, so you have to empty it a little till the car rises again. Flat tire? Loosen the nuts oft the flat wheel, rise the car to maximum, put the stand under it, lower the car again to bottom and remove the wheel. Then reverse and you can drive again.
All cars should have this system.
Thanks for reading
you can change your flat within 10 minutes; or drive it home on three wheels…….
Brought a CX GTi, automatic when I went back to Curacao; had remote start.
Should have seen locals when the car started and get up to ride height and nobody inside !!!!!
This car could not be beaten comfortwise on bad curvy roads or on sandy backroads.
Sold to a lady that fell in love – with the car……..
Only problems were related to rubber connectors from hydraulic system; they could not stand the heat; neither can I – growing older…..
Could do a wheelspin with mine – and fast in no time.
Peugeot ‘normalized’ these cars when they took over ownership of Citroen during the ’70s. Admittedly the Xantia and first two generations of C5 kept the wonderful suspension system, but alas, the days of individual Citroens are now long gone.
TO: IKE, I would want to see what kind of car you can design ? VIVA LA FRANCE !!!
I will give it a shot. I have already picked out the name based on past Peugeot and Citroen designs. I shall call it “XL BOITE A MERDE”
Can’t believe no one said “shooting brake” yet. So…”shooting brake”.
There were two six wheel versions made, Pijpops and Tissier, wonderfull cars, in Holland Europe is abarnfind/project for sale for 4500 us dollar!
Remember folks, this is from a country that believed Jerry Lewis was a genius.