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Not 2 Grand, Xm review.

Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2021 5:58 pm
by Dieselman
From 2018, but more relevant today...possibly a review ahead of it's time.

https://not2grand.co.uk/not-2-grand-car ... oen-xm-s8/

Re: Not 2 Grand, Xm review.

Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 7:56 am
by Peter.N.
It amazes me that people buy hydropneumatics for their ride then a few people complain that it won't corner at 60 mph, why did they buy it then? The same goes for the C5, didn't car much for the early ones but the last models were superb, comfortable and grippy - still people complained. Horses for courses.

Peter

Re: Not 2 Grand, Xm review.

Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 9:08 am
by White Exec
You have a point, Peter.

I can't immediately recall any Citroens that "wouldn't corner", even at 60mph - an certainly not the fluid-suspended ones.
OK, there used to be a lot of body roll when really chucked about (2CV, and even CX), but loss of control or grip wasn't an issue, provided you didn't seriously compromise on the tyres.
Rover P6 would really roll when thrown into a corner, but lose grip? Never.

Hydractive set whole new standards of cornering, and at speed, which probably have not been bettered.

Re: Not 2 Grand, Xm review.

Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 3:31 pm
by Dieselman
Peter.N. wrote:
Sun Jun 13, 2021 7:56 am
It amazes me that people buy hydropneumatics for their ride then a few people complain that it won't corner at 60 mph, why did they buy it then?
What is wrong with wanting a car that has class leading comfort, but can still be a B road slayer?

People were put off the amount of roll that hydropneumatic Citroens exhibited on cornering, hence the engineers came up with Hydractive...the best of both worlds...soft, cossetting ride for cruising, but with very sharp handling, when required.

Re: Not 2 Grand, Xm review.

Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2021 9:21 am
by Peter.N.
My point is that hydropneumatics and even the steel sprung C5's are designed for comfort, you can't have 100% handling and 100% comfort except perhaps in a Rolls Royce but they are neither practical or affordable to most people.

My primary requirement is comfort, I don't drive fast so am not concerned about handling and road holding, that's why I have run mainly Citroens since the '80s. The DS would have been my ideal car - if they had made a diesel estate. I think the CX was the best one, I ran the CX25 DTR's for 10 years and the turbo for seven amazing cars. The BX diesel was a pocket rocket but it went round corners fast enough.

Generally a car can be designed for comfort or handling, not both and I prefer the former, don't car if it leans round corners. The Citroen is one of the very few cars designed for comfort and does it well.

I went from a Merc 220 estate to a Mk 3 C5 and the Merc felt rubbish in comparison, the Merc gave a comparatively hard ride and was noisy Brilliant diesel engine though, I will give it that, but driving the C5 was a revelation.

Peter