Setright on XM

[Rommel]

You're welcome Chris.
Those files are definitely big enough to read clearly at full size.

As I mentioned before, I think all of us with these things stashed away should consider uploading them.

They could even be housed in a new section of the forum- eg "Press Reviews, Road Tests and Reviews".
Alongside links to the growing number of YouTube videos...

It's a thought.

[xmexclusive]

There is nothing to stop any member or groups of members setting up a new subsection on a particular topic within the existing post sections.
The forum is what all of us make it.
If you set out what you are trying to achieve Mods will support it and assist with editing if asked.
Ciaran will review it when he gets the time then most likely move into a new section.
The only possible problem with this particular proposal is collecting large volumes of copyright material in one place.
It will be best to ensure original source and date are clearly indicated for each item.
With material so old that may be sufficient to claim the educational research exemption from copyright.

John

[Dieselman]

The only possible problem with this particular proposal is collecting large volumes of copyright material in one place.
It will be best to ensure original source and date are clearly indicated for each item.

It also helps that hte author is now deceased.

Motoring hacks, beware...

[White Exec]

Just for info (and no more), this site gives a very good and concise summary of UK copyright law:
http://www.cla.co.uk/copyright_informat ... nformation

In particular, quoting the site:

" How long does copyright last?
The duration of copyright varies according to the work involved. For literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works it is 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the author dies (if there is more than one author it will be 70 years from the death of the last remaining author).

For typographical arrangements (i.e. layout or appearance of the printed article), the duration is 25 years from the end of the calendar year in which the work was first published with that layout/appearance.

It is important to note that whilst the underlying work itself might be out of copyright, if a new edition is set and printed or additional text such as an introduction is added these new elements will attract copyright protection. "


Everyone above is right, though - Author, source, publication, date etc etc should all be quoted. This avoids any accusation that material is being hijacked or plagiarised.

Making a copy (print, audio, video...) of a reasonable portion of something for personal study and research purposes is allowed (it's called "fair dealing" under the Act). What you may not do, without the consent of the copyright owner, or their agent, is do things like publicly re-publish, make multiple copies (even for use in a classroom), broadcast, etc. - unless you have individual permission or a blanket license.

Long out-of-print articles (25 years+) of dead authors (70 years+) are pretty safe ground. Big no-no is to make use of any in-copyright material for commercial purposes or profit.

Sorry, for all that. It used to be part of my job, long ago.

[eifion]

An interesting read. He's no fan of diesel engines, is he?

[Dean]

It was part of popular opinion of the time, most of the motoring press openly laughed about the predicted rise of diesel as a fuel in the passenger car market and to be fair a lot of early diesel engines were horrific, my view is that the XUD was a turning point in design and was a superb leap forward, i dont think many would disagree here.

I had the preasure of owning not 1 but two 1.8 MK4 Escorts in diesel flavour and they were the worst vehicles i have ever driven, 80mph was an achievment worth shouting about if you were patient enough to get there, it really was just awefull. Refinement was also non existant, just a very bad idea.

D

[russ92xmsed]

Very interesting article that. He knew what he liked and didn't like. Pretty strong response to diesel engines....
I do believe Dean the 2.1 was received as being a very advanced Diesel engine for its time.

[Dieselman]

As said, the XUD range were the most refined 4 cylinder diesel engines of their time and compared to a Ford Endura really were a revelation.
The XUD was designed with a life expectancy of 300,000 miles, the Ford unit 100,000 miles.

The GM units were also particularly awful until the Isuzu units were used.

The Perkins Prima, used in the Montego/Maestro range were great engines, but being direct injection did make some racket.

My second XM was my first diesel, which I chose in preference to a petrol engined car. I had a 2.0i XM followed by a Honda Accord 2.0i then the XM diesel. In hindsight, the manual would have suited me better than the automatic.

[White Exec]

I was a regular reader of Diesel Car magazine in the late 80s and the 90s. Dean is right, the appearance of the XUD was a (possibly the) turning point in passenger car and small diesel power units. It was dubbed a "high speed diesel", and not without reason: the BX19 could reach 100mph, and with extraordinary economy. Another milestone was BMW's 2.5td, a six-cylinder, and this remained a benchmark for several years.

Some other manufacturers really stuggled, though - notably Ford and Vauxhall-Opel. I remember my company adopting an all-diesel policy for its fleet of about 200 cars. A good few vehicles were evaluated, and I remember the Cavalier diesel only being allowed in TD form - the NA version was judged to be so slow as to be dangerous. Peugeot models (405, 406) did well out of this, and half-a-dozen 2.1 XMs (and a couple of ditto 605s) were taken on by middle management. Endless problems with S1 electrics (and thus ride) earned the XMs a poor reputation, along with a 65% first-year depreciation for the 605s! The diesel-only policy ran for a couple of years, but the anticipated savings didn't stack up as hoped: slightly higher initial purchase price, plus plus more frequent service intervals, exactly cancelled out any fuel savings. My own part in this was a ZX 1.9D NA auto, one of the very few auto diesels available in the sub-£16k price bracket at the time. A leisurely experience! It was replaced, at 90k miles, with a Xantia.

Shame that LJK didn't write his S2 road test around a 2.5 or a V6. Dead right about 'best kept secret', and 'folk in-the-know', though. I think the blame for that rests unquestionably with Citroen. Winning COTY is all well and good, but did the wider public actually know? And launch of the much-improved S2 was hardly a memorable event. I think many of us could have done better, publicity-wise.

[russ92xmsed]

I could be wrong, but from memory there wasn't a S2 TV ad, and as you say Chris, general publicity was minimal at best. The most I can remember was a big single page news paper ad in the telegraph I think. I remember as I was so cross Citroen ditched the mk1 styling!


There is a good old top gear YouTube video with Tiff Needles testing the Xantia 1.9 XUd I think, with BMW and Ford Mondeo. The Ford lost!