XM launch May 23rd 1989

[MTXM]

On browsing the net I found this reference to the launch on the Aussiefrogs site:
http://www.aussiefrogs.com/forum/citro% ... rsary.html
I must confess that I thought the event had taken place in Monte Carlo, not at Euroexpo Lyon, but I think the former must have been the first international show appearance later that year and possibly during September, by which time the car was for sale in the UK.
Regards,
Matthew T.

[White Exec]

Well, what a hype! And what optimism on the figures front.
Breathtaking scale of the launch event: 1000 cars and 15,000 people. Must have been a landmark in the history of the company's plummeting balance-sheet...

Interesting to see how high all those early cars seemed to ride (or was it just me?) - almost looked as if they were on intermediate-high, especially at the front. Was the ride height reduced at some point, or was it just a real example of "Old Citroens never die, they just settle down" ?

Also noted that, at the start of the video, a car is brought backwards off a transporter, car obviously on high or int-high, and seeming still able to offer some springing. BXs used to be like that, so perhaps the lack of absorption on these settings disappeared with the introduction of Hydractive?

Thanks, Matt for posting this - a really good find.

[Dieselman]

here you go...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYa5YqHTKqo

[russ92xmsed]

It was a huge event. But then this is the first large Citroen since 1974 CX launch, so why not celebrate with colourful hats!
All those XM's lined up waiting to be used, amazing.... all in the same colour & without sunroofs too!

[xantia_v6]

I expect that the launch event was paid for by the french government as a trade/export promotional event.