Interesting XM review / test

[Ciaran]

I was chatting to my friend Julian (who runs the Citroennet site, which some of you may have seen) the other day, about an interesting XM review and test which appeared in 'Car' magazine in 1991.

It had a V6 XM SEi pitted against:

Alfa 164 Lusso V6
BMW 525i-24
Ford Granada Scorpio 2.9 EFi
Jaguar XJ6 3.2
Mercedes 260E
Peugeot 605 3.0 SVE
Rover Sterling
Saab CDS 2.3 Turbo
Vauxhall Senator CD 3.0i-24
Volvo 960 3.0i-24

The thing is an interesting read and gives a good insight into how cars were at the time. Mind you, we were discussing how they spoke about the XM like it was any other executive / rep-mobile, completely ignoring the things which make it so difference, yet commenting that it was 'easily the most advanced car here'.

In the end, the XM was rated 2nd overall, which is grand, but unbelivably, Citroen reproduced the entire article (including the '2nd place' bit) and used it in a brochure issued to dealers to promote the car!
Is it any wonder few were sold....

The full thing is here if anyone's interested.

Ciarán

[onthecut]

Hi Ciaran.

Thanks for posting that --- really interesting. Glad to see the testers share my views on pitiful German seating comfort and space. Know I shouldn't say so on here, but as I'm pondering my big job on the estate (deferred to warmer weather), I can't help but think how much more attractive the straight six engines look, installed in a car the right way !

Mike.

[Ciaran]

I must admit I've considered buying a 5 series a few times, purely on the basis of the engines. The likes of the straight 6 3 litre TD which my cousin has is (in a nasty 3 Series body), is very hard to beat, but I just don't know if I could live with those seats, concrete suspension, prices, and brand image...

I think if I ever own a German car it'll be a Merc.

Ciarán

[Peter.N.]

Hi Ciaran

Like you I have also considered a 5 series because of there excellent engines and rear wheel drive configuration which makes them so much easier to work on, my main gripe was the lack of space, especially in the estate which is about the same size as Escort! Last night I watched an old 'Top Gear' which tested the BMW against the C6 as a camera car, if that's how the BMW rides I am afraid I'm not the slightest bit interested.

Peter

[Dieselman]

Last night I watched an old 'Top Gear' which tested the BMW against the C6 as a camera car, if that's how the BMW rides I am afraid I'm not the slightest bit interested.

Thanks Peter, though that took a bit of finding so here's the linky for anyone interested. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlHISryG ... r_embedded

Shorter but in HQ.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAMnDF3ismQ

Beemers always ride terribly, Merc E's are noticibly better in Elegance/classic trim, but Avantgarde makes them stiffer and Sport is pretty hard.
One advantage of Oleo-pneumatic is road noise suppression, much better than anything else.

[casalingua]

A copy of this CAR article came with the papers for my second XM. They thought the car sounded a bit coarse. It was a really close call then. The 605 was praised for its refinement (and little else). They said if the XM had been as well-soundproofed as the 605 it would have won. In every other respect, the 605 was a completely mediocre car. I wonder if the XM had won the test would it have made any difference? I´ve looked at most of the XM´s early coverage and most writers thought it was a fine car in lots of ways. But whenever it was tested in group tests it never won, always second and third. In one article CAR said the car was better at speed on autobahnen than the BMW 5. Then the same magazine said the BMW rode better generally. I´ve also looked at the test history of the 604 and if you´d read those reviews alone you´d imagine the car would have turned into a future classic and iconic large saloon. It was rated higher than the MB 230 E, BMW 728, Lancia Gamma and Rover 2500 (SD-series). And yet it didn´t do very well. So, it seems the market is indifferent to reviews in many ways. So, conceivably even with good notices, the XM as it was was not going to make headway.

So, what did it need to succeed? No faults, for a start. The connectors created a fog of anxiety about the car. It needed marginally better ergonomics. Writers complained about the location of the minor buttons (just one is obscured completely, when the ignition key is in place) and the graphics on the speedo. It seems to have needed better sound insulation. It needed better engines and a wider range. Mercedes and BMW and Ford offered far more engines in their large cars. With better engines (esp. the 2.0 litre ones) the car would have performed better, something the Germans always bested them on. The 2.0 litre needed to be at least as fast to 60 mph as a BMW but it wasn´t. And finally, the ride: the XM was criticised for its incapacity to deal with low-speed sharp bumps and I notice this too. I find this aspect the least excusable. Is anyone satisfied with their XM´s ability to deal with badly fitted manhole covers and asphalt patches and road joints? I am not.

[Dieselman]

Is anyone satisfied with their XM´s ability to deal with badly fitted manhole covers and asphalt patches and road joints? I am not.

This is their worst trait, but I'm working on it. Drilling the front corner spheres to 0.7mm has helped quite a bit, but I might have a go at the centre dampers.

[citroenxm]

Ive not looked at your link Cairan, but if its the LHD V6 XM against the other RHD cars, I have that issue

I also have got TWO 24v Manual Tests. One in Autocar & Motor from 1991, and another publication I cant remember, but they didn't use the same car, The 24v IIRC came top though in one of the publication tests...

[russ92xmsed]

Is anyone satisfied with their XM´s ability to deal with badly fitted manhole covers and asphalt patches and road joints? I am not.

This is their worst trait, but I'm working on it. Drilling the front corner spheres to 0.7mm has helped quite a bit, but I might have a go at the centre dampers.

noticed this too. not bothered by it....but it would be interesting Will to see how you get on with your mods. The C5 does it too. Macpherson set up is partly to blame, double wishbone like C6, DS ect is better.

[russ92xmsed]

Just looked at the article above, didn't think H reg XM's had wood trim interior.