Was die britische Motorpresse zum C6 sagt...

[crollide]

Hier mal ein Text aus der britischen AMS (E&M) über den neuen C6. Ich glaube, so kann man nur in einem Land schreiben, in dem keine Autos aus Süd-D die "Elite" (angeblich) definieren...

Gruß,

Christian

CITROEN C6 RANGE

STYLE ET LUXE

The C6 Harks Back To A Time When A Big Citroen Was An Event Rather

Than A Mode Of Transportation. Andy Enright Reports

When was the last time you got excited by a Citroen? No, really.

Cast your mind back and pluck a Citroen from recent history that you

really wanted to experience. There have been some fun cars along the

way but nothing that genuinely quickened the pulse. Citroen's C6

looks set to change that. Commentators have, for some time, bemoaned

many Citroens for not embodying the brand values that established

the marque. It's just possible Citroen were stockpiling them for use

in the C6.

It is, without wishing to descend to hyperbole, quite stunning. The

shape is resolutely modern but at the same time the proportioning,

rather than the detailing, is reminiscent of classic Citroen shapes

from the past. The elegant arc of the roofline and the long front

overhang are redolent of the old DS and SM models, while the short

rear overhang and low slung back end reprise some classic Citroen

themes. The company claim that the target was to develop a car with

the stance and presence of a limousine but with the chic silhouette

of a coupe. They may just have succeeded.

A long wheelbase and low slung posture are quite unlike anything

else on the road at the moment. Even one of Renault's wilder

flights of fancy looks a little tame compared to the C6. The windowline

across the curve of the roof arch is picked out with a subtle chrome

strip – a clever visual trick that helps visually elongate the

car.

The frameless glass of the doors also helps here, removing the need

for bulky door pillars that would otherwise break up the impact of

the remarkable glasshouse. Like the evergreen CX model, the rear end

features a concave window, and a wind deflector deploys

automatically at speed. This wry nod to that other historical

Citroen preoccupation – aerodynamics – ensures efficiency at

high speeds yet doesn't upset the aesthetics the remaindr of the time.

Another chrome strip runs longitudinally along the bottom of the

doors emphasising the long passenger compartment.

"The Citroen C6 seems to be playing to a very different set of rules

to its putative rivals"

The C6's ancestry can be traced back to the 1998 Paris Motor

Show, when the C6 Lignage concept was first displayed. Designed by

Citroen's Creative Styling Centre, the Lignage at first appeared

a flight of fantasy, appearing as it did alongside stolidly practical

models such as the Saxo, Xsara and Berlingo. The throwback appeal of

the C6 Lignage was more than just symbolic. Between 1928 and 1933,

the C6 dominated the category of top-of-the-range vehicles of the

period, with more than 60,000 examples sold with many celebrities

taking the opportunity to be photographed in one.

Although it's doubtful that today's A-listers will be sending

their people to their local Citroen dealer, the C6 does inject a welcome

dose of glamour and panache into a market that has been reduced to a

shattered husk. Such has been the domination of the German premium

marques in the executive saloon market that those mainstream brands

that used to do very good business catering to those who either

couldn't or wouldn't stump up the premiums to buy German have

now largely abandoned the sector. Cars like the Saab 9-5, the Lexus

GS300 and the Volvo S80 just about scrape by, but Vauxhall and Ford

appear to have lost interest and Citroen's partner Peugeot can

only really claim success for their 607 in their home market. What chance

does the C6 have?

The truth is probably very little. It'll take a brave buyer to fork

out a serious sum on a car that's likely to be clouted with some

serious depreciation, but your modest residual value will buy my

undying respect. Independent thinkers should form an orderly queue.

At least living with the C6 should be relatively easy. Packed with

technology, the C6 features a head up display that projects speed

and navigation instructions onto the windscreen. There's also a

comprehensive driver's information system, electronic parking

brake, the innovative lane departure warning system, directional Xenon

headlamps and a speed limiter. Naturally specifications and prices

will be firmed up when the car gets closer to the sales floor but

even the entry-level C6 is likely to be generously appointed.

Motive power comes courtesy of a choice of two V6 engines, one

diesel and the other petrol powered. The diesel is a 2.7-litre HDi

unit developing some 208bhp and equipped with a particulate filter

to cut emissions. Virtually an identical twin to the excellent

powerplant found under the bonnet of Jaguar's S-TYPE 2.7D, this

engine is smooth, quick and pleasantly tractable, doing its best

work when mated to an automatic gearbox. Citroen's six-speed

automatic is particularly good and is fitted to all C6 variants. The

petrol-engined model features a 215bhp 3.0-litre unit. In order to

supply the sort of hushed, syrupy ride quality the looks suggest,

the C6 features active suspension with variable damping.

There's little doubt that when it comes to making a technological

statement, Citroen's C6 raises the bar for the sub-premium

executive class. It's effortless style, avant-garde interior design and

unique feel also mark it out as a car removed from the usual rules.

Although it looks destined to occupy one of the meanest niches in

the whole automotive market, the C6 is a car that can't help but

put a smile on your face. A future classic in the making?

[coupespace]

"avant-garde interior design"

According to British taste?

"A future classic in the making??? "

Which (common) electronic features have been designed to live in future classics?

"It'll take a brave buyer to fork out a serious sum on a car that's likely to be clouted with some serious depreciation. Independent thinkers should form an orderly queue."

If they're willing to. The expected price level is simply to high for such buyers.

But perhaps I'm wrong and Citroën is right.

Holger