Brief History
The Citroën Xantia is a large family car produced by the French automaker Citroën between 1993 and 2001. Citroën sold over 1.2 million Xantias during its 8 years of production. After production in Europe ended in early 2001, the SAIPA Corporation in Iran continued producing them for five more years.
The Xantia replaced the earlier Citroën BX and maintained the high level of popularity of that model. Although the Xantia was not as dramatically styled as the BX, it was certainly more distinctive than its contemporaries such as the conservative Ford Mondeo and Opel Vectra. The Xantia also used the traditional Citroën hydropneumatic suspension system pioneered in the legendary DS. It was initially only available as a hatchback, but an estate version built by Heuliez appeared in 1995.
In-line with PSA Group policy, the Peugeot 406, launched 2 years later, used the same floorpan, core structure and engines as the Xantia.
From an engineering perspective, the Xantia's biggest advance was the suspension. From launch, the more expensive models were available with an enhanced version of the XM's Hydractive computer-controlled version of the hydropneumatic self-leveling suspension. This used extra suspension spheres to allow a soft ride in normal conditions, but taut body control during hard braking, acceleration or cornering.
In 1995, the Activa technology was introduced, which again used a combination of computer control and mechanical changes to all but eliminate body roll. This technology is more broadly known as active suspension.
The Xantia was the last Citroën to use a common hydraulic circuit for suspension, brakes and steering like the pioneering Citroën DS.
Power came courtesy of the familiar Peugeot XU-series gasoline engines, this time in 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 displacements, a 2.0 16-valve version for the Xantia VSX, a turbocharged 2.0 engine, a 3.0 V6 engine, and, from 1995 onwards, a 1.8 16-valve and a 2.0 16-valve engine. The popular XUD turbodiesel units in 1.9 (turbocharged: 92 hp, low-pressure turbo: 75 hp, or not: 71 hp) displacement proved to be the best-selling engine. The biggest diesel was a 2.1 TD with 109hp.
In 1998, PSA introduced the HDi direct injection turbodiesel (in two versions: 90 hp and intercooled 110 hp). For an economical diesel engine, the HDi offered the kind of throttle response normally seen in a gasoline engine and quiet high speed cruising at a top speed of 115 mph. Acceleration was also good at 11.4 seconds from 0 to 60 mph.
Sources: wikipedia.org
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