Citroen C6 Review Covering 2005 To Date

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Quick Summary of the Citroen C6

OVERALL

All used cars have their period in the sun and the Citroën C6’s has, in all truth, yet to come. Give this car a year or two and it’ll start to look very interesting, especially in 2.7-litre HDi guise.

BACK TO THE FUTURE

* IntroductionThe C6 marked a stunning return to form from Citroën. The company had slowly been drifting towards convention, their products becoming increasingly similar to sister company Peugeot’s. Then this appeared. Sleek, quirky and sporting a shape that could be nothing but Citroën, the C6 was an instant hit, with magazine reviewers at least. The general public were rather more resistant to the idea of a Citroën that could cost almost £40,000 in top specification and sales weren’t huge. Nevertheless as a technology showcase and a halo product to lift Citroën’s image, the C6 is a winner. Used buyers are now starting to sniff around the C6, attracted by somebody else taking the initial hit of depreciation and a reputation for solid mechanicals.
Used Citroen C6 for sale

History of the C6

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 and 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 GS 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. It all looked a bit drab until the C6 arrived on showroom floors in early 2006. At first, just 2.7-litre diesel and 3.0-litre petrol models were offered but stung by the rather slow sales, Citroën introduced a more affordable 2.2-lite diesel C6 in summer 2007.
Used Citroen C6 for sale

Citroen C6 Road Test

Motive power comes courtesy of a 2.2-litre HDi unit and a choice of two V6 engines, one diesel and the other petrol powered. The V6 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 sole petrol-engined model features a 215bhp 3.0-litre unit. The entry-level option is the 2.2-litre HDi which like the 2.7-litre option, uses twin turbochargers. There’s 173bhp available here but most buyers will choose it for its 43mpg economy. In order to supply the sort of hushed, syrupy ride quality the looks suggest, the C6 features active suspension with variable damping.
Used Citroen C6 for sale

Buying a Citroen C6

Insist on a service history. The complex suspension system is pretty reliable, but make sure that it's been checked out because replacement parts for it are pricey. The electronic control systems should all be checked over as diagnostics checks are complicated and dear.
Used Citroen C6 for sale

Citroen C6 Typical Pricing

The C6 isn’t too thick on the ground at the moment. Depreciation has proven fairly steep with a C6 2.7 HDi Exclusive that retailed at £37,592 in February 2006 now commanding around £24,500. The depreciation curve is still rather steep, which means that many used buyers may well be waiting for another year or so before trying to unearth a low mileage car. Insurance for the C6 isn’t cheap, varying between groups 15 and 17.
Used Citroen C6 for sale

Citroen C6 Parts

(Approx - based on a C6 3.0 - ex Vat) Clutch assemblies are about £205, brake pads around £45 and an alternator around £175. You'll pay around £250 for a headlamp, around £245 for a radiator and around £110 (exchange) for a starter motor.
Used Citroen C6 for sale

Citroen C6 Rated

Performance Performance 3 out of 5

Comfort

Handling

Economy

Styling

Equipment

Build

Depreciation Depreciation 2 out of 5

Insurance

Value

Citroen C6 Review2005 To Date