Citroën AX

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Citroën AX

Manufacturer:	Citroën
Production:	1986-1998
Predecessor:	Citroën LNA Citroën Visa
Successor:	Citroën Saxo
Class:	Supermini
Body style:	3- and 5-door hatchback
Layout:	FF layout
Engine:	Petrol: 1.0 L, 1.1 L, 1.4 L Diesel: 1.4L, 1.5 L
Transmission:	4 or 5 speed manual
Wheelbase:	2280 mm
Length:	3525 mm
Width:	1555 mm
Height:	1355 mm
Similar:	Proton Tiara

Citroën AX

The Citroën AX is a supermini built by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1986 to 1998.

The AX was launched at the 1986 Paris Motor Show to replace the Citroën Visa. The car was available from launch as a three-door hatchback with 1.0, 1.1 and 1.4-litre engines. Shortly afterwards, a five-door model and a 1.4 diesel were introduced; the latter was later replaced by a 1.5-litre unit. It was initially backed by a memorable TV advertising campaign filmed in China, starring actress Janet Mas and an elderly gentleman, whose character was simply known as Mr Wong.

The car was very economical, largely because of excellent aerodynamics for its class of car (drag coefficient of 0.31) and a very light weight of around 650 kg for the basic version. In 1989 it managed a figure of 2.7 L/100 km, totalling over 1000 miles from Dover to Barcelona. This was the longest ever distance travelled on 10 gallons of fuel and earned it a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the most economical production car.

The first performance version was the limited-run AX Sport from 1987, with a 1.3 engine and twin carburetors producing 95 BHP. Later, the AX 14GT, with an single-carburettor 85 BHP 1.4 engine also found in the Peugeot 205 XS, was introduced. From 1989, this model utilised fuel injection.

1991 saw the range revised, with a heavily facelifted tailgate and interior being the most notable changes. The following year saw the introduction of the most powerful AX variant, the 100 bhp GTi.

The range was slimmed-down in 1996, following the introduction of the Saxo, with producion of the AX ending in 1998.

[edit] AX derivatives

Heuliez presented an estate version called the AX Evasion at the 1988 Mondial de l'Automobile.

The Citroën Xanthia concept car was a small roadster derived from the AX (1988). In Portugal, tuner Benjamin Barral created an unofficial convertible version, called the BB Cabrio, powered by the twin-carb AX GT 1.4 L engine.

At one stage, parent firm PSA Peugeot Citroën had planned to launch a Talbot Samba replacement as a version of the AX with a different grille and a Talbot badge, but this plan was not executed, as the entire Talbot marque was axed in the same year the AX was launched.

The Proton company of Malaysia produced a version of the Citroën AX, the Proton Tiara, from 1996 to 2000.

Aixam Mega at one time built an AX derivative called Mega Club. It was somewhat inspired by the Méhari, with a plastic bodywork and an optional convertible version. It was discontinued in 1998. A competition version of the Mega Club with a tubeframe chassis raced in the Andros Trophy in the early 1990, but powered by Ford and Honda engines.

[edit] External links

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<- Previous	Citroën car timeline, 1980s-present - [edit]
Type	1980s										1990s										2000s
	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Economy car	2CV
Off-roader	Méhari
City car	LN			LNA			AX																			C1
Supermini																									C2
	Visa																Saxo							C3
Small family car	GSA											ZX						Xsara							C4
Large family car			BX											Xantia								C5
Executive car	CX									XM																C6

Leisure activity vehicle																		Berlingo
Compact MPV																				Xsara Picasso							C4 Picasso
Large MPV															Evasion								C8
Crossover																												C-Crosser