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 had fully independent long travel suspension. 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. This was due to the extensive use of plastic panels in non-load bearing areas and varying the thicknesses of steel in the bodyshell to be the minimum needed to take required loads. This technology came from the PSA Peugeot-Citroen / Renault / French government ECO 2000 project. In 1989 a naturally aspirated diesel AX, using the 1360cc all aluminium alloy TUD engine, 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 a 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 production of the AX ending in 1998. The Peugeot 106 / Citroen Saxo were both developments of the AX. They followed the '90s trend for heavier, safer, more solid feeling cars that continues today. The AX was designed for lightness, with a 'less is more' philosophy, but with more conventional styling than previous Citroens.

[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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Citroën AX

<- Previous	Citroën car timeline, 1980s-present - v • d • e
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					C15													Berlingo
Compact MPV																				Xsara Picasso							C4 Picasso
Large MPV															Evasion								C8
Crossover																												C-Crosser