citroen cx

Citroen CX – a legend?

Posted by Terje Bjørnstad
memory lane1

Citroën CX is the successor to legends such as Traction Avant and DS. But did it really become a legend on par with its predecessors?

cx
The CX handles well to this day, especially when it's in the lowest position.

 

In the 70s, Citroën chose to strictly link the design to recognized aerodynamic principles outlined by car designer Wunibald Kamm . The special thing about the Kamm shape is the end of the rear. A slightly sloping roofline interrupted by a completely vertical line. This design principle was introduced in the GS and GSA, and later in the Toyota Prius and others. The Kamm shape allowed few design liberties. Nevertheless, the CX did not get any sensationally good CW values. After the facelift, it was 0,36. This is the same as the Volvo XC90 had when it was launched. The Audi 100/A6 (C4) which was launched in 1991, had a CW of 0,30, by comparison – without resembling Kamm's concept cars.

 

cx
It is especially the rear part that reveals the Kamm profile.

The biggest objections to the CX were the production quality. The model was designed by Citroën before the company was acquired by PSA, but put into production soon after the acquisition was a fact (1974). It is not good to say. Maybe the production plant and the follow-up were not completely ready? It is unfortunately a well-known fact that especially the first cars had many errors and problems. Several cars were pure "Monday cars".

Large family cars were not PSA's strongest point in the 70s and 80s. In addition to the CX, they also produced the Peugeot 604 and Talbot Tagora. This trio helped perpetuate the myth that French cars were unreliable. The CX was an advanced car for its time, with hydraulic suspension, speed-sensitive power steering and ultra-sensitive brakes. Nevertheless, most of the problems were related to relatively banal faults where the electrical system was a regular occurrence for many.

The CX received a facelift in 1986. Then it received new plastic parts, - such as more aerodynamic and colour-matched bumpers, channel skirts, fender skirts and new mirror housings. The special – and quirky – instrument panel with rotating drums was replaced by ordinary clocks. If I were to choose the best version, I would choose a facelifted version with a 2,5 liter turbodiesel. Here at home it became quite popular on green signs.

The CX is a fascinating car, but hardly a legend on par with its predecessors.

 

cx
CX special 14 inch alloy wheels.
cx
This is the first series (1974-85).
cx
The Front Party (1974-85).
After the facelift, the CX got, among other things, new, colour-matched bumpers, channel skirts, new plastic fender skirts and new mirror housings.

 

Norwegian CX Club

Frogner cars

Posted by Terje Bjørnstad
frogs
Alvis is a car that you like to find in Kensington - or, as here, in Frogner.

Kensington in London and Frogner in Oslo have several similarities.

Quiet residential areas close to the city center that attract people with good incomes. Both areas were developed in the era before mass motoring, so that almost everyone has to park along the street. You don't have to walk far to spot a Porsche, BMW M series or classic vintage car. This year's cold Easter did not tempt anyone to take out the vintage car yet. At Skillebekk I found a stately Alvis TD21 Drophead Coupé. Large British car with a 3 liter inline six. There are cars that can safely be characterized as a gentleman's car and are mentioned in the same breath as Jaguar and Bentley. Only Anglophile car enthusiasts here at home know about the brand. As far as I know, no importation of Alvis into Norway was ever established.

 

frogs
Drammensveien 66, was built around 1890 - a small, exclusive block of flats on 4 floors with only one apartment on each floor. The architect was Henry Bucher and the builder was a consortium of 3 gentlemen.

991, please

I find several Porsche 911s in the streets. I feel slightly blasé. It is difficult to decide which 911 I should photograph. At the housing estate on lower Gimle, I found a 911 from the last generation (991) that came in 2012. Well, a 991.1 – not the very latest, 991.2, – although there is little difference in appearance between the two. Porsche, with the internal designation 991, is built on a completely new platform compared to previous models (997). With a longer wheelbase, it looks significantly better with larger wheels than its older brothers. You don't think about it until you've seen several Porsches. At Frogner you can.

 

frogs
To the left we see Sophus Lies gate 4-6, semi-detached house, designed by municipal architect Messel and built in 1915. To the right Gimle terrace 2-8, also semi-detached houses. The building was designed by the architectural firm Hals, Harald & Øue, who were also the builders in 1914.

I choose something in orange

I am photographing an orange Audi TT S. Orange, yellow and red cars stand out among today's gray tones. In the TT S version, more power is extracted from the 2,0 TFSI engine. 272 HP and 350 Nm from 2500 rpm means that the Golf-based car can live up to its fresh image. Frogner appeals not only to rich people, but also to artists, actors and artists - people who stand out as individualists. I wonder if you find a higher proportion of orange, yellow and red cars in Frogner than elsewhere in the country?

 

Frederik Stangs gate 33, almost right up by Bygdøy allé and Gimle Kino was formerly one of Oslo's many boarding houses. Today, probably converted to dormitories.

A rare find

That people at Frogner are more concerned with aesthetics and artistic values ​​is evident when I pass a Citroën CX. A CX with plates is almost impossible to get hold of today, even in Citroën's homeland, France. I know because I have been on the lookout several times. This is one of the last, - a CX 25 GTI. It has conventional round instrument bells, but hydropneumatic suspension. A real Citroën. It's amazing to think that this great design dates back to the early 70s.

 

frogs
The Red Cross Clinic in Fredrik Stangs gate 11-13 was designed by Morgenstierne & Eide and has been in use since 1918.
The architects Morgenstierne & Eide also designed the Hotel Gabelshus just below.

The Porsche 911 has a distinctive, somewhat strict design

I notice how well the simple and stylish design fits the strict architecture of Frogner. The buildings from the 20s and 30s are free of the decorations and extravagance that were around the turn of the century. The silhouette of the 911 is also free of frills, if you ignore the painted brake calipers. Although, they signal function and not decoration, right? German-inspired architecture from the interwar period fits well as a background for this beautiful 911 (also a 991.1). Incidentally, the background would have suited a black original Volkswagen with a split rear window, too.

 

frogs
The housing complex on the corner of Gabels gate and Thomas Heftyes gate was designed by Adolf Jensen and completed in 1923-25. The architecture is kept in a fairly strict Central European style.

So if you don't have time to go to Kensington to look at great cars and architecture, you can just go to Frogner 🙂

 

See

Frogner district

The cars in Kensington