Citroën XM, sharply styled top-class comfort

In his book “Citroën XM, sharply sculpted top comfort,” author Thijs van der Zanden tells the fascinating story behind the XM. From the first sketches and prototypes to its launch, the first models, and all the variants Citroën added to the range over the years. Models that never made it beyond the drawing board are also discussed. Memories and anecdotes from various people involved bring the story to life.

The Citroën XM had the tough task of following in the footsteps of three legends: the Traction, the DS, and the CX. At first, it seemed to do so very well: its sharply sculpted body was truly something special, and the XM was also packed with technical innovations. Winning the title of ‘Car of the Year 1990’ therefore seemed almost inevitable.

The first customers, however, experienced the downside of so much innovation: their XMs kept breaking down with all kinds of faults. By the time Citroën finally resolved the problems, the XM’s reputation had already been so badly damaged that it never recovered. The XM was doomed to a life on the fringes. Today, the XM is seen above all as a popular modern classic and a true Citroën.