Citroen Xsara – from the times when cars had a wide selection of engines. 15 types of car and today?

Citroen Xsara appeared on the market in 1997. This car was the successor of the ZX model and was a great market success, which was due to a wide selection of bodies, a variety of engines and an excellent design. In the record years of 1998 and 1999, Citroen sold more than two hundred and fifty units per year.

One of the reasons for the Xsara’s success was the wide selection of engines. At the time of the premiere, customers had a choice of powerful gasoline engines from 75 to more than 160 HP:

1.4L TU3JP 75 KM
1.6 TU5JP 90 KM
1.8 XU7JB 90 KM
1.8 XU7JP 102 KM
1.8 XU7JP4 110 KM
2.0 XU10J2C 123 KM
2.0 XU10J4R 133 KM
2.0 XU10J4RS 164 KM

We also offer a very wide selection of diesel units, producing power from 57 to 107 HP:

1.5LTUD5 57KM
1.9L XUD9A 67 KM
1.9L DW8 68 KM
1.9L XUD9B 74 KM
1.9L XUD9TE 89 KM TD
2.0L DW10TD 90 KM TD
2.0L 107 KM DW10ATED TD

See: Tests of new and used Citroëns

Sales of the Xsara model in the years 1997-2007

A year	Amount sold
2007	125
2006	254
2005	9.879
2004	85.518
2003	112.505
2002	169.137
2001	219.731
2000	222.798
1999	266.943
1998	250.035
1997	44.209
addition	1.381.134

During the initial production period, the Xsara customer had a choice of 15 vehicle types with power ranging from 57 to 164 HP. Comparing this with today’s version of a similar device, the new Citroën C4, we have five engines to choose from: 2 petrol (100, 130 HP), 1 diesel 130 HP and 2 electric drives (136 and 156 HP).

1.2 100 KM
1.2 130 KM
1.5 KM 130 HDi
136 HP electric
156 HP electric

It seems clear that Citroën has a completely different engine position today – there are no more powerful units here. Similar to the two-liter car from Xsara should be 1.6 with 180 or even 225 HP, but this engine has already been removed from Europe by Stellantis due to the gas emission fee. Soon Citroën will stop using the diesel engine (the successor of the C4 will no longer offer it) and we will only be left with a new combination of petrol (106/136 HP) and an electric car (136/156 HP).

Check out: new Citroen cars

The times of a wide selection of drives will probably not return now – cost optimization and the research of the needs of the largest group of customer rules. Such times.