I rarely peruse my local Craigslist. Maybe I should do it a bit more often, because I came across this car recently – not the typical car one would expect to find in a Virginia field… not your typical anything for that matter. Not only is this a Citroen, which is unusual enough in the US, but a CX (my favorite of the brand’s many models)… a wagon… a diesel… and it’s from 1976. Citroen pulled out of the US market after 1973, and I’ve never seen a privately-imported version from the late 1970s. So the ad definitely warranted a further look.
The seller evidently rescued this wagon from a farmer’s field, in an unsuccessful attempt at restoration. That’s not quite surprising – I can’t imagine that a mechanically, electrically and pneumatically complex Citroen could be easy to get roadworthy once it’s in a declining condition.
Judging from the other vehicles surrounding this Citroen (a Rover TC and a Mercedes-Benz 300CE), I’m guessing the current owner has a soft spot for unusual cars, and couldn’t bear the thought of a CX decaying in a farmer’s field forever, so he gave it his best shot.
And there’s a VW Super Beetle here too, and a Toyota MR2 that looks like it runs. But back to the Citroen – this is my favorite wagon ever built, and this angle has always fascinated me; it manages to look both high (thanks to the huge rear glass) and low (thanks to the kneeling suspension) simultaneously. Due to their extreme rarity in the US, I’ve only seen CX wagons in person fewer than half a dozen times, mostly examples imported by “CX Auto” in the late 1980s.
In the ad, the seller notes that some private imports trickled into the US after the company’s withdrawal, sometimes under “unclear circumstances” and possibly through diplomatic channels. I can’t judge the accuracy of that claim, but I do recall hearing about a few companies that imported CXs and somehow got them federalized. Even so, this car appears to be an oddity. It has US-spec headlights, but seems to lack side marker lights, and has what appear to be unaltered European bumpers — maybe that’s how the gray market worked back when this car was new(ish)? From what I understand, most of the tiny number of early CXs that made their way to US shores were diesels, like this one, which were evidently easier to conform to EPA regulations than were Citroen’s gas engines.
While non-US spec vehicles can be imported once they reach 25 years of age, I have a hard time believing this 1976 wagon was imported in 2001. After all, the license plate dates from the late 1990s, and was last registered in 2001. Even if the plate doesn’t belong to this car, this sure doesn’t look like a vehicle that would have been someone’s pride and joy after the turn of the millennium. My guess is that it was a gray market car imported in the late ’70s or early ’80s.
My favorite part of the CX is its dashboard, with that one-spoke, self-centering wheel, and an instrument pod made long before such a setup was common. Even in its current state and nearly a half-century after the car was built, I find it easy to envision this cockpit making its driver feel futuristic. Everything in this interior is unusual – which is part of the CX’s appeal. Those long sliding levers between the front seats are the heater controls, the horn is activated by a button on the instrument pod, turn signals are used via a rocker switch, and the radio faces straight upwards.
The seller claims that the engine turns over. Through the cobwebs here, we can see the details of early CX gauges. Apparently, the digital-looking gauge on the right-hand side of the instrument binnacle isn’t a gauge but rather a diesel pre-heater light.
Here’s the diesel engine, minus the spare tire, which originally nested underhood, tucked partially under the cowl. Early CX Diesels were offered either with a 2.2L or 2.5L engine, but since this car is advertised as a ’76, and the 2.5L engine didn’t come out until two years later, I will assume it’s a 2200, though it’s hard for me to tell for sure. If so, with 66 bhp, this a 3,100-lb. CX wagon would take about 20 seconds to reach 60 mph. It could maybe outrun a 240D, but that’s about all.
The seller here is asking $2,500 – quite possibly reasonable for the right person… someone who maybe has a collection of Citroens for instance, since there’s undoubtedly a treasure-trove of hard-to-get parts in here. For the few CX faithful in North America, this is probably an exciting find. For the rest of us, it’s simply fascinating to look at this wagon and wonder how it got here.
Interesting car, I’ve seen a CX around locally but it’s not a wagon.
Personally I wouldn’t take that mess if you paid me $2,500 but there’s a bum for every seat. Even a faux sheep covered french seat.
There were good importers and shady importers in the gray-market era. This car could have fairly easily been imported before the 25-year rule existed.
As for this particular CX? Parts car, at best. A cursory glance at the pictures tell me that most of the good parts are gone or thrashed. MAYBE if there’s a CX fetishist nearby who owns his or her own tow rig, this is a $1000 car. To anyone else, it’s scrap metal.
Gray market import. Quite common then, at least in CA. I saw a number of CX’s then, with those same sealed beam headlights. The diesel would have meant essentially zero changes to meet emission regs. And all the very many European gray market imports seemed to have gotten by without the 5 mile bumpers. There must have been some sort of loophole.
As to the 5mph bumpers or lack of. Perhaps California didn’t require them. A certain Utubers, based in Kansas, grandmother just had to to change over to sealed beams when she imported her MB 500sl from Germany. How much does the owner want for the Rover?
I think it outruns the Ford Granada with the 250 six as well 🙂
Wow, that’s quite the find, Craigslist or not. Too bad about its current state but on par with what a lot of similar age cars in the junkyard look like as well, some undoubtedly pulled out of a field or from behind a barn as well.
What an interesting car but in its current condition a real tough one to save. I hope that rear side glass is flat otherwise sourcing it would be a pain. I have taken on (and failed at some) dumb projects before but I would give this one a wide berth not even taking into account the ambitious $2500 price tag. Very cool … for someone else to own.
The seller did note in the ad that the missing glass is intact, just not on the car. I was thinking that the glass, and other hard-to-source (especially in N. America) parts would really be the value of this car in its current condition. I hope he’s advertising it somewhere other than a local Craigslist, though — seems unlikely that a random CL browser would see any value in this car at all.
Eric: I always have liked the looks of a CX wagon. So I have some models of it (including the excellent Solido 1/43 from when the car was current). But that is the limit of my intrigue with the car.
I was very interested in gray market cars in the early ’80s – especially Mercedes. The case for a gray market Mercedes had two elements: more power (500 V-8 versus 380 on USA cars and money (strong dollar, weak D-mark). However I can not imagine any case for a gray market Citroen of any type as there was no USA market car to “trump” with a more powerful and cheaper import. So the market had to be very, very limited.
As I remember there were three general issues that required mechanical compliance for proper certification: lighting; bumpers; catalytic converter (both having it and not locating it near fuel tank). Cars were “certified” somehow but always seemed to have a suspect reputation. Many cars had inadequate, poor, dangerous or no work done but still were “certified”.
I’ve been a CX fan for a long time. This is my own model CX — a Lesney Matchbox from when I was a kid. Now my own kids play with it.
And I can’t help but thinking what a big gamble it must have been to purchase a new gray-market Citroen. At least with gray-market cars like Mercedes or BMWs, there was still availability of basic parts. For a Citroen? Good luck. I’m sure they weren’t cheap, either.
hehe! I’ve still got that very one somewhere too.
I’d rather take my chances with the Super. I can get every part I’d possibly need and it’s far, far less complicated! The only downside is I think it may be fuel injected
Given it’s overall condition this is a parts car at best.I wonder how many of these were imported into the United States as gray market cars. I believe back in the 1980’s the then automotive writer for the Kansas City Star did a writeup of a grey market Citroen, but I have long forgotten which model it was. It was definitely an oddity but given Citroen pulled out of the U.S. in 1974 parts and service would have been a nightmare.
All kinds of stuff could be grey imported pre-1990 including Land Rovers and Citroens. The best known importer was CX Auto based somewhere in Pennsylvania which brought in high spec Citroen CX sedans and the occasional wagon in the late 80s. A 70s model like this was probably bought used and made legal enough via a compliance shop.
And Europa Motors in Santa Fe that brought in the G-Wagons all through the ’80’s and ’90s. Russell Leabch was the owner, I by chance met him at my local MB dealer a couple of years ago when he was there with what looked like a brand new G-Wagon 2door Cabrio which doesn’t officially exist over here. He saw me taking pix and we started to chat, I recognized him and realized who he was from an old C&D article decades ago and he then explained that when Mercedes starting offering them they bought his operation out but still allowed him to import any variant that they did not, so no four door G500 or AMG G63/65 etc . Nowadays he brings over mainly used ones from Europe and resells others that are already over here, usually ones he had a hand in selling originally.
Cars such as the Cabrio he was driving are dismantled in Europe, brought over completely disassembled, documented that way through customs as parts, rebuilt here to conform to all US specs, certified with a newly issued VIN through the Colorado Motor Vehicle Dept, final checked at the local dealer here (he owns a house near me), and then shipped wherever in the country they need to go to. It takes months. Yes, the costs nearly triple but apparently his buyers don’t care, they want something unique yet completely legal.
CX wagons also extremely rare in OZ, as sad3never offered here. I think I’ve only ever seen 2. The sedans used to be a semi common sight though.
I’d love to have a CX wagon with the earlier series exterior but the later series conventional dash and GTI engine.
I wonder if they were a special-order job here? When I was growing up – which some unkind folk tell me is a work still in progress, but you know what I mean – the local garage specialized in Frog oddities, and I definitely used to notice a few different wagons from time to time (’70’s into the ’80’s).
Btw, agree on the Gti transplant, but I only want the later dials, not the much-downgraded dash itself!
Citroën CX wagons aren’t so desired as normal CX fastback (Pallas, Reflex, Athena , GTi 2400) anyway this junkyard find is an authentic Citroën CX Break Familiale . The problem for paying $2500 to this rotten cartifact is so obvious to foresee: how many bucks you’ll need to restore it in good condition? When you spent over $7000 ’til you reach every missing part, you’d ought better to buy a decent used CX from the European’s classifieds 24Scout or so.
With that raised roof, this looks very much like a compact hearse.
On a motorway on off street in Onehunga Auckland is a wrecking yard that has closed down the site is for rent now but the previous occupants left a few things behind on top of a shipping container is a Fiat 500D and a Austin A30 and hidind in the grass next to it is one of these Citroen CX wagons its in better condition than the posted car and appears complete, they arent overly complex compared to the Citroen I drive and I know a guy who would have anything it needs but I dont want another old car just now,
Road and Track tested a US grey-ish CX diesel in 1980 – and CC published that test on Dec 5, 2015!
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/vintage-reviews/vintage-review-citroen-cx-2500-diesel-pallas/
As for this wagon, they are perhaps my favorite Citroen of all. Such absurd levels of high style combined with great comfort, super-practicality, and (mechanical) durability.
I wouldn’t be touching this old darling with barge pole, mind you, because, whilst there’s always some one out there with the special skills for the workings if one has the cash, rust is rust and these artworks specialize in it even when well-kept.
They are art, btw, the Art of Opron. Ever since I saw one as a 10 year old, I swear that thought then (and forever since) that it looked just like a mobile Sydney Opera House – and that my friends, is one of the most perfect buildings ever made.
Thanks for the link Justy! That R&T article also shed some light on the minimal changes done to the diesel engine too. Still I find it somewhat curious that this particular example doesn’t have any US-mandated side-marker lights – I’m guessing it was imported by some small outfit that did things in a quasi-legal manner.
And the comparison to a mobile Sydney Opera House is absolutely perfect.
Forgot to add, here’s a road test of a CX 2500D wagon for you, Eric.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/triggerscarstuff/sets/72157634752433040/
Notre Andre Citroen crit pour le condition pauvre de cette voiture.
This car, in this feature, is “junk” and beyond salvage effort. In 1995 I bought a used 1987 Citroen CX “Prestiege” 2500 in an excellent condition, right down to the paint. I paid $5,500 for it and drove it for four years with little or no problems that couldn’t be attended by knowledgeable mechanic. Owning and driving was glorious! Nothing in the world compared.
The definition of comfort and pleasure. A real luxurious “cruiser”. Before the CX, I was buying,driving and selling the earlier SM, 2dr sports, joint effort with the dual OHC Maserati engine. A “missle” on the interstate! The Citroen marque is sadly misunderstood. Primarily because of futuristic, exotic engineering and design.
“Outside the box” thinking and approach.
As I write, my dream car would be to own a 1973 Citroen DS, fully restored. Unfortunately, at my age and income, the possibility is out of reach. If you +are brave enough, and can afford, venture into the fascination of Citroen ownership. Do not buy any model unless it is using the green KLM hydraulic fluid. If it using red as a replacement, steer clear, keep looking.
Thank you for your time and interest.
Great cars, but this one, stay away from it. Even the parts will probably be useless by now.
And restoring….you could get two or three imported for the money that takes….
That said, this are great cars to drive, and very good looking too, imho. I owned the base model, and loved it.