GTP Cool Wall: 1987-1993 Citroen BX19 GTi 16 valve

[White & Nerdy]

1987-1993 Citroen BX19 GTi 16 valve nominated by DQuaN

Stats:
Production: 1987-1993
Style: 5-door hatchback
Engine: XU9J4 116 ci/1,905 cc naturally aspirated DOHC inline 4 (rated 160 HP & 131 lb-ft)
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Layout: Front-engine, Front-drive​

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

Quirky, French and pneumatic suspension with GTi-class performance. Also, ended up being a base model for the Group B rally version if memory serves.

COOL.

 

[Roger the Horse]

It's a Citroen from before they started trying to call their cars actual names rather than just 2 letters. Sub zero.

 

[Scaff]

I owned one (as well as a TZD), great car to drive until the suspension goes wrong (cheap push on t-connectors on one of the most complicated suspension systems ever devised was not a great idea).

Would still give one a punt today given half a chance, and cool for the rising suspension on start-up and the ability to change a tyre without a jack (that makes people stare I can tell you).

And yes the BX was turned into the Group B car, but it wasn't based on this model, but rather the 4TC was produced to homologate the group B car.

 

[Azure Flare]

On the face of it, its a meh car. But after some research, I found it was penned by Marcello Gandini, the same man who designed the Lamborghini Countach.

Cool.

 

[Grand Prix]

It's a Citroen, but it's not a DS...

Meh.

 

[Stotty]

My Dad owned a couple of BX's back in the day - the 1st one replacing a CX, which had in turn replaced a GSA (he like Citroens!).

Though not as quirky as the CX/GSA it was a relatively interesting car... at the time, probably not cool, but a good one might just sneak in today.

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

Don't see many of these around anymore, let alone a GTi version. But it's a solid Meh.

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

Delete.

 

[homeforsummer]

Was torn on this one.

It's one of the last of the quirky Citroens, it has a fantastic engine, some clever engineering, and styling by Gandini, the same bloke who did umpteen Lamborghinis. That should all make it cool.

However, I've gone for uncool, based mainly on one reason: Citroen BXs haven't yet left the realms of "banger" territory. People will assume you're driving it not because of all the cool stuff associated with it, but because you only had a couple of hundred quid to spend and picked any old heap. And looking like you're a cheapskate isn't cool.

Give it another ten years when it's a bona-fide classic and this is one cool car.

 

[Scaff]

Was torn on this one.
Give it another ten years when it's a bona-fide classic and this is one cool car.

The three that will be left then!

 

[Famine]

I've not seen a Citroen BX in so long that even the diesel one is a cool spot now.

 

[homeforsummer]

The three that will be left then!

I suspect the ones that are left now will still be around in another decade. I'd be surprised if any remaining aren't in the hands of people who want to keep them on the roads.

 

[Apok]

Call me biased, but my dad used to have a BX and I always thought that the suspension was just about the coolest thing ever. I do agree with hfs that it looks like a banger, however there aren't many of them left anymore so it gets a solid cool.

 

[Joey D]

French cars are cool to me, however being from that period where car design looks extremely dated knocked it down a bit. Still went with cool though.

 

[Wiegert]

I was trying to find a reason why I couldn't vote cool on this. But @homeforsummer summed it up pretty well. Almost every BX I see these days is either rotting in someone's front drive as a restoration project that'll never be finished, or a cheap runabout picked up for pennies in the 00s. My uncle's BX fits somewhere inbetween.

Sure they're quirky as hell and will most likely be just as cool as the CX in a few years. But not currently.

 

[JMoney]

Meh. I was going to say cool, but then I saw the rear fenders.

 

[Adamgp]

Was going to vote uncool because it was a Citroen, but went seriously uncool because it is an ugly Citroen.

But then I never found a Citroen I liked.

 

[AudiMan2011]

Front looks okay, back looks pretty horrid, performance sounds decent, if slightly underwhelming for 1987. Meh.

 

[MoLiEG]

Next!!!!

Uncool.

 

[Jet Badger]

Love the french design in the 80's, voted cool.

 

[Cano]

I love these Citröen oddballs. Freaking cool.

 

[edawg456]

It's French and it's a hatchback. Which is a instant cool.

 

[Nessy]

Gave it a cool.

(Off topic) Someone needs to nominate the GS Birotor.

 

[Tyger]

SZ from me, emerging classic now, future uber classic I think. Love the styling, very of its time but unique. Love the hydropneumatic suspension on all old Citroens (granted til it stops working) and these were pretty fast too. Wasn't there a slightly quicker version latterly? Forget the model name though.

EDIT: Wasn't this actually called the BX19 GTE or am I mixing my models up?

 

[homeforsummer]

SZ from me, emerging classic now, future uber classic I think. Love the styling, very of its time but unique. Love the hydropneumatic suspension on all old Citroens (granted til it stops working) and these were pretty fast too. Wasn't there a slightly quicker version latterly? Forget the model name though.

EDIT: Wasn't this actually called the BX19 GTE or am I mixing my models up?

This was the quickest version. There was a 4x4 version too but it was a little slower and heavier.

And you must be mixing them up - the BX had GT and GTI versions. GTE was a Vauxhall badge mostly, I think.

 

[Slash]

Uncool. I don't even want to be seen around one.

 

[Sage Ages]

French. 20th century. Sub-zero.

 

[JAHHAJ]

Meh.

 

[mustang fanatic]

Seriously uncool. Do I need to say anymore?