Citroen XM Forum

The XM was the first of the Retro cars that has now become very fashionable, and does hark back to the SM in so many ways, the first V6 since the SM. Richard "Caslingua" did a comparison of Citroen Lines and evolutions and there was a huge resemblance between the Xm and Sm. Even the sames are similar! The Xm could have been called the DX for obvious reasons!

Exactly Robert. I think Marc Deschamp, who penned the design, knew exactly what he was doing. It is very obvious the XM is a modern interpretation of the SM. there are comparisons between the two all over the place. I like the way the rear lights are separated to create just red lights low down, like the SM and instead of heavy chrome fins, they created the indicator and reversing light panel creating the same effect, but very much modernised.
What I do think is clever is they made the XM appear modern and crisp and very much its own character. It isn't immediately obvious it is a retro design, unlike the Fiat 500 and beetle.

I think it was named as the DX by Autoexpress mag, who were the first to publish spy shots of the car at Citroens testing site.
The XM name was chosen only 6 months before launch, or so the black XM book suggests. It is meant to be "mysterious and original, like the car itself"... kind of worked!

Here's the SM rear



They're stainless steel fins at the rear, like all the brightwork bar the rear wing SM badges (which are plastichrome). The SM was a car where no one was telling the designers to save money - the quality of construction and materials is extraordinary!

Quite by coincidence, I had to have the car up on a ramp today (a few gearbox oil leaks in the warmer weather - tightened the nuts up) so here is the underside of the car from the rear.

That picture is quite rude

Do you think the rear lights have been lifted from Fiat. They look so close to the 130 coupe and a Maserati model.

Great pics.

I retract that. They aren't!

In the adoption of the name 'XM' for the new model I wondered if the 'X' is looking forward from the CX it replaced and the 'M' is looking back to the SM it was clearly intended to recall!! Regards, Matthew T.

I've always believed that while the M stands for Maserati in SM, it's more likely Masochist. So XM could mean Xtra Masochist?

Gallic oddity wrote:That picture is quite rude

Despite a filthy mind I'm struggling with the rude bit. The mechanic's called Johnny if that helps the innuendo count! (a very good guy too)

Charles M wrote: So XM could mean Xtra Masochist?

Yes! I'm inclined to agree with that line of reasoning...