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I'm having a 'dispute' with a work colleague. There was a version of the Citroen CX that had a manual gear change but no clutch pedal, wasn't there?
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It's possible. There were a number of semi automatics made in the 60s and 70s as an optional extra, and they were standard fitment on NSU Ro80s
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Without doubt, because my father's company had one for his transport manager. It was the C-matic and was similar in everyway to the NSU Ro80 box. A clutchless manual (i.e. no third pedal), there was a microswitch in the lever, which activcated the clutch as you started to move the lever.
Car Magazine had a long term test of an estate with this box in the late 1970s. I am so sad I even remember that the car stalled during low speed maneouveurs as there were not enough spare revs around to keep the PAS pump primed.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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Renault brought this out on their Twingo as well. My aunt had one a few years ago in France.
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There certainly was as I travelled from Brussels to Saint Jean de Luz in one, on holiday with French friends. I even got to drive it.
What I recall most about it though was that this nine month old example had about 3/4" of the bottom of the driver's door already missing due to rust, and likewise the base of the tailgate.
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Ah yes, thanks. I was 99% sure I was right.
Looks like I shall have some free beer on Friday night :-)
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What I recall most about it though was that this nine month old example had about 3/4" of the bottom of the driver's door already missing due to rust, and likewise the base of the tailgate.
How in 1974 could Citroen manage to produce a new prestige model that rusted as bad as an old Renault Dauphine and was very nearly in Lancia territory? Not only the body panels were affected but also the 'longirons' underneath which were a sort of semi seperate chassis. To their credit they did address the problem, and the later rust protected CXs were in a different league entirely. They never did solve the rust in the bootlid though (not tailgate! the CX looked like a hatch back, but wasn't). At the same time the interior was toned down somewhat, so if you see a CX with the original spaceship decor it will unfortunately predate the solving of the rust problem.
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There can't be many of these fantastic cars left now, as you say, rust was a serious issue, particularly on the earlier models. However I have seen a 2.2 GTi Turbo for sale recently...
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The c matic box was a direct carry over (well nearly) from the one in the DS. If you lost the hydraulic pump on the DS you lost the lot. Gearchange (if Cmatic equiped), brakes, steering, suspension. There was not much in the pumped reservoir as a margin!
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If you lost the hydraulicpump on the DS you lost the lot. Gearchange (if Cmatic equiped), brakes, steering, suspension. There was not much in the pumped reservoir as a margin!
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Even the same on a model as late as the Xantia. I don't know how a C5 would be affected, as they have a somewhat more sophisticated suspension and have separate brake fluid.
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Although the gearchange would be OK on a Xantia.
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"with the original spaceship decor"
Ah the side on revolving drums for instruments. Will we ever see the like again.
Good old citroen.
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Will we ever see the like again.Good old citroen.
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I agree.
IIRC earlier manual Citroens IDs had three pedals but the two on the left were... left was the parking brake and middle was the clutch. The brake was the little button on the floor.
Who needs a pedal when all that happens is high pressure system is activated? Eventually the peasants got their brake pedal.
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I remember this box on the GS, my cousin had one.
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Right up there with the Alfasud - a great car that would be a classic if the rust hadn't got to it first!
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