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Remember that Crapwagon Outtake Citroen C6 we ran last week? Well, since it’s located in New York, the guys at Jalopnik went out and actually drove it.
Color us as green as this French automobile with envy.
[Photo: Raphael Orlove/Jalopnik]
54 Comments on “Jalopnik Drove Our Crapwagon Outtake Citroen C6...”
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That might be the most poncy and overly verbose article I’ve ever read. Just terrible, and I suffered through it only to learn more about the C6 – which I didn’t because the article was such fluffy garbage.
I’m so glad I don’t read articles there, thanks for reminding me why.
It’s far from the worse, but it is a bit much. He had enough material to write a real article, so why not take it in that direction?
I guess he decided using every adjective in the English language related to the word “comfortable” was preferable.
If you have driven a Citroen you would understand that this is the only way to describe it. Except if you’re trying to eplain it to someone with an engineering degree in electronically controlled massively complex hydraulic systems I guess. James May could probably make a documentary on the Citroen suspension, and enjoy it.
I thought it was fine.
An impressionistic review is exactly appropriate for a car whose specs *do not matter* to anyone (because you can’t buy one anyway, and because they’re not the point of the review).
Such a review is not interesting to everyone, but neither are all cars.
I went for the pictures and skipped most of the text.
Its a good thing you put your comment here, Jalopnik would’ve muted you.
As much as I loathe Jalopnik, I doubt its as bad as when Bertel made an article specifically on Jalopniks “content”.
That must have been before my time here – I would remember that one.
I mean, if you’re going to be ignorant and a hack, at least give people credit who politely point out corrections. This is especially true since there are ZERO Infiniti vehicles which lack a script spelling of the vehicle on the back. It’s always above the license plate.
Journalistic integrity. Have some.
I love how Jalopnik will make fun of craigslist ads, and yet they’ll make the same typos you frequently see on craigs.
I guess it’s OK to be rude so I’ll go there: Your comment is shit – thanks for the stain.
Aha!! That’s where the new Jaguar got its profile!
The funny thing is,when I saw the first article I thought it was ironic considering I had seen one around white plains ny.
With all of this press coverage, I’m afraid that the car may be end up in a US Customs scrapper. (You’ll find it next to the Land Rover parts.)
Yeah, that was the talk around the office yesterday. We might publish a video later talking about the responsibility we have bringing attention to this thing.
It would probably help the guy if you didn’t add another article that could show up in a search result, Google Alert or whatever. (He shouldn’t have put it on Craigslist in the first place, but that’s on him.)
If something bad does come of this, then perhaps he should become the poster child for getting rid of the 25-year rule. Reducing it to something more reasonable for personal imports, such as seven or ten years, would be fair. (I know that ten years wouldn’t help this guy, but you know what I mean…)
agreed. the whole thing is made ridiculous when you realize the car is perfectly safe, perfectly clean, and totally fit for American consumption. That and it’s ideal for the less-than-perfect roads we have over here, particularly around NYC.
Just a thought, but perhaps TTAC and Jalopnik could co-sponsor a petition on the White House’s We the People website to amend (not eliminate) the 25-year rule.
The whole point of the rule was to protect Ford, GM and Mercedes from used German luxury imports, not to help the consumer. I wouldn’t want to see a law that would allow BHPH lots to import third-world junk en masse, but a seven-year old car made for the EU should be perfectly fine (just so long as it passes or can be made to pass federal or California emissions and the import is personal in nature.)
This car probably wouldn’t have come close to meeting US emissions requirements for diesel engines. Even France is waking up to the horrible mistake they made by encouraging people to buy diesel powered cars.
Good point about the diesel. A gas engine might comply with federal, but a diesel would almost surely fail US federal emissions, let alone California.
A petition to the White House? This administration has shown beyond the shadow of a doubt that it does not care in the least what any United States citizen thinks.
You’re free not to sign it. But then you’re just being a whiner.
Get Jack Baruth to talk to his overlords at Road & Track, and you’d have this website, Jalopnik, R&T (and probably its sister publications Car and Driver and Popular Mechanics) all publicizing it. Do that, and Automotive News will cover it.
You can either whine to people on the internet who can’t help you, or else direct your energies toward something that might actually be productive. If you can’t be bothered to devote five seconds of your life to placing a virtual signature on a petition that is promoted by the enthusiast press and that goes straight to the White House, then what good are you exactly?
@fincar1 – Are you referring to 12 semi literate secessionists in Idaho? A whole lot of people – including the majority that elected this administration twice – thank their lucky stars that there is some protection from tin helmeted trogs who are afraid of shiny objects and anything approaching post enlightenment thought. Just my 2 cents.
This is really a non-partisan issue, anyway.
This law exists because the automakers got together during the Reagan administration to try to slow the tide of German used luxury imports. (Daimler was part of this effort, as it did not want its new cars competing against used cars from Europe.)
These laws remain on the books because nobody bothers to do anything to change them — it’s not a high priority for anybody in office and nobody is talking about it. Doing something now to change it might actually do some good.
I tip my hat to you sir, a marvelous idea.
Actually Pch, unless the car was introduced fraudulently ( counterfeit title comes to mind, like Land Rovers) Customs will more than likely not get involved. Past Customs, state DMVs only want to see the stamped paperwork and collect whatever registration fees. They will not question it too much, if any. I have a feeling this was probably done by mistake. New officer didn’t know what he was doing, stamp-stamp, down the road to DMV. Now, how he passes annual inspections ( if NY has them, I don’t know) I cannot answer.
“Now, how he passes annual inspections ( if NY has them, I don’t know) I cannot answer.”
Well, the car’s legally registered.
What more do you need?
If the CEL isn’t on and it can pass emissions and whatever ludicrous “safety inspection” the un-free states have as a full-employment-for-mechanics subsidy, why shouldn’t it pass?
Nothing says freedom like dying in an explosion!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Fertilizer_Company_explosion
I am not a big fan on inspections myself Sigivald. I am from a state where they don’t exist but I’ve been to places where they have them and they can be a royal pain.
And yet they at least do a minimum of making sure your fellow road users are not grossly unsafe. Maine’s inspection regime is a PITA at times, but I would not do away with it completely.
As one who travels the country extensively as part of my job, the things I see on the road in places that don’t have an inspection scare the crap out of me on a regular basis. And that is just the things you can see with the naked eye. I can only imagine what condition the tires, brakes, balljoints, etc. are in.
I’m no fan of state inspections either. Has anyone ever seen any data showing “inspection” states have fewer crashes, less fatalities / mile, etc?
I’d think in the era of “big data” this would be something to investigate.
Remember the joke? Best proof that the French should design a car, have Germans engineer it, have Italians spice it up, and Americans drool all over it.
Did you know why French cars are among the safest? Just observe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_bvEoao2Ps
Jeez, some people have had a bit too much coffee this morning. Lighten up. :)
You know why else I hate Jalopnik.
I created an account there just to tell the author of an Infiniti comparison (to ATS) article that he had spelled it “Infinity” throughout. My comment was “Please learn how to spell the brand of car your are reviewing, Infiniti.”
He fixed it in the article but never approved my comment. All other comments were approved. That’s bullsh1t.
Thats Kotaku for ya! Muting any and all criticism!
I got muted after acknowledging that Mazdas rust, and noting how one of their authors makes extremely repetitive articles
“You can buy this Ferrari for the price of a Yaris!”.
There are at least what, one or two of those a week?
Yah, same crap everytime too
“Buy this wrecked Corvette for the price of a Cruze!”
…or this LR2, or this Disco II, or this X-type, or this 01 TL, or this C5 A6…
This has to be the highest expression of the psychosis that makes broken people want whatever they can’t have. Buy one in Europe, and you’d be laughed out of polite society. They sold 23,400 worldwide over the course of eight years, most in the first three years of disappointing production. The fawning by the internet car hive is a boil on the face of car enthusiasm.
I think it’s only natural to want something stylish and different. On my last trip to Europe Sixt offered a C6 Estate (or equivalent) as a rental. I was disappointed when I arrived that they gave me a 3 series wagon instead. I really wanted to spend the vacation in the Citroen.
Gee CJinSD, it sure would be great if every single car enthusiast could just drive a gray Honda with a gray interior. Life would be so rich and rewarding that way. We could spend all the money saved on TCO to buy the guns to put bullets in our heads out of boredom.
As far as automotive writing goes, the Jalopnik post has only one redeeming grace–but it’s a hugely important one: it includes a wink-nod confirmation that this car is an illegal alien. Best of luck to the eventual buyer.
America needs Citroen/Peugeot/Renault dealers BADLY. I’d be a regular buyer. Vive la France!
I think the car looks beautiful and am strongly in favour of a more diverse car market. More Citroens please.
To import a car to Canada, it must be 15 years old or older. Once landed it must pass a 200 point inspection to be registered. Of course, duty and GST must be paid also. It seems silly(the 15 year rule)as surely these car pollute far more than a new one that can’t be imported.
Pollution and safety standards should be globalised, then the many people that know and like these cars would, in my mind, be happy to import them.
“Pollution and safety standards should be globalised”
Great, 10% of the cars for sale in India, Russia, or Brazil are able to be sold now. Good luck to the other 90%.
Invariably, “pollution and safety standards should be globalised” means “the US should reduce its standards.”
No, it shouldn’t.
+1
Sales flop over there with suspension deemed too firm and un-Citroen like.
Why isn’t there a bigger push for truly plush, road smothering suspensions here in the US anymore? Given the sorry state of infrastructure, maybe we will see a resurgence of ‘boulevard rides.’ Sounds like this Citroen manages both an insanely smooth ride while maintaining good control. Now I’d rather not deal with hydropneumatics, but I’m sure a reasonable compromise can be engineered using steel springs and gas shocks.
That is the magic of big French cars. They ride as smoothly as you could ever want without handling like a tugboat in a storm. Peugeot managed to do it pretty well with steel springs (and their own in-house built shocks), but Citroens and the various cars that licensed their tech (Mercedes, Rolls-Royce) are another level entirely. I still miss my 504s and 505s. Capable of crossing speedbumps at speed, yet equally able to chase a BMW down a windy back road.
Agreed. My last two cars were (are) Citroen C5s and I cannot see any alternative for a quiet, comfortable cruiser. Buick gave up this market years ago when they started seeking a younger buyer. (With no money).
I don’t have any diesel, it’s a 3 litre. v6 and I think it is a variant of the Ford engine used in the Mondeo. There have been no real issues in 80,000km between the two – a couple of bulbs, a couple of ignition coils and one bearing in the rear swing arm.
It’s been said before, but the “big, comfortable full-size” segment has been taken over by 1/2-ton crew-cab trucks.
I thought the article quite informative. The reason I think this kind of car has disappeared is that the modern emphasis on the quantitative obscures the value of the qualitative. The C6 is about ride quality and well-being not mph and acceleration. I have a Citroen XM and I’ve driven the CX too. They put you in a different, relaxed but thoughtful and engaged state of mind. The XM is probably an even nicer car than the C6 because as well as the smooth ride its steering is more direct, the trunk is bigger and the rear even roomier. It doesn’t accelerate too quickly in two-litre form but can cruise comfortably at 90 for hours on an autobahn and still get 28 imperial miles per gallon. At a steady 80 mph it will travel 550 miles on a tank (17,6 gallons to the C6’s 15 gallons).
The review seems to ignore the fact that the C6 also corners well, and is easy to drive around narrow medieval streets. It’s not only comfort; it’s a brilliant machine in other ways also.