Why the Citroen C6

 The inspiration for the super luxurious C6 came from the C6 Lignage which was first shown to the public in spring of 1999 at the Geneva Motor Show, this concept only shows minor differs in detail to the C6, which was released as a replacement for the tired looking Citroen XM.

It was originally hoped that the C6 would go into production and hit the market by the end of 2001, but when the XM ceased production in 2000, the C6 was nowhere to be seen until its release five years later.

Previous to its official release, former president of France, Jacques Chirac was given a pre-series car and chose it as his official car, understandably it was also the first choice for the French ambassador to the U.K who chose the car which came with the number plate “FRA 1”.

After spending the day in a fantastic used Citroen C6, it was clear to see why they selected this outstandingly stylish alternative.

When I initially saw this huge fastback, my first impressions were mixed! From the outside of the used Citroen, it looks like some sort of futuristic limousine, typical of Citroen style, with its easily recognisable curves and lines, and that distinctive boot. As for the inside, it was just like a limousine, the rear seats were taken from a TGV train, (option extra in exclusive model only) and came fully heated and electrically adjustable I even had the option to recline or slide them. Comfort was certainly at the top of the list when they designed this car.

As I am driven away from the dealership, I familiarise myself with the back of the car, and find a button in the centre armrest area, as I push this button I look around and for a moment I struggle to see what it I doing! As I pay a little more attention I see that the front seat is moving forwards giving me even more room in the back, no bad for my used Citroen C6!

When looking to a buy used Citroen C6, you have 3 options for interior specification, standard, Lignage, and Exclusive. All models come with electric front seats, MP3 compatible audio system with colour screen, speed sensitive rear spoiler, alloy wheels, automatic lights, rain sensitive wipers, automatic climate control and an electric parking break as standard.

 Extra for the Lignage is the Citroen head up display, front and rear parking sensors, and directional xenon headlamps. Finally the Exclusive will come with all the above plus, heated front and rear leather seats, wood and chrome trim, satellite navigation system, lane departure warning system, and a premium audio system with a 6CD auto-changer.

As we continue to cruise along, this huge Citroen feels like a spaceship that rides on air, which is refreshingly different, engine noise is at a minimum, which is probably due to the fact that it has laminated, double glazed windows! The comfort of the ride in the used Citroen C6 is mainly down to the Hydractive 3+ suspension, which is electronically controlled by the driver.

It is clear to see how the used Citroen C6 is known as one of the safest cars on the road, not only for the occupants, but for the pedestrians, this was the first car achieve 4 stars for pedestrian protection thanks to it pop-up bonnet – sensors behind the front bumper detect if something or someone has hit it, and triggers the bonnet to pop up by 65mm at the base of the windscreen, providing a cushioning effect!

New, these Citroen's are built to order, so getting one could take a while, but if you choose to look for a used Citroen C6, the best place to find one would be a Citroen dealer, and even this would probably come as a bit of a challenge, and the most popular model on the market is the 2.7 V6 HDi Linage, which to be fair is very well equipped, and has reasonable running costs. 

Your used Citroen C6 would easily give you a top speed of 149mph, returning around 38.2mpg, with a 0-62 in 8.2 seconds. The Co2 emissions are at 195g/km making the road fund licence £215, they also say that the suspension system shouldn’t need maintaining for 5 years or 125,000 miles.

So if you are looking for something that stands out from the crowd, and offers you extreme luxury at a snippet of the price of some of the other manufacturers, I would highly recommend the fantastic used Citroen C6. I have undoubtedly enjoyed my day in the C6, and could definitely get used to being driven around in it all day!