Citroen C6 test drive since 2006 hatchback

The pride of Normandy

Jacques Shirak drives on such Citroen C6. And why didn’t the author want to take his place?
 
The French have their own pride. By definition, the President of the Republic cannot use the German limousine, and is simply obliged to move in the representative sedan of domestic production. More precisely, in the pride of the Norman engineering Citroen C6. This car is actually literally permeated by the French spirit, it contains charm. But it seemed to me that in the market he hardly became the number alone.
 
A symbol of avant -garde
 
The French origin of C6 is striking right away, you just have to glance at him. And at the same time, it is not at all necessary to see the recognizable front part, the whole style of which is created around the branded chevrons. All body lines, an unexpected combination of sharp faces and rounded surfaces, the proportion and shape of each detail - everything simply shouts about the national design school. And everything is very avant -garde, bold, decisively. Without fear of breaking the prevailing stereotypes regarding how the representative of the representative class should look like.
 
But - does not warm. Personally, of course, me. For some, the exterior C6 will be, as they say, in the subject, and will become a determining factor when choosing a car. This someone, I think, should be a man, very confident in himself, and in the infallibility of his taste. Because Citroen C6 is unusual. Our sharp people in his tongue managed to christen him Carlson, and I guess why. Due to proportions, for example.
 
For example, it is not clear to me why so rounded and elongated should be combined with sharp faces of complex lighting technology. Just because these faces are continued in the proprietary emblem and chrome stripes instead of the front lattice? And there is so much shiny metal that it generally seems to be the main decorative element. Emphasizes the sides and silhouette of glazing. And at the same time makes the stern, as it were, a separate part, not related to the front. One is rounded, the other is with a strange break, sharp corners. Badly, you can’t say otherwise. All this beauty ends with a strip on the bumper and two pipe of the exhaust system, for some reason bent down, as if they were ashamed. But, I repeat, someone may like it. After all, there are people who learn about cars only from glamorous magazines.
 
In the salon, as a guest
 
I’ll start with the curious: I opened the door, and did not see a window frame. Only glass, like a real sports car. I easily sank into a soft seat, closed the door, and then the street disappeared - only the silence and the pleasant smell of a new car. In other words, the glasses are thick, and the sound insulation is excellent.
 
I look around, and I understand that the avant -garde topic is also present in the decoration of the interior. But there are more familiar things. For example, the central console. It is dotted with buttons, which only the owner of Peugeot can quickly understand. If it were not for the semicircular compartment in the lower part, it was possible to decide that it was not in Citroen C6, but, say, in Peugeot 407 - everything is an exact copy of the PSA alliance. True, there are also significant differences like a mushroom with a color monitor at the top or a drowned in the depths of the electronic instrument panel panel. And all the same strange combination of ovals, sharp faces and chromium. Fortunately, metal against the background of natural wood and skin does not cause special objections. But all the same, I did not leave the feeling that I was not at home, but visiting, it hurt everything in some kind of alien taste. Although they do not argue about tastes.
 
The steering wheel, of course, is sheathed with leather and adjustable both in height and in departure. Adjusting the seat, like in Mercedes, migrated to the side of the door, and let the range arrange even the president of France, figure out what's what is happening is not so simple. Under the door armor is another wooden semicircle with a chrome pen. Click on it - the compartment will open for any small things, carefully sheathed with soft black material. The same compartments are in all doors. A small luggage can be placed in addition to the central armrest and in a rather spacious glove compartment. And in general, the luggage of the owner of the C6 should not have problems - the spacious compartment has a volume of 488 liters, as well as a hatch for long objects. The backs of the rear seats are folded both in whole and in parts.
 
I also note a good sound quality from the JBL audio system, which can be controlled by a joystick on a steering column (Hello Peugeot!).
 
It is spacious in the rear seats, and it is convenient to get and get out of the car. There are plenty of legs, the seats themselves are equipped with servo drives. Although the adjustment algorithm is somewhat unusual. You press the button, and the chair begins to lay out - the pillow lengthens, and the back is flooded back. Moreover, everything happens at the same time - there is one button. It’s good that the process can be stopped at any time. In a word, with this principle of organizing passenger places, I had a chance to encounter for the first time.
 
Representative drive
 
Actually, C6 is offered with one of two 6-cylinder power units. One, the most popular in France, a 2.7-liter turbodiesel with a capacity of 208 hp, will not be delivered to Russia. The second, I tested, is a V-shaped 3.0-liter gasoline engine that is aggregated exclusively with a 6-speed automatic transmission.
 
This engine is well familiar from other models of the PSA concern, and therefore the dynamic qualities of Citroen C6 did not become a revelation. The characteristic of the power unit is unthinkable, due to which acceleration is smooth, although confident. AKP programs switch quietly and imperceptibly. You are like inside the large ocean liner, measuredly dissecting calm waters. Even some thoughtfulness of the automatic transmission, which is never in a hurry to jump at low speed for the supply of gas, is perceived quite natural. If I did not fall asleep after the first kilometers, then only thanks to a cup of coffee and music. And in other respects C6 - the car is not for hot heads.
 
The steering wheel is so light that it can literally twist it with a little finger. With increasing speed, it is reluctantly heavy, but still remains supple. In addition, the number of revolutions from the stop to the stop is large, no less than three, which does not set up in a combat mood. And the pendants? They are designed only for a comfortable, measured ride. Even if you use the sports mode of operation of shock absorbers, which is done by a simple press of the button near the ACP handle, the body rolls are reduced, but not so much that the hunt for the ligaments of the turns appear. But, thanks to proprietary pneumatics and hydraulics, C6 can be raised a little, if, say, it was required to cross a couple of deep ditches. And at high speed, the body itself will drop a little to lower the center of gravity. Therefore, with stability with straightforward movement, there are no problems. The representative Citroen generally behaves stably, even calmly, which leaves pleasant impressions.
 
That's it, I’m driving me to sleep, so I’ll finish the tongue twister: there is ESP, there are good brake mechanisms, and there is a price of $ 62,880. We note, we note, a competitive price. It remains to find a sufficient number of fans of the French style in Russia, and middle -aged, to whom adrenaline is contraindicated for medical reasons.
 
Text: Andrey Osipov
 
 

Source: Newspaper "Automobile Izvestia" [No. 20 (109), 2006]