Citroën Visa, GS, AX, BX and XM: Books - History

Citroën GS & GSA: Citroën’s avant-garde mid-range cars

Citroën was late with a mid-range model. The competition had had models in this segment for a long time, but when Citroën presented the GS in August 1970 with its streamlined design, fantastic suspension, avant-garde dashboard and spacious boot, it immediately set a new standard in its class.

Admittedly, there were some weaknesses, but despite this, the car represented a particularly well-balanced whole. Citroën rapidly expanded the GS range with an estate car and the practical Service van. The top model was the Birotor, a GS with a Wankel rotary engine.
In September 1979, the GS was succeeded by the GSA, a thoroughly modernised car and now with the addition of a long-awaited fifth door. In mid-1986, after sixteen years of successful production, the final GSA left the factory.

In this book author Marc Stabèl describes the history of the Citroën GS and GSA. Through numerous facts and additional photos, some of which have never been published before, the development, background and historical context are explained extensively, as well as the evolution of all types from year to year.

Compared to the Dutch-language book on the GS and GSA, which Citrovisie published in 2016, this English-language version has been updated and expanded by 36 pages.

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BX - A new generation of Citroën

The BX: with its avant-garde dashboard, streamlined design, semi-concealed rear wheels and hydropneumatic suspension was a traditional Citroën. Its razor-sharp styling, however, was a radical break with all the brand's design traditions. The BX incorporated new, lightweight materials, was the first Citroen to be designed with computer assistance and was a huge leap forward in quality.

Over the years, the introduction of variants such as an estate car, a version with automatic transmission, numerous diesel models and all kinds of sporty versions and special, limited series contributed to the continuous success, so that the BX ultimately not only helped the ailing Citroën company recover, but also went down in history as one of the most successful Citroëns ever.

Author Thijs van der Zanden describes in this book the history of the Citroën BX, from the first prototypes in the early seventies, until the last BX which rolled off the production line in 1994.
Compared to Citrovisie's first BX book, this book has been updated with new photos and extra visual material. To meet the needs of non-Dutch-speaking readers as well, this edition has been translated into English by Citroën expert Julian Marsh.

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La Citroën BX de mon père

In 1982, Citroën came back from afar. Now in the PSA fold, the firm had to design a striking car that was a candidate for success. The challenge would be twofold, because the new model had to retain some of the brand's values ??so as not to scare off loyal customers, while getting rid of "fantasies" in order to win over a wider audience.
From the start, the BX would very quickly be supported by versions incorporating, some for the first time, Peugeot technology. The Sport, the GTI, the 16 Valves, the 4x4, not to mention the estate manufactured by Heuliez and the 4TC would form a family that we invite you to rediscover.

This book (new edition), through documents, photographs and testimonies, traces the career of this Citroën, including in competition. With its taut Italian lines, it will meet with great success and will allow Citroën to return to the forefront. The BX saved the double chevron, its successors Xantia and Xsara will finish putting it back on its feet.

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La Citroën XM de mon père

On May 23, 1989, the public discovered the Citroën XM. With it, Citroën offered a great spectacle of automotive technology, in the tradition of the Traction Avant, DS, SM and CX. And yet it could have never been born.
During the 1980s, the future of the chevron brand was truly in the hot seat and owed its survival only to the success of the BX, red and conquering. No less flamboyant, the XM completed the work of rebuilding Citroën and consolidated the brand's place within the PSA group.

The result of a long investigative work, interspersed with numerous interviews, useful for understanding the context of the birth of the XM, the technical choices and the design, this book brings the 1980s and 1990s back to life at the heart of PSA, and also deals with the evolutions of the model, numerous despite appearances, without omitting initiatives outside the PSA group (ambulances, extended version and limousine).

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La Citroën Visa de mon père

The Citroën Visa appeared in 1978 at the end of a long gestation period troubled by the takeover of the brand by Peugeot. After a difficult start to its career due to a style that was not unanimously popular, the beneficial restyling by Yves Dubernard's team allowed the new Visa to make its place on the market.
The Visa would be supported by numerous Special Series both in France and abroad and by aggressive advertising campaigns; under the impetus of Guy Verrier, it would support Citroën's return to international motor racing.

• Richly illustrated, this book traces in detail the history and evolution of the Citroën Visa (with air-cooled and water-cooled engines).
• This volume of the "La voiture de mon père" collection is not only a source of in-depth information for the owner, but also a concise guide to originality.
• The technology, variants, modifications and special versions are described in detail.
• Also covers manufacturing abroad, particularly in Spain and Uruguay.
• Contains more than 200 period photos, many of which have never been seen before.

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La Citroën GS de mon père

Designed in less than two years, the Citroën GS is a walking miracle. Started at short notice, completed during the strikes of May 1968, and launched in a hurry in the spring of 1970, the GS will be the one that will save the brand with the chevrons from bankruptcy.

A concentrate of technology, comfort and efficiency, the GS will lead a career of fifteen years with its extension in GSA. The career of the GS is examined here, without forgetting the new projects, the competition or its extraordinary international career.

Popular and practical, the GS and GSA lived a crossing of the desert from which they are today emerging through the big door, that of the recognition of collectors. A revelation? The GS was the most produced Citroën after the 2 CV...

• Richly illustrated, this book is dedicated to Citroën GS cars from the years 1970-1986.
• Retraces in detail the history and evolution of the GS.
• This volume of the collection "La voiture de mon père" is not only a source of in-depth information for the owner, but also a concise guide to originality.
• The technique, variants, modifications and special versions are described in detail.
• Also deals with manufacturing abroad.
• Contains 250 period photos, often unpublished.

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La Citroën AX de mon père

In 1986, the Citroën AX marked the manufacturer's return to the small car market with a completely new model.
Initially designed as a replacement for the 2 CV, it moved away from it to adapt to the automobile market of the mid-1980s and was inspired in particular by the Eco 2000 research project on the economy.

Find out the genesis of this vehicle, the result of the joint work of the PSA group entities, and its developments year after year. Available in many versions, from the economical AX 10 to the sparkling AX GTi, without forgetting the AX Diesel and their "Revolutionary" consumption, as the famous advertisement said.

• Richly illustrated, this book is dedicated to the Citroën AX from 1986-1999.
• Retraces in detail the history and evolution of the Citroën AX.
• This volume of the "La voiture de mon père" collection is not only a source of in-depth information for the owner, but also a concise guide to originality.
• The technology, variants, modifications and special versions are described in detail.
• Contains more than 200 period photos, often unpublished.

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Kleintjes in crisistijd: de geschiedenis van de Citroëns LN, LNA, Visa, Oltcit, Axel en C15

This book describes the history of the compact Citroëns that appeared between 1975 and 1985: the LN, LNA, Visa, Oltcit, Axel and the C15 van, derived from the Visa.

The development of these cars coincided with a period of crisis in Citroën's history. Bad strategic choices, financial problems, the oil crisis, the takeover by Peugeot, the search for a new identity...

Using numerous previously unpublished photos and facts, author Thijs van der Zanden explains how Citroën attempted to develop a new compact model under these circumstances.
A great deal of attention is paid to the history, context and backgrounds, but the exact evolution per type and overviews of upholstery, body colours, production figures and technical data are also amply covered.

This makes this book an easy-to-read and indispensable reference work for anyone who wants to know everything about a hitherto underexposed period in Citroën history.

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