Erratum: The 2nd gen C6 was based on the PSA PF3 platform. Thanks to Lucas for tracking this down (and editing English & French Wikipedia so we all get smarter). Big Car Podcast: Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/big-car-bitesized-car-history/id1734663230 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/1tEQK1WPlF9hknD2dhdInn Google Podcasts: podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2JpZ2Nhci9mZWVkLnhtbA KZfaq Podcasts: kzfaq.info/sun/PLZrM9eSdaLo56iHx58zu2Plw6rTYLgyf2 Amazon Music/Audible: music.amazon.com/podcasts/cf15574a-9d87-4a9c-89ad-6cc15579f121PlayerFM: player.fm/series/3556286 iHeartRadio: iheart.com/podcast/156870118 ListenNotes: www.listennotes.com/podcasts/big-car-bitesized-car-history-big-car-S-irqaQdE5b/ Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/podcasts/big-car-bitesized-car-history-5646040 Boomplay: www.boomplaymusic.com/podcasts/93546

Just 2-3 weeks ago i made my dream come true. I purchased a V6 petrol C6 from Spain, with 96k km and absolutely every option available for this model. The car is marvelous magic on wheels ❤

The C6, another amazing car that unfortunately didn't work out. Meanwhile we are saddled with more and more suvs, crossovers and other unimaginative boring blobs.

It might've been a flop but the moment the last one rolled off the production line, the makers of the car knew it would be a classic.

The C6 was also a car used by some French presidents, of whom Jacques Chirac, a true Citroën lover (he used a CX before). Thank you for this recap of the C6's history! 🇫🇷

I have a 2009 C6 2.7HDi Exclusive with the TGV seats. Absolute unit of a car, and the best thing in the world to do miles in. She's a keeper for me tbh.

The suspension is actually very different from the one in the XM The fluid is synthetic, the height correction is electronic (which allowed the car to lower at highway speed and raise in rough terrain), and the dampers were automatically adaptive and had 16 different positions. It is essentially an entirely new system.

The suspension is so good they mount a TV camera on the roof to run parallel with horse race tracks TO SHOW A NON SHAKING IMAGE - no other car would be suitable.

France biggest automotive flop is hands down the Renault Vel Satis. Nothing comes even close to that dumpster fire of a car. Citroën never expected to sell big numbers of the C6, unlike Renault which had deluded hopes (and investments to match).

To me, it seems like a very worthy successor to the XM - maybe Citroen's worst mistake was the delay in getting it to market in time for the XM's demise. I tried the driving position in Geneva, 2005 and got the impression of a high quality starship enterprise. I don't think that Citroen failed its public, more like the public failed Citroen.

I saw one today and it's still a spaceship from the future.

YESSSSS!!!! Do the C5 next. I’m sitting in my C5 right now! The Irish State ordered a top spec C6 in 2008 for a former President as his state car. He was an elderly man and passed away before it could be prepared and delivered to him/his driver. It sat in a compound for 4 years before an enthusiast got his hands on it. It’s only used sparingly now.

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="830">13:50</a> Missed opportunity to name the concept the E-9 (as in E-neuf). I’ll see myself to the nearest exit.

Citroen C6 was a love in the first sight. But it's a shame that depending on the country you live in, the maintenance cost is unfeasible

Superb storytelling ! Maybe in sales figures it was a flop. But as a imagebuilder and flagship of technologie it was a pure winner.

Adore the side profile shot of the concept. The rear lights, the wheels, and the rear hinge doors give such a presence to it that altogether got lost in the production version in my opinion

The last great Citroen. Classic.

ahh, the C6! my brother and i got this as a rental when we did our portugal and spain roadtrip in 2008. ended up getting a speeding ticket for doing a 145 in a 120 (sent all the way back to us in the US). in any case, i still remember the car all these years later, the lane departure thumping in the seat, the smooth ride, how snazzy it looked...

The old C6 telephone 📞 was so that you could call to your chauffeur to give directions or complain about something. (“Turn on the heat”)

I've always loved the lines and the overall design of the C6, it's a great example of the characteristic French futurism design wave. Large Citroens have always been unique and it's a real shame their lineage didn't make it to today. I suppose a modern day equivalent to the C6 is the C5 X, but then again it's a Wagon, so it comes closer to the Break variants than the Sedans.

The interior was very Saab-esque with it's dark night panel, the complicated cup holders and the two level armrest. To me, it's still a perfect car, the only problem was it was a Citroën and the dealership network is abysmal. I had the V6 HDI, had a few reliability issues with the cooling system and the gearbox, other than that, amazing car. And the rear glass was actually self cleaning, if you were cruising along at 130km/h with the rear spoiler up (was automatic, I have a video showing it) you could see water going up and down the glass and cleaning it, no need for rear wiper.

I loved mine but it ate suspension components, mainly because they were taken from. Peugeot 407. It’s also made some people sick due to its inability to settle on the motorway. But it was still awesome

One of the few C6’s in the US is at Lane Motor in Nashville. Impressive looking car in person. Check it if in the area.

I remember fondly scrolling the web for pics and videos of the C6. It was such a great time for french cars, loved the C5II, C6 and the Vel Satis. Such iconic masterpieces and it is so weird knowing that this happened almost 20 years ago.

I really like the lines of the C6 today, but I barely paid attention to it back when it was current. Perhaps it wasn't exciting from a performance standpoint, but I'd take an early example with manual transmission and the TD - That plus that incredible suspension sounds pretty good as a vintage, stylish highway cruiser. Thanks Andy for another fantastic video!

I always loved the side and rear profiles but hated the globular front. If only Citroen would make an updated version of the gorgeous CX!

For me, the main problem with the C6 was the disappointing, inconsistent and downright awkwardly designed dashboard. Everything that had looked so promising in the concept car was done wrong here. The roof above the center display should have been round in any case, whereas the cross-section of the control panel should have been less convex, roundish and inflated. The horizontal should have been emphasized more strongly and a visual focal point should have been created in front of the driver. In addition, the production car lacks interesting materials and valuable details on the dashboard. With the hefty prices that Citroen charged for the C6, customers simply expected more than the C6 offered.

A big fan of horrible but interesting big French Luxo barges ever since my father had a Renault 25 that was a brilliant car yet so many problems. The C6 or C5 of the same era would be a dream car with the hydro suspension. Currently own a 407 with all it's weird styling and idiosyncrasies. Love it. Great video.

I never owned one, but the Citroën BX diesel was a nippy motor with excellent MPG and entertaining road holding. It was practical, too. I've not seen a BX on the road for at least 20 years.

I have one; I had it for five years. It has fantastic comfort and a unique driving feeling. Not as “solid” as German cars of the era, but who remembers them now?

What a beautiful car. Greetings from Cologne in Germany. Michael

I worked for Citroen when the C6 was released and for the duration of it's production run. I was in Fleet sales and fleet managers would not touch it with a barge pole due to it's depreciation and residual values especially with leasing options. I do not think that the car should have flopped at all, but that Citroen badge compared to it's German counterparts and the badge snobs, well it was doomed for those two reasons.

I still miss mine. Had one (2.7 v6 diesel) for around 6 years though once it reached about 100k miles (I put around 60-70k of those on it) I started to get an increasing number of issues including a turbos and the (Japanese) automatic gear box, both sorted under 3rd party warranty. When the second turbo went not long after the first was repaired I chickened out. Once more have a car with a head up display, but even with active matrix headlights I still miss the turning lights. Also the 'magic pillow' air con system was a second to none for comfort. You never felt the air flow unless the fan was on full, the only downside was a spot middle upper of the windscreen which would not clear unless you put the blower on the windscreen. Had two tyre blow outs in mine. First was front left due to a pot hole on an unlit country road at night. Was powerful enough it warped the alloy slightly but only found out there was more to the bang than the sudden drop of the car the next morning when I found my C6 was drooping. The second was the rear right, and again the car was fully drivable, though on that occasion it did feel like there was a strong wind on the rear. Bluetooth was only available on the last year of production, so mine never had it. I actually used a bluetooth speaker system clipped on to the driver sun visor. The uprated stereo system (optional on the middle spec version I had) had a useful hard drive, though I had the optional extra USB port added for playing audiobooks and MP3s. Depreciation wise, this was what made me hunt for a 3-4 year old car as I knew I would get a bargain, however I later discovered the second hand values were only the same as a comparable BMW 5 series or Mercedes E class that was one year older. Downsides were emissions, resulting in a high car tax when the values changed (the 3 litre v6 turbo diesel had similar performance but better economy and far superior emissions), economy was not great, and many parts were bespoke and made to order, as we found out when the specialist I used had a driver accidentally reverse in to mine. Took about 7-10 days for a replacement bumper to arrive. Was a superb waft mobile, Performance (mid 8s to 60 and ~135 top end) were not important, you just arrived in perfect comfort and without giving a damn about what time it was.

I really enjoy the quality of your videos, thanks again

I love your videos, mate! Keep 'em coming please!

Another great video. I adore big French execs, especially the C6, very underrated. My favourite is the XM and yes, of course I’ve watched your video of the XM. Fantastic channel, thanks for making.

Thanks for the video. This is a car that always intrigued me, as I hardly ever saw one whilst on my travels in the UK. I saw a photo of one in a magazine and it looked absolutely stunning. After watching your video, I know now why I have hardly seen any. Thanks again. 👍🏻🚗

I am from the uss i know nothing about most of the cars you speak of, regardless i watch all of the content you produce. I love it. I never stop

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="833">13:53</a> That DS9 concept...😍😍😍

I have a c6 exclusive and contrary to the armchair experts it's been very reliable. Never failed to start nor left me stranded. Most mechanical parts are shared with the 407 so parts aren't too expensive in reality. It's comfortable and quiet and great for long distances. I love the fact i hardly ever see another and in a sea of all the same audi and bmw's it's a breath of fresh air.

One of many (semi)luxury french cars that I have a lingering irrational lust after (the equally gorgeous and avant garde sale failure Renault Avantime being another of those. Every time I spot a C6 (does not happen that often), it is immediately crowned "Car of the Day" - surely, I won't see anything cooler than that - Simply gorgeous. If I had unlimited finances... - sigh -

I saw it for the first time in Paris about 10 years ago. Fell in love with it, to me it was one of the best looking modern cars that I've seen. It still is. Sadly, I've never ridden in one.

Beautiful cars. Thanks for the review

The first time i saw one was when it was released, a black one driving passed st Pancreas station in London very early in a morning with no traffic...It was stunning.

This car was soo fucking sexy. I remember seeing as a teen in Australia at one of the rare Citroen dealers here(when I somehow convinced my Mum to buy a C4 another Citroen I loved with the weird steering wheel) and thought it wasn't even from this world, I have been obsessed with it since to this day. The last true Citroen imo.

For some strange reason I always loved this car 😊

The C6 looks amazing it looks like today's cars but better😊😊❤❤

My dad owns a C5 from 2005 since I am a little kid, it is by far the most confortable car I've ever driven, can't even imagine the C6 ride

I have the opportunity to borrow one of these cars from a friend of mine back in the day when the C6 was still new and shiny. It was necessary for me to drive to the other side of the state (I live in Victoria Australia). It was necessary for to drive to a town called Mildura on a family emergency. Mildura is a seven hour drive from where I live in Melbourne. I basically drove from Melbourne to Madeira transacted my small personal business but back in the car filled it up at the BP petrol station and drove back to Melbourne. One hour on the ground and 14 solid hours in the car. I think it's the longest drive I've ever done in my life in one go. The C6 was a truly incredible car to drive it had a ride better than any other vehicle I've ever driven and when I stepped out of the car I did so refreshed and comfortable without even a hint of stress on my back. It's a tragedy that the C6 didn't take off it was a truly Landmark vehicle.

You, sir, have splendid voice and qualities of speech. This Canadian 🇨🇦 loves listening to you.

How random, I saw one of these driving near my place in Brisbane, Australia last week, probably haven't seen one in more than 15 years, as they were very rare here... and then you release this video!

A general comment - I ma most impressed with the thoroughness and complete history which you are able to display in a most entertaining way. Bravo, sir!

Well done as always!! The last family car I bought was a Renault Vel Satis, because I couldn't get a C6 for the same money. Now, 7 years later, I'm thinking again about whether I should part with the Renault for the Citroen. Both are underrated, practical, economical and comfortable touring cars. And even the reliability is very good, at least with the Ph2 Vel Satis.

They are considered classics already. They go for double or more or an equivalent A6, E class or 5 Series. I love the huge wood pieces on the doors. This car so special, has a real sense of occasion. Every trip in the car is fun, as long as it keeps working. A true DS successor. They really don't make 'em like this anymore.

I love watching your videos 👏🏻

Great vid❤

Your stories are fabulous, and remind me of quality William Woollard and Chris Goffey reviews. Every time i see a car i fancy i click on Big Car to see a professional outlook 🤛💪👍

Thank you for this interesting report.In my opinion the C6 is underrated.I like it. Greetings from Germany

Excellent video. Like the quiet, informative and detailed style of this channel. C6 a magical concept redolent of the DS23 era, but society had changed too much to accept that being different is now seen to be a weakness. No character, predictability and slow, boring evolution is the future. What a shame. Who will look back and be inspired by the design tour-de-force and originality of an Audi?

Great video I did love the BX and XM

Great video! Having owned a c6 for a few years in the uk. I can say the ride was a little bit crashy in town which was disappointing. It was amazing on motorways and dual carriageways. The bigger problem was that a lot of Citroen dealers didn’t really want to work on them. Parts were getting hard to source and fuel and road tax meant it was nearly as expensive to run as a Range Rover. Still loved it and might import a petrol one from Japan.

THIS is how you do a flagship saloon. Beautiful

It’s one of the best looking modern Citroens in my opinion.

In my automotive engineering class we used this car as a studymodel, a fanboy teacher told us that it has 5km of wiring under the hood, and it showed, everything was build the old way, no computers, no smart nothing. This thing then was ridiculous, especialy for it's time.

Especially since the takeover of Chrysler and Alfa you really do wonder why the heck they never made ONE really good RWD platform. Throw in a ZF 8-speed, an inline 6 and a V8, some PHEV, and some stunning design: One American (fat muscle), one Italian (sporty and curvy) and one French (hyper chic…like the new Peugeots or Renaults), all with really good proportions and reliable tech (screw getting too connected and assisted). But that ship has sailed, now all is going somehow electric and this is opportunity will be forever lost.

Citroën introduced the C6 concept car in the early 2000s but didn't put it into the production until five years later, wearing lot of people's patience. My father's best friend was a lifelong Citroën aficionado, starting with DS in the 1960s then a series of CX in the 1970s and 1980s before switching to XM in the 1990s. He had leased almost all of the CX and XM due to his corporate position. When the lease for his XM came to end, he was offered either Xantia or Xsara as C5 and C6 weren't ready. The pitiful Xantia and Xsara soured his long-time relationship with Citroën. He switched to Audi A6, which he continued to drive to this day. The Citroën sales centre even offered him a free C6 for a week when it was finally released to the public, but he flatly turned the offer down.

There's one major problem that plagued the C6: The drive trains reliability. No matter which engine, the package was going to potentially break early. It was an engineering failure from the start. Citroen failed to learn a lesson from the original DS: You can introduce a lot of new features, even some that are potentially going to fail - but you need to provide a bullet proof engine and drive train. Which, surprisingly, the original DS had. All of the hydraulic shenanigans this car featured were offset by a true relic of an engine which had proven its worth in the Traction Avant for a long time, it wasn't very sophisticated but it wouldn't quit. Now, in comparison the C6 features engines and drive trains that just disintegrate without warning, causing extremely costly repairs early on.

Just gotta say the 05 C6 looks like an Altima. Thanks for the video.

A fantastic insight into the C6. It's a car I would love to own as a Citroen Enthusiast but scared to take the plunge. I drove a C5X for my channel a few days back and I think this is a sucessor to the C6 in some ways.

I love my C6 in my 8 years of ownership. Not a cheap car to run but nothing has that class for a 16 year old Citroen C6. Even today I had comments on it by a car park attendant.

The point of DS wasn't really to have a proper competitor to German luxury cars, but to strip Citroën of its image of building nicer cars than the equivalent Peugeots, and force Citroën down-market. The "P" in PSA still stood for something after all

Thank you ❤ for this video C6 is on my favourite cars. Please, do the Fiat Panda now 😅

Thanks for doing my (and probably countless other people's) suggestion! My parents drive a 2014 Citroen C5 sedan,and I have to say it is a great car,even if it has no hydropneumatic suspension. Still very comfortable nonetheless. My dad actually wanted a C6 ,but unfortunately all cars for sale of this model in the region were in questionable condition,and with the unreliable 2.7 diesel too. They ended up settling for the C5,which was recently imported from France and had only 100 000 kilometers on it. It was a much better choice at the time (2020). The pearl gray paint looked (and still looks) brand new. It has the 2.0HDI diesel,which along with VW's 1.9TDI is one of the most reliable diesel engines in this class. Needless to say, it's a great car. Even if it's a bit "usual" by C6 standards. Thank you for reading my personal big Citroen story!

Saw one today, parked a couple of streets down the road from my place. I've seen it parked in the area a few times. It looks amazing inside...acres of leather.

Hey there Big Car! Please do the Citroen C4! It’s a very successful Citroen model and it’s also very successful at the Rally tracks!

one of my favourite cars the C6, loved the facel vega rear lights, also love the last of the Saab 95s 🤩

The effective replacement (the DS9) is giving the C6 a run for it's money for most disastrous Citroen product. I believe they have sold fewer than 5000 in 4 years of production.

I don't get the comments about it looking nice or impressive. If you put one in any random parking lot between a Camry and Accord 99/100 people would walk right by it without giving it a second look. It looks just as bland as any other silver blob sedan on the road today to me.

I have always loved it. There was one around the corner from where I live, often parked next to a 1st gen Bentley Continental GT.

Regular viewer here, could you please one day do the story of the Murcielago? It would be fantastic

I am so so happy your latest video is of the C6! For the SM you shouldn’t have shown the US version. The original with the 6 headlights behind a car-width glass cover and the inner lights swivelling is so much better. The US never understood this car. Missing the C7 name, I heard a story from within Citroen/PSA that there were plans for a large coupé based on the C6, that would have been the C7, but these plans never were followed up seriously. I think the idea was even lingering for some time, but there was no way to convince PSA. At this point I must admit I have a Citroen XM, the Y4 facelift as a V6. And yes, I do use it as a daily! What a wonderful car, still reliable, still in comfort and sportiness unbeaten. I also must admit my life philosophy is “Women should be curvy and cars should be square!” I love my XM being left field, but it is not only unusual, it is super functional, with 5 doors (little child and a pram) and the way it drives. I love hatchbacks, but Citroen doesn’t. The XM is a hatchback, but it has the so called “13th window” under the tailgate to avoid rear passengers getting a draft. Why did they not carry this on in the C6? But this is where I start getting its design. I must say even as a Citroen fan, when the C6 came out, I hated its curvy looks and tiny, slim headlamps. When the C6 was launched, I would not have wanted it because it was ugly. But isn’t exactly that how something special starts? A car that is neither ugly, nor nice, has no character and can never grow on the fan! Years later I get it in a huge style! It may be roundy, but it looks so different to anything BMW, Audi, Merc! It’s not only that, Citroen again was well ahead of their times. The C6 has this small digital instrument panel. This is maybe not a first, but it is maybe the first car with head up display standard and the entire dash designed around a centre sat nav! Today this is standard, but Citroen had that 20 years ago!!!! It may not have a tailgate, but Citroen already added that 13th window to the XM and the C6 rear window is concave, reminding on the CX. It goes on: That Chinese C6 is a VW Passat, and here VW is a synonymon for boring! Sadly (my personal taste) I have to say the same about the DS9. Just why? The Peugeot 508 looks far more interesting and sporty than the DS9. The DS9 to me looks like a VW or Hyundai. The real surprise: in that trio of cars for me the nicest is the Citroen C5 X! It may look comparatively cheap, and it doesdn’t cost much indeed, but it is a car that can’t be sorted into the norms, is it a sedan, is it a hatch, is it an estate, maybe 5-door coupé? The C5 X is not beautiful first sight, but it is functional, it has the rear door wedge kink as the XM…. Maybe PSA (Stellantis) does not everything right. But in that trio, the DS9 bores me to tears, the 508 is the nicest, but I have a feeling the C5 X is the one I remember and love the most in 20 years time! The C6 is not my style. But it is A style. And nowadays suddenly I see it as a car that could replace my XM! Only thing is, what was Citroen’s strength could now be their problem. The C6 was too ahead of its time. Too many electronics. The V6 HDI is known to be a troublesome and expensive to maintain engine. I keep having the feeling looking after my XM V6 gives me the better daily! And a question I do indeed have: Where do Hydropneumatic large Citroens stop? What makes the XM so great is that it is comfy as well as sporty. No car on standard suspension can combine that ever! I guess the same with the little sister Xantia, after 5 year XM it is no coincidence for me the Xantia Activa is still the best car in the Elch test after 25 years, when the tested Xantia did not even have ESP and still beats Ferraris and Porsches! My XM does not have a brake server for the brakes run over the HP! With the C5 that was changed, the C5 had the fantastic HP but had conventional brakes and lost the potential to be a hooligan driver with it. I guess it is the same with the C6? Even Citroen fans are arguing, “what was the last great Citroen?”. Some say when the DIRAVI steering went. My XM doesn’t have that, but she is still so, so great. It may not be what the Citroen HP stands for, but try to find the apex of a corner with a stiff, never fading brake pedal and a suspension that is not at all impressed or unsettled by bumps on the entry! Sorry, a Citroen with a break server, no thanks at all! Does the C6 have a brake server, or does it have proper brakes? That aside: maybe the biggest judgement is, I hated the C6 when it came out. But having that lovely XM now since years, if I ever have to replace her, it is either another XM or a C6, the C6 was the perfect XM replacement! Maybe not 100% my style, but everything else simply is drop dead boring!

I am an admirer of the style of the C6. Continued work on the platform and technical electronics would have made this a stunner.

I spent a fair amount of time visiting Paris in the 2000s and recall Citroen C6s often waiting outside ministry buildings as if they were used as chauffeured cars for ministers or those on government business. I thought they were very stylish and sleek looking vehicles. The state car market was obviously not enough to keep the C6 in the range.

Oh my God The center console tree😳 LMAO!!! 😂

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="415">06:55</a> The engine is still 2.9 litres. Its 2946 cc. It was modified by Porsche however and upped the power to 207 if I remember correctly. After 2005, there was a version with VVT and 211 bhp.

One of my dream cars, after owing a Opel Omega B2, A Jaguar X type, a Lancia Thesis, a Citroën C5 X7 and now a Renault Laguna 3.

I sat in a C6 /once/ and felt like I was back in our old 80's (original cylindrical gauge era) CX 24 Pallas. Which is a good thing. It felt very Citroen.

Love the C6. Would have a good one if I could find one.

Have driven one for a fortnight and loved it ! Brilliant car with the 2.7 V6 diesel engine

Had a 57 Plate C6 2.7 Lignage . Wonderful car. Just didn't work properly that often.

I have admired the cars of the Citroen brand since my teens, starting with the classic DS. I never owned a Citroen, but until the take over by Peugeot, it was a very innovative company that definitely thought "out of the box" not only in styling but also engineering.

Can't help thinking that Toyota & Nissan were onto something when they created separate premium brands.

The c6 was such a great looking car in a funny sort of way, clearly u can tell it was french, i suppose in a way it was so odd looking that it made it unique and cool

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="415">6:55</a> No no no, The ES9 was only ever made in one displacement (except for racing applications). It's a 2.9L engine that was only badged as 3.0

I have a C6 for the last 10 years and love it and it does turn heads

I saw the launch C6 at the Geneva Motor Show. I loved it, though was somewhat unimpressed by the interior. Not a patch on the contemporary Mercedes-Benz.

Fun fact: KZfaq was founded in February 2005. Presentation of the C6 was in March 2005. So the C6 was prtobably the first new car you could watch reviews of on YT.

The C6 I thought, was a lovely car, smooth, quiet, comfortable and practical.

I really enjoyed this one. The C6 is one of those cars that always catches your eye on the road. I'm very tempted to get one.

Smooth ride, sleek transportation.