Currently reading: Citroen BX GTI 16V review | Past Masters

A hydropneumatic hot hatch might sound like a contradiction in terms but, as Alex Robbins finds out, it’s anything but

Have you heard of the Citroën BX GTI 16v? I’ve no doubt that you, as an esteemed reader of this august publication, have.

Time was, nevertheless, that you could ask that question even of a proud car enthusiast and be met with a blank stare, such was the obscurity to which the BX GTI 16v plunged at the nadir of its exile to the bargain bin.

See Citroen for sale on PistonHeads

That it was even there is a pity. Numbers were culled drastically as the hot BX’s cheapness encouraged many a Peugeot 205 owner to buy one, strip the engine out and scrap the rest of the car. After all, taking a car with a suspension system optimised primarily for comfort and turning it into something with a propensity for being thrown hard at corners can’t result in anything worth saving. Can it?

Bx 0125

Climbing aboard today, it’s easy to be disparaging at first. The interior is a sea of brittle plastics, and the door handles feel as though they’ll snap in your hands, while the driving position perches you high up in the car and places the large, heavily canted steering wheel low over your knees. But look deeper: that wheel has a direct effect on the front wheels, shifting the nose around deftly; the suspension, while comfortable, is stiffer than in many hydropneumatic Citroëns; and the engine thrums encouragingly. This bodes well.

Let’s talk about that engine, the part of this car for which so many of them gave their lives. It’s quite a thing. Shared with Peugeot’s 405 Mi16, it kicks out 158bhp, right up at 6500rpm – 500rpm short of the red line. If that sounds reminiscent of a Honda VTEC engine, so it goes in the flesh; in fact, there’s a similar sense of a switch as the car comes on cam around the 4500rpm mark. The engine note gains a flintier edge, singing its way up to the red line, charging ever harder and urging you to wring its neck. The sound and the speed are little short of electrifying.

But how can a car with Citroën’s roly-poly suspension system cope with such a rorty powerplant? Better than you’d think – miles better.

Back to top

Bx 0124

In fact, the suspension’s give and softness make the BX GTI 16v quite unlike any other hot hatch to drive. Sure, there is a bit of lean in corners, and under heavy braking the tail rises despite the front end’s anti-dive properties, but the extra squidge absorbs mid-corner bumps, making the BX GTI 16v resistant to deflection.

Together with the quick, precise steering and free-shifting gearbox, it makes the BX GTI 16v flow from corner to corner, its strong brakes scrubbing off just the right amount of speed each time, and that magnificent engine hauling you out with just a whiff of slip from the inside wheel. The car dances on its toes – light, nimble and precise, but always with the backdrop of that muscular, rev-happy powerplant.

With dynamics like these, it’s a car that deserves far more recognition than it once had. Fortunately, that’s the case today, with BX GTI 16v prices on the rise. Finding one isn’t easy thanks to their paucity; owning one requires frequent fettling, as is often the case with older French cars – though it should be noted that the BX is generally easier to keep in good order than some other Citroëns.

Bx 0126

Back to top

Do all this, though, and the rewards are great: a 1980s hot hatch not yet caught in the current maelstrom of mad prices; what’s more, one of the more unusual, and one that’s as exciting as they come.

Things to look out for: 

Rust can be a problem. Check rear subframe mounts, C-pillars, inner front wings, scuttle trays, front door shuts, windscreen surrounds and boot floors.

The suspension isn’t as complex as its reputation would have you believe, but check for leaky pipes and make sure the car sits right – its height correctors might need adjustment.

Trim is brittle, hard to come by and highly prized, so check you can get hold of any snapped, cracked or missing pieces before taking the plunge.

Bx 0135

What we said then: 

“Overall, the BX GTi 16v is very enticing, with enough performance allied to high equipment and comfort levels to represent good value. It may have one or two faults but has tremendous appeal for the family man who likes to drive quickly. As one road tester put it: ‘This is everything a BX should be, and a bit more besides’.”

Electrics can be flaky at this age, so expect flickering warning lights to be a regular part of your life. They’re usually not serious but some might be, so it pays to get them checked out regardless.

Years produced 1987-1993 Price range £1000-£7000 Power 158BHP

Read more 

Citroen C3 Aircross review

Citroen C4 Cactus review

Citroen C1 review

Join the debate

Comments
15
Add a comment…
Harry P 12 March 2018

Have the Umbrella not the car

I still have my Citroen BX umbrella from the launch of the vehicle.   “The car that loves driving, hates garages”  Which compared to Citroen’s of old was very true.  I had left Citroen by the time the GTi 16v was launched, but have good memories of driving and selling the BX range. Sitting on the tailgate aperture to demonstrate the self-levelling suspension and pulling out headlamps in the showroom in order to show how easy the vehicle was to maintain.   Would love to find a Visa GTi in good condition, as that was the car I have the fondest memories of from my time with Citroen in the mid 80’s.

db 9 March 2018

Fond memories

I past my test in a BX though not a GTI it was the Diesel right at the start of the rise of the black stuff ! My parents bought it 2 weeks befre my test so had to get used toit  quick ! We had two the first had the old dash which was quirky no self cancel on the indicators and drum speedo. As other have said they felt fragile but nothing ever fell off the ones we had and I can remember throwing it arround country lanes,  yes it rolled but it never let go of the road.  A car with character and some times a mind of its own !

Thekrankis 9 March 2018

I loved mine!

I had the Pug 405 M16 with the same engine before it and I prefered the Citroen - although both cars had superb handling and ride - along with crappy interiors.