Why The Citroen Saxo Is A Proper 90s Hero Car

Source: Carinpicture.com

Every so often, a car comes along that defines the tuning culture of a generation. For some it was original Mini. For others it was the Mark 2 Ford Escort, or the Vauxhall Nova. In the late Ninties, it was the Citroen Saxo.

Introduced in 1996 as Citroen's sister car to the second-gen Peugeot 106, you could choose from three or five doors and various engines, while equipment levels ran from absolutely nothing to not much at all. All were peppy performers, even the boat-anchor 1.5 diesel. And in typical Citroen style, once everything you didn't need had fallen off, the leftovers were pretty robust.

Source: Parts-specs.com

The VTR and VTS hot hatches were the stars of the range. The pair had 1.6-litre engines, with either 8- or 16-valves. The 90bhp (later 100) VTR was plenty fast enough, but the 120bhp VTS was a proper rocketship, passing 62mph in 7.8 seconds before running out of puff at 127mph. Both were huge fun to hustle down the road and have gone on to form the backbone of at least four racing series in the UK alone.

Source: Carinpicture.com

But none of this explains why the Saxo became something of a phenomenon among the Max Power crowd around the turn of the Century. For that, weirdly, we can credit Citroen themselves. You see, to keep Saxos flowing out of the showrooms, Citroen dealers offered cheap finance to all and sundry, and free insurance to anyone over the age of 19.

That meant that you could afford to buy a brand new car on relatively meagre wages. Then max out your shiny new zero per cent credit card modifying it.

Month after month, the mighty Max Power would be full of Saxos that followed pretty much the same formula: over the top bodykit; gaudy paintwork and interior retrim; boot-filling ICE install; 17-inch alloys stuffed under the 'arches on slammed suspension.

Source: Forum-auto.com

Every aftermarket supplier that wanted to turn a profit produced enough stuff to build a show-stopping Saxo from a single catalogue. There was so much available that the possibilities really were endless, and some breath-taking cars were created. Max Power even ran a competition for a reader to design a bodykit for the Saxo that Wings West actually put into production.

But then, around 2004/2005, the phenomenon sort of fizzled out. The Saxo itself was replaced by the rather upright C2 in '03, which was specifically designed to make fitting bodykits and big wheels easier. But by then the modifying scene was moving on. Spoilers and 17s were out; clean 'n' low Euro-look and purposefully functional drift-style were in. The little Saxo didn't fit in anymore.

Source: Saxperience.com

The Saxo's combination of affordability and modability meant its rise to tuner stardom was almost inevitable. But the world keeps on turning and its fall from favour marked the demise of a particular look that had dominated the scene for over a decade.

So far as I can tell, no single car since has had the same sort of impact on car culture, at least in the UK. So while, as a car, the Saxo was pretty forgettable, its cultural significance should not be forgotten.

Specifications (VTS)

Built: 1996-2002Engine: 1587cc, 4-cylinder, 16-valvePower: 118hpTorque: 107lb/ft0-62mph: 7.8 secondsTop speed: 127mphWeight: 965kg

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