Innovative Citroen

Press, 15 November 1984, Page 20

Innovative Citroen

The French are well on the way to producing a car. that will carry four people 100 kilometres on 3 litres of petrol and still have accept-

able performance and a high standard of roadworthiness. The car is the Citroen SA 109, which is the latest

version of the ECO 2000, the third development car that has been produced by Citroen and the French Government since they initiated a joint research and development project in 1981. It is expected that this car will evolve even further to become the replacement for the famous Citroen 2 CV6. The SA 109 has a drag coefficient of 0.21 — half that of today’s average car — and has an all-up weight of 480 kg, whereas similar-sized contemporary cars average around 700 kg. The car is powered by an in-line 749 cu cm water-cooled engine which is mounted transversely and drives the front wheels. The body comprises 85 components and is made of metal and synthetic materials. Spectacular weight savings have been achieved. The front suspension is down to 22kg, while the rear is 18kg. The gearbox weighs only 14kg and each wheel and tyre weighs 5.2 kg. > Over-all length is 3.5 * metres. While the SA 109 is said to be right in line with Citroen tradition, the famous French manufacturer does not intend to put it into production. The company believes it must be further developed Jn terms of style, comfort and interior space, but without sacrificing any of the car’s technical innovation.