The Company in 1993
ZX Rallye Raid on the Paris-Dakar
- The company signs a new framework agreement with the AXA group concerning the approval and direct payment of workshops belonging to its subsidiaries and dealers. This agreement gives the marque a place in the network of repair shops approved by the insurance company and facilitates its penetration among insurance holders.
- The 15th Paris-Dakar rally starts on January 1. The marque is dogged by bad luck but Citroën ZX Rallye Raids nevertheless take two of the top three positions in the overall classification.
- At the Aulnay production plant, the two-millionth AX rolls off the production line. In September, the new Sevelnord plant celebrates its first anniversary on the Lieu-Saint-Amand site near Valenciennes. The plant will manufacture the marque's new people-carrier.
- In December, the Marc Pajot-Canal+ team in the "Carat VII Citroën" wins the World Cup 50 foot category, in the round-the-world race ending in Key West, Florida.
- Annual production : 691 504 vehicles.
The models in 1993
Zoom
Xantia : since 1993
- On 1 March, the Xantia arrives in the showrooms. The 4.40 m, 5-door saloon is the fruit of the partnership between the Citroën and Bertone styling centres. All of Citroën's technological culture went into the design of the Xantia, which combines sheer driving pleasure with a powerful active safety system called Hydractive 2.
- The young and attractive AX Audace goes on sale at the end of April with 8,500 vehicles arriving in the showrooms. Available in a range of bright and unusual colours, this modern and innovative product is excellent value for money with a 954 cm3 engine, three or five doors, a 5-speed gearbox, tinted windows and wide tyres.
- The Hydractive 2 suspension system is adopted on the Citroën XM. The new system switches automatically from one suspension mode to the other ("normal" to "sport"). The entire XM range is now fitted with one-touch driver's side automatic windows, perimetric and volumetric alarm systems and coded engine immobilizers. The XM range comprises 31 models.
- In the range of utility vehicles, the C15 is equipped with radio pre-equipment (600 kg and 675 kg versions), front headrests (475 kg version) and a defrosting function on the two-panel rear doors (C15 RE and RD family versions). Tinted windows are optional on the family version. The 1,400 and 1,800 kg versions of the C25 receive power steering, while the 1,000 and 1,400 kg versions are fitted with a sliding side door as a standard feature.
- Production of the BX ends in December.
In the news in 1993
- Despite Western attempts to bring about reconciliation, war continues to rage in the former Yugoslavia and flares again in Somalia.
- Nelson Mandela and F. W. De Klerk win the Nobel Peace Prize for their struggle against apartheid in South Africa.
- In France, the right enjoys a landslide victory in the March elections. President François Mitterrand appoints Edouard Balladur as Prime Minister and asks him to form the new government. The French government issues "Balladur bonds" yielding 6% over 4 years. In August, Edouard Balladur launches his five-year employment plan.
- In December, the French Parliament approves a bill to build a sports stadium in Saint-Denis (Paris region) for the World Cup Championships in 1998.
- In 1993, we said goodbye to François Reichenbach, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Eddie Constantine, Lilian Gish, Audrey Hepburn, Rudolf Nureyev, Stewart Granger, Frank Zappa, Frederico Fellini, Boris Christoff. Former French Prime Minister Pierre Bérégovoy committed suicide.