1982 Citroën CX Prestige 2400ie

The vendor has owned a Citroën SM since 1999, and within a couple of years realised that this wasn’t viable daily transport in London. So he asked the man who maintained his SM, Stuart Ager of Citroën specialist Brodie Engineering, to find him a more suitable model. Stuart had a pair of these luxurious Prestige models, both requiring a bit of body restoration, and it was one of these that eventually went to the vendor back in 2002.

By this time it had received the bodywork it needed and a respray, but lost its original vinyl roof and heavy rubbing strips. The vendor is a big fan of Opron’s original lines and didn’t like the features Citroën added to this 1982 Prestige, so asked Ager to leave off not only the vinyl and the rubber strips, but the badges too.

Without these, you might not immediately know it’s a Prestige 2400 IE automatic. That implied almost 130bhp from its 2347cc fuel-injected engine when new, with a three-speed ZF auto gearbox. Early in the current ownership, the engine blew its head gasket and was replaced with the identical engine from Ager’s other Prestige. Later on, the gearbox from that car found its way to this one too.

It’s been in regular (if not daily) use in Greater London ever since, kept outside but not used in the salt if possible. The vendor has kept on top of both maintenance and cosmetic condition, meaning that after 17 years of ownership it’s smart and in excellent health - a new MOT will accompany the sale - but in a condition that’s to be expected from an active life rather than a weekends-only show car.

After the initial bout of bodywork in 2002, the car received a second respray in 2010 when repairs to bubbling wheel arches and other spots made it untidy. The vendor points out that bubbles are reappearing here and there around some of the wheel arches - where you may detect the odd bit of filler - the tailgate and the fuel cap door.

The finish appears consistent in tone and shine, and while the fit of the rear doors isn’t 100% spot-on, the overall crisp look and the lack of significant dents, creases and wobbles in such long and exposed flanks is impressive. The brightwork and bumpers are straight too, all of which backs up the owner’s assertion that the car has never been involved in an accident.

A CX with a full leather interior was always a rarity, but here we have exactly that - rectangular-patterned tan hide to front and rear with more cow on the door pockets and pull-handles. Some over-zealous Waxoyling has encroached on the door trims from below, but it’s only visible if you’re a hedgehog. The front door cards are not a brilliant fit and the driver’s seat is naturally the most worn. The rear headrests have splits but the rear seats have three proper seatbelts. The vendor admits to a saggy headlining -currently pinned in place - as the worst feature of the interior. The clock, apparently a weak point in CXs, can be heard ticking but does not move its hands.

There’s a modern DAB Bluetooth radio and a spherical dash-top ashtray repurposed into a phone holder and charger, with a Lightning plug. While we cannot guarantee no-one has ever sparked up a Gauloise, even in this right-hand drive UK example, the vendor assures us it’s been smoke-free in his lengthy ownership.

There have been welded repairs to the sills and other areas close to subframe and suspension mounts at times, necessary for MOT. Following that work, the underside including longerons, floors and subframes, is described by the vendor as ‘superb’. He’s had it Waxoyled three times, including wax injection into sills and doors, and while the door bottoms may not be free of all scabs, they’re solid enough.

The engine received a new head gasket in 2010 (see History, below) but since then has run well, offering no complaints even on hot days in heavy traffic. The car received four new Michelins in late 2018 and will arrive with a fresh oil service.

People worry about Citroën hydraulics, but while CXs suffer foibles like any classic, the trouble rarely comes from these systems unless servicing is ignored. The vendor has had the rear spheres re-gassed when required but the front spheres just keep on working, as does the central hydraulic pump, the steering and braking mechanisms. Regular fluid checks are performed with the car raised to its highest suspension setting (it rises promptly to tiptoes and descends again on command, just as it should) and it’s said to need a top-up very infrequently.

Little is known of the car’s early life and the first few years of bills from the current 17-year tenure have gone missing, including the engine swap, but that still leaves many invoices from specialists as well as the MOT record. Bills for the biggest jobs of the last decade or so - the replacement automatic gearbox and the head gasket repair - are in the folder. Also included is evidence of an £800 fix for the air conditioning, which still blows cold.

There are three sets of keys, a CX Prestige manual and a Haynes manual, as well as the file of paperwork.

The most fancied CX variant is probably the GTi Turbo, but we’d suggest that this car gets closer to the ideal specification - as well as being even rarer. Travelling in a CX is all about a luxurious detachment from the outside world, a sense of floating over the road that can be almost spooky. The vendor says this Prestige has a wonderful ride; better than a Turbo he once had and better than his SM, and with all that leather and legroom adding to the experience, you don’t doubt it. The automatic transmission and larger fuel-injected engine will only increase the smoothness.

It’s not an entirely rose-tinted view, though - the next owner will want to replace the headlining and consider some pre-emptive body and paint repairs to stop the bubbles becoming blisters, after which you can take a view on pampering it like a show car or gobbling up the miles.

As points of interest, the car has featured in a TV advert for K-Swiss trainers, in a twin-test article in Practical Classics magazine against a Mercedes S-class and on the Citroën Car Club’s stand at the NEC Classic Motor Show, sandwiched between Citroën’s Project L prototype and a Wankel-engined GS Birotor.

The vendor states that selling the car will be a wrench but it seems necessary - he’s keeping his SM, though he lives in a terraced house in West London and has teenage sons who will be learning to drive. A small hatchback must join the family and something has to give.

At our estimate range of £6,500 - £9,000, this car is at the lower end of asking prices for a good CX. For a scarce long-wheelbase Prestige model in right-hand drive, in continuous use by the same enthusiast owner for the last 17 years, that should be seriously tempting.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located in West London. To arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.

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