Rumour has it that Citroën once wrote a design brief for the engineering geniuses in charge of the suspension for one particular new model – I forget which one exactly – that wanted something that could be driven by a gentleman wearing a top hat and balancing a tray of eggs across a newly ploughed field. The eggs are optional these days, as is the top hat, but I certainly don’t suggest that you drive the new Citroen C5 2.7 HDi across a newly ploughed field. For one thing, the farmer who did the ploughing won’t thank you and, secondly, this luxury saloon/tourer isn’t really designed for off-roading and you’ll damage it, which would be such a pity for such a good car.
This is not to say that the suspension in the Citroen C5 2.7 HDi wouldn’t be able to cope with the corrugations of a ploughed field while still leaving your eggs intact and the crown of your top hat undented. (Who, by the way, still wears a top hat these days apart from ringmasters and the occasional snowman? Or are top hats eking out an existence as temporary homes for conjuror’s rabbits?) The Citroen C5 2.7 HDi comes fully equipped with the legendary Hydractive III suspension with automatic ride height adjustment and the ability to switch between Comfort and Sports modes, depending on whether that top-hatted egg-balancing gentleman is in your car or whether you want something a bit crisper. And in the Tourer variants of the Citroen C5 2.7 HDi, the suspension has automatic sill height adjustment.
However, this superb suspension set-up is pretty much a given in all Citroëns. What is unique about the Citroen C5 2.7 HDi is the direct-injection V6 diesel motor. This unit offers 150 kW at 4000 revs and 440 Nm at 1900 rpm, which means that you’ve got plenty to play with, no matter how you set the suspension. The transmission is automatic, or, to be more specific, it’s a six-speed sequential shift auto-adaptive. Which means it’s fun. The Citroen C5 2.7 HDi has a top speed of 224 kmh (222 in the Tourer) and can do the 0–100 km sprint in 9.6 seconds (the Tourer also manages it in less than ten seconds – oh the beauty of a diesel!). And for another technical specification that you don’t usually hear but is very useful to know, the Citroen C5 2.7 HDi is able to cover a kilometre in 30.9 seconds starting from a standstill and planting the boot the entire way.
Now, mention of top hats invariably conjures up images of glamour and luxury – a touch of putting on the Ritz or maybe a bit of Marlene Dietrich glamour. And this is what the Citroen C5 2.7 HDi aims to achieve. After all, you never know when the occasion calls for a top hat or two (eggs, however, are always appropriate, except at political rallies). And when the occasion arises, it pays to go there in style. The sedan’s lines border on being coupé-like, while the Tourer has a sleek, lanky side-view. A few touches of chrome add a bit of sparkle and flair that complement the flowing lines of the bi-Xenon adaptive headlights and set off the well-defined wheel arches. This chrome includes the standard roof rails on the Tourer. And the Citroen C5 2.7 HDi comes fitted with the 18” alloy wheels that someone had a lot of fun designing.
And the glamour continues on the inside. The Citroen C5 2.7 HDi is only available in the Exclusive trim finish. This means that the Citroen C5 2.7 HDi has all the bells and whistles possible for the C5. To give a few specifics, these bells and whistles include speed-sensitive power steering, automatic dual-zone climate control, a cooled glovebox, and MP3 compatible six-speaker CD system with an auxiliary input jack, a multifunction chrome-trimmed leather steering wheel, leather seats, eight-way adjustable front seats, a driver’s seat with memory and massage functions, plus a whole lot more.
The Citroen C5 2.7 HDi has the full complement of safety features, both active and passive. It could be said that the active safety features are able to protect that tray full of eggs, while the passive safety features will protect the top hat and what’s inside the top hat – and I don’t mean a white rabbit, five doves and an exceptionally long string of silk scarves, but the wearer’s head. Well, the ESP package will stop the eggs going all over the place, but the ABS brakes with EBD and Brake Assist might send the eggs flying if you apply them hard enough (which is why the Tourer has a load cover as standard). The features that will protect the contents of the top hat include the side protection beams, height adjustable head restraints, nine airbags including a driver’s knee airbag, and force-limited pretensioned front seatbelts.
The current model series includes the:
For any more information on the Citroen C5 2.7 HDi, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Citroën dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!
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