New 2-litre CXs

Two more Douvrin customers — the CX Reflex and Athena
by Michael Scarlett

ANNOUNCED originally on 2 July in France, Citroen's new 2-litre CX variants have now come to Britain. Briefly the CX Reflex and Athena are replacements for the original CX2OOO Super, the big difference being that they both use the 1,995 c.c. light alloy single ohc four cylinder engine produced at the PSA Peugeot-Citreon (sic) Group and Renault plant at Douvrin. This represents one more step in PSA rationalisation; the same plant already makes power units for the Peugeot 104 and 505 and Renault 14 and 20TS amongst others — this unit is of course that first seen in the Renault 2OTS and later in the Peugeot 505. It may be a rationalisation — but it is by no means the disappointment which that word so often implies.

Right from the start of the CX story, disappointment was felt about the engine for such an otherwise remarkable car. The original side-camshaft ohv Citroen 1,985 c.c. engine was not as refined a unit as the car in which it now found itself. The Douvrin 2-litre has the advantage of all-light-alloy construction, which is responsible for claimed overall weight saving of 50kg (11Olb or about four per cent), better thermal efficiency which should mean better economy, more torque (nine per cent) at only slightly higher rpm, a little more power (up 4 bhp to 106 at the same 5,500 rpm), and what appears to be rather simpler maintenance. The last virtue is achieved by having more space round the engine, and small but important details like the increasingly fashionable plug-in diagnostic check facility and external screw adjustment for the contact breaker gap.

Citreon (sic) offer the new cars in two forms, both manual gearbox only; the nearest thing to a "base" CX is the CX Reflex which uses a four-speed box but which is otherwise well-fitted out for a base model — cloth (they call it "jersey") upholstery, quartz clocks, rev counter, etc. The top 2-litre model is the CX Athena which has a five-speed box and, as additions to the Reflex's specification, ribbed "jersey" cloth, electric windows, tinted glass, a new sort of engine oil level indicator, and air horns. Metallic paint is an option for both, and an electrically powered sunshine roof is available for the Athena.

There are interesting detail changes involved in the installation of the new engine. For a start it is mounted the other way round from the old engine's arrangement — the carburettor is now at the front so that the exhaust no longer has to be carried awkwardly under the sump as on the old car. The unusual intermediate drive shaft formerly employed to carry the drive over the exhaust and to provide equal length articulated drive shafts continues — but the rearranged engine position makes the exhaust simpler and may, one suspects, help perhaps with the problem of footwell heating well known to some CX owners. The new unit has the same overall "length" ("width" in terms of the car itself) as before, which is achieved by a 35mm (1.38in.) difference in bellhousing depth.

The old engine oil level gauge used a manometer system; the new one reverts to the simpler "ballcock" type of float and lever sensor. This avoids the occasional problems experienced with the original set-up whose reliable operation depended upon leak-free pneumatics. If a leak occured (sic), the fluid used to indicate the level could disappear into the sump, and refilling the manometer was a tricky and time-wasting process. The new system like the old, only gives a reading of any accuracy when the engine has been stopped for some while.

The new cars come here with a keen and competitive marketing policy. The Reflex, better equipped say Citroen than the CX2000 Super which it replaces, is actually cheaper; its price is £5,679 compared with the 2000 Super's £5,796. The CX Athena comes in at £6,229, just below the CX 2400 Super which also disappears now. Total CX imports this year are expected to number 10,000 cars, of which 4,000 will be the new 2-litres, 40 per cent, which compares with their previous 2-litre proportion of 11 per cent. The cars go on sale here on 24 August; Citreon (sic) GB say that the prices are 1980 model year ones, and that therefore they expect to hold them for some time — longer at any rate than their rivals in this closely contested class.