Citroen and Saab's form for left-field car design meant the turbo models were oddball choices when new, but are great modern classics now...
► The coolest modern classics are from France and Sweden
► We compare the Citroen CX and Saab 900 in turbo form
► Which wins – the stylish French cruiser or the solid Swedish flying machine?
Blame it on Saab. Or, rather, thank it. Up until the late 1970s, turbocharging was largely the preserve of sports car manufacturers and came at considerable expense for customers – think BMW 2002 and Porsche 911. Then the Swedes decided to take the turbocharging route as a way of squeezing out more performance without having to develop or buy in bigger engines.
When the Saab 99 Turbo was launched in 1977, it was a minor masterpiece. By bolting on a Garrett AiResearch turbocharger, Saab had accidentally invented a gamechanger – the attainable turbo. When it went on sale in the UK in its original form, the 99 Turbo cost little more than the Ford Cortina 2.3 Ghia in which your Xerox area sales rep steamed up the M1. Except, with the 99 Turbo, the excitement was summoned by your right foot, not through service station bragging rights.
In 1979, the 99 morphed into the Saab 900, and a new, more upscale Turbo arrived in the management car park. Now it was priced to compete with the Porsche 924 and Opel Monza. The 900 Turbo's resultant popularity made other manufacturers sit up and take notice.
Citroën joined the party in 1984 with the CX Turbo, and created its fastest car since the legendary SM. And more than nine years into its production run, the addition of a blower had transformed the CX into a super-cool executive express. Perfect for the ultimate decade of aspiration. Once ‘GTI’ had been the badge of choice for drivers, but by the mid-1980s it was ‘Turbo’. It seemed that everything from small hatchbacks to luxury machines ended up with a blower.
Our two cars here were among the most charismatic turbos of the 1980s. They were conceived to beat the establishment – BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar – and do so by taking the third way. Their separate approaches – the eccentricity of Citroën against the solid safety of Saab – may have been different, but the results stood out from the crowd and appealed to individualistic drivers. They still do today, but now they’re a lot cheaper to buy.
The question is – are they better modern classics now than the cars they were designed to beat?
Citroen CX25 GTI Turbo 2
Nothing looks, steers or goes like the CX - it's one of the true greats, but rare today Turbocharged cars should always have a sense of drama. The CX GTI Turbo achieves that right from the start. Perched just inches off the ground with its hydraulics asleep, it looks for all the world like a spacecraft poised for launch. The long nose, louvred rear window, huge boot spoiler and disc-like T-slot alloy wheels give it an almost brooding menace.
Although a touch claustrophobic, the inside matches the exterior attitude. Sink into the pleated black leather seats, as welcoming as a comfortable old armchair, and you’re confronted by a bewildering dashboard. The instrument binnacle behind the single-spoke Turbo-embossed steering wheel has the appearance of a lurking crab, albeit with controls instead of claws. There are no conservative buttons, instead it’s all paddles and toggles. There’s not a hint of a stalk, for that might offend Citroën’s sense of aesthetics. As arty as it looks, it’s also quite practical – everything can be operated without removing your hands from the steering wheel. There is method in this very Gallic madness.
What’s the Citroen CX is like to drive?
Type in the security code on the keypad concealed under a panel, start the car… and wait. You can’t move until the Citroën has levitated to normal road height. A couple of jolts are followed by the vague impression of lifting off a launchpad, then you’re ready. But first, cast aside everything you know about driving. Piloting a CX is just that – it’s like flying a plane.
The hydropneumatic suspension soaks up bumps readily, smoothing out all but the roughest roads. But it is stiffer than other CXs, so body roll is kept in check, and grip levels are astonishing if you're sensitive. Talking of bends, the CX’s steering takes a little getting used to. The extremely responsive DIRAVI power set-up is ultra-light at low speeds, but firms up the faster you go. Whatever the velocity, it self-centres, which is magnificent once you're acclimatised; as is never having to use more than half-a-turn of lock in normal driving. It's a truly cerebral experience.
Acceleration is brisk, turning into astonishing when the turbo spools up. There's surprisingly minimal lag before the Citroën surges forward – it’s very responsive, yet also reassuringly controlled. Fortunately, the brakes will save the day. They're incredibly sensitive and hugely strong, especially backed up by the standard-fit ABS. Newbies can be caught out by them – so be careful. Once mastered, a well-sorted CX on sweeping A-roads is a delight – you'll wonder why all cars aren't built this way.
Saab 900 Turbo T16
It started the trend for mass-market turbocharging - and it's deeply cool now Saab pioneered turbocharging for the masses and was keen to stay ahead of the wannabes. Hence the Turbo T16 of 1985, which substituted a more responsive 2.0-litre 16-valve engine for its original eight-valve unit. The looks were slightly tweaked to reflect the upgrade, but the 900 was so handsome in the first place that all it needed was some resculpting of the body kit and bumpers.
In fully-skirted Turbo form on trademark three-spoke alloys, the 900 is a striking slice of Swedish design. And they undeniably turn heads today. Unlike the older 99 Turbo, it doesn’t look like something originating in the 1960s. Instead, it exudes heavyweight engineering and solidity – a blunt instrument rather than a delicate scalpel, but nevertheless a very effective one.
As a prestige flagship, leather upholstery was a must, with the seats focusing more on support than comfort. The cabin is light and airy, thanks to the big windows and huge, panoramic windscreen inspired by Saab’s avionic leanings. A dash that curves towards the driver is another by-product of this influence. Beyond that, it’s quite conformist, with Lego-like square buttons and rotary control knobs, and feels impossibly well-engineered. No 1980s car this side of a Mercedes-Benz W124 can match it for a feeling of solidity, comfort and security. But don't for a second think that all this means it's boring. Far from it.
What’s the Saab 900 Turbo 16S Aero like to drive?
Make a move to fire up the 900 and a famous Saab idiosyncrasy reveals itself: the ignition is on the transmission tunnel rather than by the steering wheel. As an older Turbo, you need to let the 900 warm up before you can exploit all it has to offer. It’s initially content to potter around sedately, although it does feel a little dull and mundane.
But, once warm, you can let the revs wander above the 3000rpm mark and all hell breaks loose. Well, eventually. There’s significant turbo lag, but when the boost does arrive in full, it’s intense and abrupt. You need to grip the steering wheel tightly to tame the torque steer and only the huge amount of rubber on the hefty tyres stops grip from being lost. It seems much more urgent than the CX.
The 900 is well set-up, with predictable and safe handling off-boost on corners, only slightly compromised by mild understeer. Body roll is almost non-existent, but the pay-off for this is a jittery ride and a gearbox that feels overwhelmed by the power. While the brakes can’t hope to match the Citroën's, they’re still very sharp and capable. You can see why the 900 made such an impression back in the day.
Citroen CX GTI Turbo vs Saab 900 T16S Aero: The CCfS verdict
While neither of these turbocharged machines is exactly conformist and both are thrilling to drive, for sheer unconventionality the Citroën far out-weirds the Saab. In ordinary company, the Saab’s clamshell bonnet and aircraft-like interior would mark it out as unusual, but by no stretch of the imagination could a CX ever be called ordinary company.
From the moment you catch sight of it, it’s a riot of Gallic eccentricity. The hunkered, elongated shape could only come from Citroën; and inside, the almost perverse pleasure its engineers have taken in doing things differently is instantly apparent. For all the CX’s novelty, there’s also a sense of fragility.
The Citroën doesn’t feel anywhere near as solid or safe as the Saab. The Scandinavian feels as if it's built from boron nitride, and such is the standard of its engineering and attention to detail, you wouldn’t be afraid to drive it on any trip. This is most exemplified by the way its doors shut with a satisfying thud.
The 900 is also more practical – the hatchback and capacious load area far exceed the boot you get on the Citroën. The Saab wins the head argument. But modern classics are all about the heart, and here the Citroën runs away with the prize. It’s only a matter of time before values start to soar for this worthy successor to the DS.
So, celebrate the Citroën and be sensible in the Saab – both are too good to ignore.