Descrição
1997 Citroen Xantia Activa Mk1 in Mercury Grey, 153k from new with comprehensive service & repair history, excellent overall condition.
New MOT, fastidiously owned & maintained by Citroen Car Club members for twenty years, the last of whom had the car from 2005 to 2023 when I purchased it.
Road test featured on the ‘Number 27’ YouTube channel in 2024 which at the last count had around 330k views! Search No27 Xantia Activa to see the car being put through it’s paces.
It is worthy of note that the car was CAT D registered in 2011 after another car drove into the side of it at low speed necessitating the replacement of the two O/ S doors and associated paintwork. The cost of new parts vs the value of the car at the time meant that the insurers wrote it off for minor panel damage but such was the previous owner’s affection for the car, he had it professionally repaired and enjoyed it for a further twelve years before selling it on to me.
Bodywork:
Today the car presents very well indeed overall with a deep shine to the Mercury Grey paintwork on all panels. Closer inspection reveals a few age related marks and stone chips along with some minor bubbling/ paint reaction on the rear spoiler and OSF wing however these have not got any worse in the two years I have owned it and don’t detract from the overall appearance. There are a couple of localised paint repairs around the seam where the rear wing meets the sill on the OS & NS which could be improved upon but crucially there is no rust or filler in this area which is a well known rust trap on Xantias.
I have displayed the car at a number of well attended summer shows all over the UK and always been complemented on it’s condition. There is a photographic record in the comprehensive service & repair folder of the rear wings being replaced along with rear sill repairs and paintwork by Chevronics in Hitchin in 2017, the total cost of which was £3071.
The alloy wheels appear to have been refurbished at some point and still look very good, all four tyres were replaced in 2024 with premium Uniroyals which perform very well in all conditions.
Interior:
The Activa specific velour seats with their checked pattern are supremely comfortable & in excellent condition overall with only minor wear to foam in the drivers seat base bolster.
The adjustable upper side bolsters on both fronts seats are fully functional and in good order and really hold you in place well, important given the potential for high speed cornering!
The carpets are in excellent condition and are protected in the front by genuine Citroen rubber over mats with carpet over mats in the rear.
The dashboard, instrument panels and door cards are all in excellent condition.
The period keypad immobiliser works as it should and is a nice piece of 90’s french car nostalgia.
Engine, transmission & drivetrain:
The car performs very well with swift, refined performance from the 2. 0 8 valve, 150bhp light pressure turbo engine, the cambelt and water pump were renewed in 2018 at 139000 miles.
The suspension is very refined and comfortable and the fabled ‘Active Anti Roll’ system operates as it should when cornering meaning that this unassuming 90’s hatchback can leave a lot of modern cars behind on a typical B road – it’s quite astonishing when pressing on just how level it stays in the corners. All 10 suspension spheres were checked and re-pressurised by Pleiades in Sawtry when I purchased the the car. Last summer the car went down to Richard Kitchen at Southways Automotive, he refurbished the SCCAR rods which are a key component in the Activa system and documented this on his YouTube channel ‘Upndown’. Richard also replaced the rear wheel bearings, all four brake calipers, discs and pads along with many other jobs to get the car on top form.
The clutch is light and progressive, the gearbox is particularly slick and pleasant to use for a Xantia which makes me think that Citroen must have improved the action for the Activa.
The brakes are very powerful and whilst it takes a bit of adjustment to modulate the pedal after driving a ‘conventional’ car, they are excellent once you get used to the different feel.
Overall a really well sorted example of a very rare Q car. As noted, I purchased the Activa from a fellow Citroen Car Club member having been particularly impressed by his near 20 year ownership and the 'no expense spared' approach to service and repair of it in that time.
There is a comprehensive folder documenting the huge amount of money spent with well regarded Citroen specialists over the years to keep this Activa in peak condition.
For me the car represents a high point in Citroen's history and showcases their technical expertise with what many regard as the ultimate development of the hydropneumatic suspension system.
The fact that it is still so impressive to drive even by modern standards makes it a real classic Q car in my view and I have thoroughly enjoyed my two years and 10000 miles with it.
