Citroen offer three trim specifications with the C6. My test car was fitted with the top of the range Exclusive specification. Citroen also offer three engine choices; two diesels and a 3.0 litre V6 petrol. My test car was fitted with the 2.7 litre V6 diesel, driving a six speed sequential manual/automatic gearbox. The other diesel is a 2.2 litre four cylinder, but why spoil the ship for a ha’penny worth of tar ? A luxury car like this demands at the very least six cylinders. As it is, the 2.7 and the automatic make an absolutely perfect combination in every way.
First of all it is absolutely effortless to drive, with plenty of power and acceleration when you need it. The figures speak for themselves, a top speed of 230 kph (142 mph) and 0-100 kph acceleration in 8.9 seconds. There are faster luxury cars on the market but this is Ireland, so ask yourself do we have the roads to enable us to drive at faster speeds in safety, always assuming the law allowed you to do so ? There are luxury cars that accelerate faster, but how many of them have just 2.7 litres of diesel power under the bonnet ?
I doubt that fuel consumption, or indeed the cost per litre/gallon of fuel will ever be of concern for the owner of a luxury car. However, how many of today’s luxury cars will give you 23 mpg (12.0 lt/100 km) on the urban cycle, or 41 mpg (6.8 lt/100 km) on the extra urban ? These figures give an average of 32 mpg (8.7 lt/100 km) on the combined cycle, with carbon dioxide exhaust emissions of 230 gm/km. Considering the space, comfort, and effortless performance offered by the C6 those figures are excellent.
Fifty years ago, Citroen stopped the entire automotive world in its tracks with the introduction of their magnificent DS saloon. It pioneered aerodynamic styling, it brought a whole new meaning to the phrase “Ride and roadholding”, with its air/hydraulic suspension system, it brought safety to the fore with its clever single spoke steering wheel and it got design engineers everywhere thinking of better ways to build cars using the latest developments in modern technology.
This C6 is very clearly a descendent of that magnificent DS. Its shape is beautifully aerodynamic, it uses a modern version of that original suspension, safety is a hallmark of the entire design and it incorporates all that is best in modern automobile engineering technology.
For good, smooth, modern road surfaces, such as you would expect to find in civilised developed countries, it has a sport suspension setting, which firms up the dampers to allow a more sporting ride over twisting country roads. However, this is Ireland, and such road surfaces, if they do indeed exist here, are few and very far between. Even on the normal setting you can still expect a number of nasty jolts as you travel around Dublin and the Fingal area of the north county, with its notorious third world road surfaces. The C6 does its best to insulate you from these shocks and jolts by cosseting you in luxury and comfort in its exquisite interior, but it would take a miracle to be able to give a top quality ride over pathetic road surfaces. The test car was riding on large 18” diameter wheels, shod with Michelin’s excellent low profile 245/45 R 18 Pilot Primacy tyres. Perhaps these were part of the problem, as I have found tyres of this aspect ratio, to be less than best suited to our poor quality road surfaces.
The steering is a speed sensitive, power assisted rack and pinion. It is geared to give 3.0 turns from lock to lock. I found it to have a very light feel, which is very disconcerting, as the driver feels completely detached from the road surface. It is even more disconcerting in winter weather, with frost or snow on the ground, as it is almost impossible to tell if the wheels are gripping or slipping, as the steering is so uncommunicative.
Fifty years ago, the innovative DS used the same high pressure hydraulic system for both the brakes and the suspension. Today the C6 uses a much more conventional servo assisted dual circuit system with anti-lock, electronic force distribution, emergency brake assist, plus an electronic stability programme and an anti-slip regulator. It operates large 331 mm ventilated discs at the front and 313 mm ventilated discs at the back. The C6 is thus very well endowed in the braking department and should be well able to keep all the potential performance in check, when called upon to do so.
In other areas I was less impressed with the C6. A lot of cars today have taken automated electrics to ridiculous lengths and the C6 was no different. I cannot abide automatic headlamps and windscreen wipers, as they never seem to work in the required manner when you want them to. In the case of the C6 if I put the light switch into the off position the front fog lamps and the sidelights came on as soon as I switched the ignition on, even if the sun was shining in all its glory. Put the switch to the on position and the front fog lamps went off but the lights stayed on even when I had switched the ignition off. I am still quite capable of knowing when the lights need to be switched on and when I need the windscreen wipers, so a simple, uncomplicated switch, that has no connection whatsoever to computers of any sort, is all I need.

The interior was stunning in its beauty and opulence. The Exclusive specification comes with fine leather upholstery, set off by fine wood veneers. The carpets were a light brown, contrasting perfectly with the light beige leather upholstery. This combination gives a bright, welcoming and relaxing ambience to the passenger cabin. The top of the facia was covered in a black plastic material, so as not to cause annoying reflections in that large sloping windscreen. All four seats come complete with heating, which was greatly appreciated in the miserable weather encountered during the course of this test. This ranged from snow and frost, through below freezing air temperatures and wet miserable conditions. On a practical note, while I loved the interior colour combinations; they are in fact my own personal preferences; I would add a set of black floor mats on top of that attractive brown carpeting, in order to preserve them from stains and undesirable soiling like mud and other muck.
Controls for setting the adjustment for the two front seats are located in each front door. This covers reach, height, backrest angle, cushion tilt, lumbar support and memory for two different drivers. The exterior rear view mirrors are also electrically adjustable with a memory function and fold in automatically when the ignition is switched off. These controls are also located in the driver’s door armrest and until you are completely familiar with the car, can be confused with the seat adjustments, if you are trying to make minor adjustments whilst moving.
There is a small instrument panel in the facia, behind the steering wheel. This gives a large digital readout of your actual speed, with a digitalised tachometer for engine speed on the left and a fuel gauge on the right. It also gives other information in a digital manner. The C6 offers a headup display for speed and other information, mainly of a navigation nature, which can be switched off if so desired.

Rear seat passengers share the same opulence and comfort as their front seat companions, especially if the optional lounge pack is fitted. This allows each outer rear seat to be adjusted into a upright or reclining position according to its occupants preferences. Controls are located in the respective rear door armrests. While this does reduce the available luggage space slightly, the boot is still amply large and will easily accommodate a number of golf bags. In the picture above the near seat is in a more upright position to the one on the other side. In the vertical forward face of the centre cushion there is a twin cupholder, activated by pressing on the plastic moulding located here.