I think what they are all up against is the basic efficiency of the IC engine remains low (can't remember the exact figure, but mid to upper 20% seems to ring a bell) and all the expensive electronic stuff is little more than a deck chair rearrangement exercise. Surely the biggest mistake was the use of the cat --- a real fuel sopping excercise.
The various diesel AX I've had have all done an effortless, genuine 60 mpg without any special effort and all with basic, mechanical injection.

Mike.

I think it is mainly weight due to all the extras and safety features. I don't think most modern cars are actually any faster than the old 80s/90s ones as they tuned them up more then. They just don't make the lower power ones any more so the 'average' seems faster. They have also added the Cat's just to kill the economy as well.

A friend recently brought a new Golf GTI. It has about the same performance as the old 80s version. It is also about double the weight and about double the power. And probably worse fuel consumption despite the newer engine technology.

I agree, I think the problem was that the cars suddenly became heavier with all the safty equipment. Its true, the 406 isn't as economical or fast as the 405, the same applies to the BX and Xantia. My wife had a TZD turbo estate and it absoloubtly flew, better acceleration than the XM! She now has a ZX estate, smaller car and bigger engine, but it is slower than the BX and not as economical. But here's the strange thing, or perhaps not, The 2.1 td XM is better on fuel than the ZX and the Xantia, on a similar journey, where the ZX will do 45 mpg the XM will do 50+ and yet it is heavier and has a bigger engine. I think that the 2.1 was the most efficient IDI engine made.

Peter.N.

Yes I owned a BX TZD turbo estate for 8 years and it not only flew but handled superbly even with a full load of passengers. The available load capacity with the seats folded conceded little if anything to the XM estate. It could carry several sheets of 8x4 inside, on top of wheelarches, with tailgate tied slightly open. Very low maintenance costs. Packed it in when the tailgate hinge surrounds rusted through - a common problem. So I progressed to the XM that is high maintenance
but worth it at least so far.
Robert.

Hi Robert

We had ours for a number of years, the cam belt broke at 114k, we thought it had been changed by the previous owners! anyway, having repaired the head, it went on for quite a numer of years, then synchro went on second gear. Eventually we got the ZX and passed the BX on to my son, he ran it for quite a while and then someone drove into it while it was parked and wrote it off. I recon they were a brilliant car, the first diesel hot hatch.

Peter.N.

I drove a 19TRS and a 19GTi from 1987 thru 1995 when I switched to the XM. I wasn't so convinced about the BX when some sales person recommended it to me when I was driving a CX, but he was right. The BXes turned out to be very reliable, spacey, comfortable and fast cars (especially the GTi of course) that I and my family thoroughly enjoyed all those years

Talking of Bx Gti's reminds me a friend's son has one for sale if anyone is interested.
PM me off list if anyone is interested.

DJ

Update on the BX Gti.

G reg, 1.9 8 valve, Met blue, no mot or tax, good tyres all electric etc.
He's open to offers.

Any questions pm me please.

If anyone wants to post on a BX forum please feel free to do so.

Thanks,

DJ