Citroen C6 Saloon 2006 - Present

Citroen's C6 is the French innovator's new, big executive car. It's big, comfortable and offers good levels of luxury and technological innovation. The C6 is being compared to some of the classic Citroens of yesteryear; the likes of the DS and CX have been mentioned and while not as groundbreaking as the DS the new C6 is a very big and comfortable car.

There is something very Limousine like about the big C6, this fact is made especially noticeable as you don't see many of them on the road. The big Citroen has smooth likes throughout the bodyshell. It's long and low and has a menacing face. Like many of the Citroen models of the past, the C6 runs with an electronically controlled hydraulic suspension system, with two stiffness level and 16 damper settings. The system is set up for comfort and the ride is pretty sloppy, if comfortable. There is a clever facility that stiffens the suspension if the car can detect more aggressive driving and improves the focus of the car's handling, although it's still somewhat short of many rivals.

Inside the C6 the driver and passengers are treated to class leading levels of comfort. Featuring a ride described as the ‘magic carpet' the C6 will transport four or five people in great comfort. The suspension removes the road almost entirely from any intrusion into the cabin. The side windows are double glazed so a helicopter could land next to you without waking the kids. Engine noise is well muted and the climate control even has a soft setting to minimise any disruption from blasts of air. The C6 is a great way to travel, probably more than to drive.

Engine options are in keeping with the car. They could be described as ‘plump but willing', nothing that's going to set anyone alight, but more than enough to hold their own under normal motoring conditions. There are three on offer, two V6, a petrol and a diesel and an inline four, again a diesel. The 3.0 petrol engine will reach 60 mph in under ten seconds (9.4), and the 2.7 turbodiesel in 8.9 seconds. The oil burner tops out at a respectable 143 mph and returns a reasonable 32mpg. The smaller diesel, the 2.2 HDi returns a frugal 42 mpg and offers the same acceleration as the petrol engine, which suffers 25 mpg fuel figures. The bigger engines are faster at 143 mph top speed but the 135 on offer from the 2.2 HDi looks the best value for the fuel economy, you're unlikely to be taking the C6 anywhere near top speed at any time as it's not a car that lends itself for going fast. Built for comfort not speed has seldom been more accurate a description, although there was this girl the other night…

Citroen have put together a car that yearns to be at the higher end of the executive bracket and certainly has a pricetag around that end. It's a good car but arguably designed to be driven in more than driven. It will appeal to people who are more concerned with travelling in comfort than the thrill of driving. They will do well to get into a very aspirational market with their reputation for cost cutting and a lot of established players firmly ensconced.

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