Citroën Graveyard, England

This Citroën Graveyard was once the proud collection of a classic car enthusiast; now these old-timers rust away on the outskirts of a town in the Midlands of England.

At the heart of the Citroën graveyard are the oldest cars, which appear to have not moved for at least 30-35 years! This assumption is based on the ones I could identify; there were many others that had already rotted beyond recognition or were completely overtaken by vegetation.

The owners’ more recent cars radiate out from these, or at least the ones they used most recently. Seeing them together, in one place, gives a fascinating overview of several decades of Citroën design, from the 1960s to the 1990s.

A little research shines a light on the story, but only a little. It appears that the owner of these cars passed away around a decade ago. Interestingly, his son appears to also be a car and motorsports lover. In this case, I do wonder why so many of his father’s cars were left to rot. There are clear gaps in the collection; perhaps the son already re-homed the most precious ones with the fondest memories.

I visited the Citroën Graveyard several times over the years, photographing my favourite car both in the summer and autumn.

Vehicles at the Citroën Graveyard

Citroën DS20 (1969)

Without a doubt, my favourite car in the collection! This DS20 features the later headlight arrangement with lamps housed behind clear plastic covers, introduced after 1967. The DS20 was a popular mid-range option in the DS line-up. Like other DS models, a comfortable ride was one of the key features. These cars have a hydraulic suspension system, independent on all wheels. The ride was often referred to (or marketed) as being like being on a “magic carpet.”

When I first visited in the summer, ivy was starting to creep up on the types. A few years later, I visited in autumn, and the ivy had been removed (along with the old dust sheet that lay next to the car). Interestingly, someone had also turned the wheels.

Reliant Scimitar GTE (1973)

Not a Citroën, of course. This British-made sports car is a cream-coloured Reliant Scimitar GT from 1973. It is an iteration of the Schmitter line, which took the “sporting estate” concept even further to create this hatchback tourer. It was a mixture of performance and practical storage space.

Interestingly, they received approval from the royal family. Princess Anne owned nine of them.

Citroën 2CV6 Special (1987)

A real classic Citroën, and there are two of these in the collection. The Citroën 2CV is a long-running model, produced between 1948 and 1990. Starting out as a basic post-war car, by the 1980s they had become a beloved pop icon. While modern cars were becoming increasingly computerised, the 2CV remained delightfully minimalistic and retro.

The Citroën 2CV6 Special was designed as a “purist” model, offering a basic and authentic 2CV experience without the frills of the more fashionable models.

Citroën 2CV6 Dolly (1985-1990)

Then, there were the fashionable models, which included the Citroën 2CV6 Dolly. These were, essentially, mechanically identical to the Special models but came in two-toned Art Deco-inspired paint schemes.

This example is “Rouge Vallelunga,” a classic in red and white. These other colours were also available: Burgundy & Yellow, Blue & White, and Grey & Yellow/White.

Citroën XM Turbo SED Premiere (1990)

This burgundy Citroën XM Turbo SED Premiere is a 1990 diesel cruiser model. The “Special Executive Diesel” was the high-spec diesel; “Premiere” denotes this one has the limited edition launch equipment package.

Once Citroën’s executive flagship, this futuristic design and automatically adjusting hydraulic suspension make the car a collector’s piece. These cars are quite rare nowadays.

Citroën XM Turbo C.T. (1992-1994)

A green Citroën XM Turbo C.T. “C.T.” stood for Constant Torque, referencing the low-pressure turbocharger tuned for smoothness of acceleration. These petrol models were designed for the executive market, designed for motorway cruising but with a turbo-delivered punch when needed.

Many consider these models to be the peak of the XM range, offering greater agility and quieter operation compared to the larger-engined diesel models. As a hatchback, it retains the classic wedge shape.

Citroën XM Estate Turbo C.T. VSX (1994)

Similar to the above, there is an estate VSX version of Turbo C.T. This is a more heavy-duty cargo hauler version, with stiffened rear suspension to handle the extra weight. It was one of the largest estate cars in Europe in the mid-1990s. The VSX was a trim model that included better seat fabrics and air conditioning, as well as some suspension control changes.

Citroën XM 2.5 Turbo D (1996)

Next up, there is a silver Citroën XM 2.5 Turbo D dating from 1996. Compared to the earlier XM nearby, it represents the final phase of the model’s production. Again, this model was aimed at the executive market, with a lot more torque and all the motorway cruising benefits of a larger diesel engine. Although slower to get up to speed, once these cars got moving, they were able to power through inclines even when fully loaded.

This model is apparently a nightmare for mechanics to work on; the engine bay is stuffed to its absolute limit.