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Hidden away in a secret location close to the Groupe PSA factory in the Aulnay-sous-Bois region of north-eastern Paris, is the Conservatoire. This covers around 6,500 square metres of temperature-controlled space in a warehouse where more than 700 rare, concept and heritage Citroën cars were housed.
However, later in 2018 this unique collection will be moving to L’Aventure Peugeot Citroën DS in Sochaux. Ahead of the move, 65 of these vehicles and 90 items of memorabilia were auctioned off in December, raising £681,000 in total. These are some of the most interesting cars that were sold.
Citroën Concept Cars
Berlingo Flanerie
Taking inspiration from the Berlingo, this concept car Citroën decided to produce in the 1990s sold for £9,950. An open, six-seater taxi with no glass windows or windshield, it looks more like something you’d see driving along a beachfront in summer but would be pretty useless on a rainy British day. There were three created, so two more are out there if you feel like you’ve missed out.
Tubik
The Citroën concept that was its star of the 2010 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Tubik looks like a van from the future mainly thanks to its silver wrap over shell. It’s fairly practical with nine seats, though the doors open in odd directions. Still, someone loves it enough as it sold for £32,500.
C-Elysée WTCC
Less of a concept car, Citroën racing used the C-Elysée WTCC in 2014 when it won 14 out of 15 WTCC races. While some of that was down to professional drivers such as Seb Loeb and Jose Maria Lopez being behind the wheel, it is a bespoke racer designed for high speed and close control.
Citroën Vintage Vehicles
Ami
One of the oldest Citroën vintage cars for sale at the auction was a 1961 Ami. These were a popular car across France in the 1960s but never really made it in the UK. At over 50-years-old and well used, the one up for auction was in need of a full restoration.
CX Pallas
Slightly newer was the Citroën CX Pallas from the 1980s. With a mileage of around 15,000km, it’s still in good condition and has a proper retro appeal with the streamlined appearance and sloping rear.
Visa Super
Another popular and compact hatchback from the 1980s was the Visa Super. This Citroën vintage car was still in decent condition with a 1.1-litre four-cylinder engine and the notable polypropylene bumper and grille. It’s not particularly exciting but for an affordable bit of Citroën history it made one buyer extremely happy.
More Modern Cars
C-Cactus
One of the first Citroën concept ideas that evolved into the New C4 Cactus, the C-Cactus is unsurprisingly similar to the finished model. This was one of the newest cars up for auction, produced in 2013 and featuring the easily identifiable airbump panels.
Xsara Coupe VTR
With just 477km on its clock, the Xsara coupe VTR that was up for auction was practically brand new. Two doors and a bold yellow/gold paint job ensure it looks great, even though it may not be the most unique or interesting vehicle for sale.
XM V6
On appearance, this is a pretty standard Citroën XM, with a few scratches and scrapes and not the greatest mileage. However, it was owned by the actor Roger Hanin, who was the lead role in French TV police drama ‘Navarro’. Therefore, it’s not that surprising it sold for £10,800, almost double its reserve price.
You may have missed the chance to pick up any of these rare and unique cars at auction, but there are still plenty of great new Citroën cars for sale here at Robins and Day, some of which have taken inspiration from these concepts.
