40 years ago: the Citroën BX 4TC, the audacious Group B with a minimal budget

Forty years ago, in an automotive universe where the word "waste" truly took on meaning, Citroën stepped into the arena of Group B with the BX 4TC, a car that could have been enshrined in the Pantheon of glorious failures had it not been so cruelly placed under the spotlight. We’re talking about a model imagined in haste, like the last croissant from a neighborhood bakery, made from recycled ingredients — remnants from Peugeot, a hint of Simca, all washed down with good old copy-paste. To be honest, we’re closer to a motley collection than exceptional engineering.

The consuming passion of Group B

The Group B was the vertiginous height of rallying where only the most audacious ventured. Citroën, with both feet firmly planted, began its story with the Visa 1000 Pistes in 1984 — a respectable model, but looking like a small mouse among roaring lions. So, to try to compete with the famous Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 — which was at the height of its form — Citroën was brimming with wacky ideas. They wanted to make their mark in the paddocks, but the reality was that every penny counted.

Here are some juicy facts about this period:

• Peugeot monopolized the budgets like a child with candy.
• The BX, although promised glory, was severely disadvantaged from the start.
• The management at Citroën didn’t want to hear about a rival putting its flagship in the shade.

A shaky design and a paltry budget

Let’s try to understand the miracle — or rather the fiasco. To build the BX 4TC, its nose had to be elongated by 28 cm, which would make it, to put it bluntly, a sort of poorly balanced torpedo. Its designers juggled with disparate components, like a chef trying to concoct a star dish with nothing but leftovers from the fridge:

• Engine from the 505 Turbo? Yes, thank you!
• Gearbox from the SM? Perfect, but something's still missing.
• Rear differential from an old Peugeot model? Just to say there’s some truth to it.

And let's not forget, how could we forget that famous Diravi steering which promised “fluidity” but offered rather the dosing of a seasoning done blindfolded? All this, without a specific budget for competition. But why not, right?

The chaotic beginnings in rallies

The BX 4TC was unveiled to the press in November 1985, and the sound was less a crescendo of praise than a concert of whistles. One could then expect 200 horsepower for 1280 kg, which should give wings. Yet, the reality was as thrilling as a dead leaf crashing onto a sidewalk in the middle of August. Barely launched, the car already had a serious wing injury. Journalists, even the most benevolent, were writing articles filled with reservations.

Probably, the most glorious moments of this car turned into points of inclusive cruelty:

• Retirement during Monte Carlo 1986 — a classic!
• Sixth place at the Swedish rally — the only glimmer of hope amid the storm.
• A strategic deadlock to improve its handling — do you need a bit of common sense for that?

An almost tragic end

And what can be said about the end? Production started with 200 vehicles for homologation, but there had to be a little irony added: the 4TC wasn’t selling. At the exorbitant price of 248,500 Francs — imagine the price of an apartment, or an electric car today. Citroën eventually cracked, reducing prices by almost 40%. The unsold cars were sent directly to the shredder.

• The 200 assembled models became a sad joke in the system.
• It required threatening the owners to return their treasures — pieces that became exceedingly rare.
• In the end, less than half were recovered.

An epic that lives on in memories

Yet, amid all this chaos, the BX 4TC showed that it could hold the road. With good conditions and meticulous tuning, how could it not handle small corners on the asphalt? This city is filled with mysteries, which any fan of French automobiles would have been delighted to think about. Philippe Wambergue, a rally driver, even claimed that if it had benefited from more development, it would have surprised many competitors.

So, what about it 40 years after its birth, this Citroën BX 4TC? While some lament its failure, others are fighting to own one, transformed into an unexpected collector's item. For nostalgics and fans of the history of {motorsport}, this city car with bold design still deserves to be remembered for its daring. Moreover, there are even units surfacing on the market.

Source: www.caradisiac.com

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