Citroën Visa
The Citroën Visa is a supermini car which was manufactured and marketed by Citroën from 1978 to 1988. It has a front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout with two body styles: A five-door hatchback and a four-door semiconvertible. 1,254,390 examples were ultimately manufactured over a single generation, with a single facelift. It was produced in both petrol and diesel variants. The car was also assembled in China as the Liuzhou Wuling LZW 7100 minicar; Chinese production started in 1991 and finished in 1994.
Citroën commissioned Heuliez to produce a Visa convertible variant, marketed as the Décapotable, and a box van variant was marketed as the Citroën C15. A saloon car variant was prototyped but never manufactured.
Development
In 1965 Robert Opron began working on the Citroën G-mini prototype and project EN101, a replacement for the 2CV using its flat twin engine and intended to launch in 1970. The advanced space efficient designs with compact exterior dimensions and an aerodynamic drag co-efficient Cd of 0.32, were never fully developed because of negative feedback from potential clients.A subsequent program, the Citroën Prototype Y, was developed in the early 1970s in co-operation with Fiat, to replace the 2CV-based Citroën Ami — using lessons from the Citroën G-mini and EN101 projects. Prototype Y used the Fiat 127 platform with the pioneering transverse front-engine, front wheel drive layout Fiat had test-marketed in the Autobianchi Primula.
When cooperation with Fiat ended, Citroën designed its own platform, and subsequent to the takeover of Citroën by Peugeot in the wake of the 1974 oil crisis, the renamed "Projet VD " became the Citroën Visa, incorporating the floor pan of the Peugeot 104 and using the 104 engine, transmission and chassis. The Visa thus became the first model under PSA Peugeot Citroën's platform-sharing policy.
In 1984, the original Citroën platform design from "Project Y" emerged as the Romanian Oltcit Club, using a Citroën Visa flat-twin engine and Citroën GS-based gearbox or the GS flat-four engine and gearbox. This was also marketed in Western Europe as the flat-four Citroën Axel to recoup Citroën's Romanian investment, which the Romanian government could not repay. The resulting vehicle exhibited build quality issues, with 60,184 cars ultimately manufactured.
Model history and design
From its launch in September 1978, the front-wheel drive Visa was available in "Spécial" and "Club" models with a mapped electronic ignition, and a "Super E" model, with the advanced Peugeot 1124 cc Douvrin engine / PSA X engine, a four-cylinder "Suitcase engine" — all aluminium alloy, chain driven overhead cam, with gearbox in the sump, sharing engine oil, mounted almost on its side. The 1124 cc was as economical as the Citroën 2CV-derived twin, but with much better performance. The flat-twin engine was mounted longitudinally; the four-cylinder engines were installed transversally. Later on it had 1219 cc and then 954 cc and 1360 cc versions of the same engine. The original Visa's engines, while of Peugeot origins, were modified by Citroën's engineers with the aim of increasing fuel economy and responsiveness. The results were very limited and by the time of the introduction of the 1.4-litre models the engines were taken over wholesale from Peugeot without modifications.The Visa featured a soft but well-damped, long-travel, fully independent suspension that contributed to a soft ride similar to the Citroën 2CV, but with less extreme body roll. New for 1983 was the Visa Super E GL, which offered more complete equipment and a redesigned, more comfortable two-piece rear seat. The two seats were easily removed to increase luggage capability. For model year 1983 the most powerful Visa yet, the Visa GT, arrived. In addition to the 80-PS engine, it offered alloy wheels with Michelin TRX tyres, spoilers, sideskirts and trim, special colors, and a more sporting suspension tuning than what was normal for Citroën. In early 1985 the limited production Visa 14 S Tonic arrived, a version using the GT's engine and transmission coupled with an all-white appearance similar to the Visa Crono but at a price not much higher than the basic Visa 11 RE. Only 2000 Tonics were made.
In spring 1984 the diesel version was added. The Visa 17D and 17RD used the famously rugged and refined, class-leading 1769 cc XUD diesel and transmission from the Peugeot 205. The powertrain required too wide a track for the original engine compartment and wings, so the front wings were extended with large black plastic wheel arch panels. The spare wheel that in smaller petrol engine versions was mounted on top of the flat or near horizontal engine, was bolted to the otherwise flat boot floor, compromising luggage space. In continental Europe, a basic diesel van the 'Visa Enterprise' was sold that used the normal Visa bodyshell with the rear doors welded shut. This version mounted a space saver spare wheel under the bonnet, atop the diesel engine.
At the Paris Salon 1984, for model year 1985, the 1.4 L TRS was presented. The Visa 14 TRS, was produced for two years, shared its engine with the Citroën BX14 and receiving a favourable review by CAR magazine. In early 1985 the Visa GTI, fitted with a 1580 cc engine, was introduced. This would be the fastest Visa offered with a top speed of 188 or 192 km/h depending on the engine version.
Between 1985 and 1987 the 1.1 litre petrol and 1.7 litre diesel "Leader" special editions were marketed. Near the end of its production life, a catalyzed version of the 1360 cc engine was added for markets with stricter emissions standards.
No automatic gearbox version was produced.
Production of the Visa finished near the end of 1988, when the five-door version of the Citroën AX was launched.
Dashboard satellites and interior
The Visa driver controls were located in two pods flanking the steering wheel and were marketed as PRN Lunule. Controls for wipers, washers, horn, indicators, headlamps and flashers were mounted ergonomically on a cylindrical unit with heating and ventilation controls using laterally arcing sliders were located oppositely on a flat control pod — all within finger-tip reach. In 1979 Popular Science described the system as using a "finger-tip control drum."In March 1981 the Visa received a facelift, designed by Heuliez, retaining the original interior and the "PRN Satellite" controls. It was now referred to as the Visa II. In the summer of 1984 the Visa was updated again and received a new dashboard, instruments, and switchgear, retaining its monospoke steering wheel. The turn signals were now self-cancelling, making this the first Citroën to be equipped with this near-universal feature.
The curved sides of the Visa's windscreen enabled the use of a very large single wiper on the long narrow windscreen. The front of the revised car was designed to aerodynamically reduce the deposition of dirt on the headlights, and to reduce the risk of stone chips to the headlights, bonnet and windscreen.
The Visa's heating and ventilation system,, could provide cold air from fascia side vents to the face while warming the car. The central directable fascia vents could be heated and angled, so that they could be pointed directly at the windscreen in front of the driver, to keep it clear in extreme misting conditions. There was also an additional mid level vent, to blow air between the front seats to the back of the car.
The Visa's rear parcel shelf was in two hinged sections, one in the car, the other on the tailgate, to allow objects that were slightly too tall to still fit without removing the shelf. When carrying larger loads, the part of the shelf attached to the tailgate could be folded up, and fixed with the elasticated support strings, to protect the rear window and heated rear screen elements.