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Citroen BX 4TC | Group B Monster for the Road
Words Carlo Brema / Photos Citroen – RM Sotheby’s
If I had a time machine, my first trip would head back to 1985. Exactly 40 years to witness that brief rally parenthesis that turned the most dangerous and reckless category ever into something immortal: Group B. The racing cars of those years were missiles capable of rising from the ground in an impressive way, then landing and returning to bite gravel, mud, asphalt or snow thus launching themselves into curves at unthinkable speeds, especially for the safety standards of the time. And in fact, the numerous deaths led to a premature disappearance of this category, without however preventing it from leaving a legacy of a series of special models embellished with that aura of rarity and danger that made them legendary and such as to elude the passing of the decades.
But we are not here to talk about Lancia, Peugeot or Audi, just to mention some of the names that immediately take shape in the mind of every enthusiast when talking about Group B. Yes, because the French Citroen has not been standing still and watching and in fact boasts what in all honesty seems to be the rarest model of them all: the BX 4TC. I confirm, the rarest and not so much for the number of units produced, which by FIA regulation implied the production of a minimum of 200 pieces approved for road use, an aspect therefore shared with all competitors (urban legends aside), but for the fact that the sales of the craziest BX in history did not seem to fully reflect the expectations of the French company. Just under a hundred were sold and we lost track of many over time, thus leading to the hypothesis that today coming across one is an extremely unusual sight.
Citroen doesn’t mince words and transforms the BX sedan into a racing monster. The flared wheel arches are evident, especially in the side and rear view, where the spoiler at the base of the rear window stands out, while on the bonnet we find a noticeable bulge that does not try to hide the racing nature of the 4TC. To accentuate and characterize the Citroen project we then find the adoption, very unusual for the world of rallying, of a hydraulic suspension system, a solution that on everyday environment has always guaranteed maximum comfort for its customers. But in a world where no one cares about comfort, Citroen confirms that its choice would have been a gamble that would have rewarded greater handling, especially on rough surfaces.
Finally, to move the BX 4TC we find a 2.1-liter 4-cylinder turbo derived from Chrysler and Simca. The road version delivers 200 horsepower and a maximum torque of 300 Nm, enough to move the sedan from 0 to 100 kph in just 7 and a half seconds. With the adoption of a KKK turbocharger, the racing version called Evo reaches a whopping 380 hp (and 460 Nm), which translates into performances of at least 2 seconds faster on the 0-100 (5.5, ed.) and a top speed of around 280 kph. The gearbox is a 5-speed manual, not the most modern, given that it was the same as the Citroen SM, which has been around for some time.
Let’s not beat around the bush and don’t be ashamed to say that perhaps the BX 4TC is sexier than the Lancia Delta S4, perhaps precisely because of its even more generous shapes, the look of a vitaminized sedan and the fact that once parked, the hydraulic suspensions lower the body until it almost completely covers the wheels. Violent, even with the engine off. Too bad that in addition to the poor sales numbers, the 4TC failed exactly where it should have excelled, in racing. Numerous retirements due to poor reliability, with a sixth place at the 1986 Swedish Rally as its best result. The end of the games was sealed by the retirement of all three cars fielded for the Acropolis Rally of the same season, all with the same problem caused by the suspension. An unfortunate epilogue that led to an inevitable premature end, but nevertheless nothing takes away the joy of just looking at it. The BX 4TC may not be remembered as Citroen’s racing masterpiece, but it is undoubtedly still one of Bertone and the French manufacturer’s sexiest creations. It doesn’t matter if it didn’t collect special stages and the fact that we have news of just 40 street legal cars makes the emotional value of the BX 4TC even more special. How much would I give to drive one? Almost €200,000? Ok, that’s not a small sum for a BX, but the Group B imprint can convince without too many problems.
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