Citroën Activa
| Company type | Concept vehicle |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Paris , France |
| Products | Concept cars, Hydractive suspension system |
| Parent | Citroën |
The Citroën Activa and Activa 2 were concept vehicles developed by the French automaker Citroën to explore and demonstrate cutting-edge technologies intended for future production cars. These models were unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 1988 and 1990, respectively. Subsequently, the Activa designation was used for the production Xantia model equipped with the Activa suspension system.
Overview
The Activa series introduced an electronically managed hydropneumatic suspension known as "Hydractive", which was paired with an active anti-roll bar. This innovation combined Citroën's traditional hydropneumatic suspension with sophisticated electronic controls, enabling automatic adjustment of the vehicle's handling and effectively minimizing body lean—a frequent critique of earlier Citroën suspension setups. The Hydractive technology made its production debut on the Citroën XM in 1989, followed by the Xantia in 1993. In 1995, the active anti-roll bar concept from the Activa prototypes was implemented in the Xantia Activa, distinguishing it as one of the limited production cars featuring active suspension.
Activa 1
Equipped with fully hydraulically linked, independent four-wheel steering, anti-lock braking, and traction control systems—advanced features for its era—the Activa 1 also offered electronically operated doors accessible via remote control. Its powertrain included a 3.0L SOHC PRV engine V6 delivering at 6000 rpm and torque at 3600 rpm, mated to a four-speed automatic gearbox, allowing a maximum speed of . The subsequent Activa 2 adopted a more conventional design but preserved the active anti-roll bar system while introducing a center console keypad in place of a traditional gear lever and incorporating a navigation system.
Activa 2
Conceived as a potential replacement for the SM, the Activa 2 project was ultimately shelved due to Citroën's assessment that its brand positioning would hinder competitiveness against premium manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz and Porsche in the grand touring market segment. Built on the XM platform, this fully operational prototype shared the same 24-valve, 3-liter V6 engine paired with a four-speed automatic transmission as found in the Activa 1. Its claimed top speed rose to . The prototype was mainly constructed by Bertone, who applied their expertise in creating functional concept vehicles. Automotive journalists were invited to test drive the Activa 2 to highlight Citroën’s Hydractive suspension technology.