Oltcit Club
| Company type | Joint venture |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Founder | Citroën, Romanian government |
| Defunct | 1991 |
| Fate | Citroën withdrew; production continued under Automobile Craiova |
| Headquarters | Romania |
| Products | Oltcit Club, Oltcit Special, Oltcit Club 11, Oltcit Club 12 TRS, Oltcit/Oltena Club 12 CS (pickup) |
The Oltcit Club is a supermini manufactured between 1981 and 1991, resulting from a collaboration between Citroën and the Romanian government under the joint venture Oltcit. It was equipped with air-cooled engines sourced from the Citroën GS/GSA. The Citroën Axel, which was exclusively exported, differed by not utilizing the flat-twin engine found in the Romanian-market Oltcit Special.
Development history
Beginning in 1965, Robert Opron developed Citroën's G-mini prototype and project EN101, intended to succeed the Citroën 2CV with a compact vehicle featuring aerodynamic styling. Although it incorporated innovative elements and achieved a drag coefficient of 0.32, customer reactions ultimately led to its cancellation. The final Axel 12 TRS model attained a drag coefficient of 0.36.[1]
During the early 1970s, Citroën collaborated with Fiat on Prototype Y to replace the Ami model. This design employed Fiat’s transversely mounted engine and front-wheel-drive system but transitioned to a Citroën-designed chassis after the partnership ended. Following Peugeot’s acquisition of Citroën in 1974, this project evolved into the Citroën Visa, which shared its platform with the Peugeot 104 as part of PSA Peugeot Citroën’s strategy of platform sharing.
The initial "Project Y" platform was eventually realized in Romania as the Oltcit in 1981, fitted with flat-twin engines from the Citroën Visa and flat-four engines and transmissions from the GS. It featured four-wheel disc brakes with inboard front brakes designed to reduce unsprung mass. Starting in July 1984, this model was marketed across Western Europe as the Citroën Axel.[1]
Citroën sought to recoup investments made in Romania that had not been compensated by the communist regime. Nevertheless, Oltcit faced challenges related to manufacturing quality and output volumes, producing only 60,184 units despite competitive pricing that undercut the 2CV in Western Europe. The Axel was never introduced to the UK market.
In France, the Axel was positioned as a simpler yet more durable alternative to the Visa, even though their market segments overlapped. The four-cylinder Axel 11 was priced approximately 10% lower than the two-cylinder Visa and found particular favor among farmers and residents of small towns due to its low rear loading height and sturdy build.[2]
In addition to passenger versions, a light commercial model without rear seating known as "Axel Entreprise" was also available.[3]
Production
The Oltcit Club, derived from the Prototype Y design, was manufactured from 1981 until 1995 and sold as the Citroën Axel in Western Europe.
After Citroën withdrew from the joint venture in 1991, production continued under the renamed company Automobile Craiova, with vehicles branded as Oltena. From 1994 onwards, a partnership with Korean company Daewoo Heavy Industries (later known as Daewoo Motors) led to models being marketed under the Rodae name.
Oltcit Club 12 CS
Introduced in 1993, the Oltcit Club 12 CS is a compact pickup variant featuring a 1299 cc engine paired with a five-speed transmission tuned for enhanced power delivery. It also includes strengthened rear torsion bars designed to accommodate heavier payloads.
Engines
| Name | Displacement (cc) |
Configuration | Output | Torque | Maximum speed | Fuel consumption (L/100 km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VO36/630 | 652 | air-cooled flat-twin, OHV | 34 PS (25 kW; 34 hp) at 5250 rpm | 49 N⋅m (36 lb⋅ft) at 3500 rpm | 121.2 km/h (75.3 mph) | 6.8 litres per 100 kilometres (42 mpg‑imp; 35 mpg‑US) |
| G11/631 | 1129 | air-cooled flat-four, SOHC | 57.4 PS (42 kW; 57 hp) at 6250 rpm | 79 N⋅m (58 lb⋅ft) at 3500 rpm | 149.4 km/h (92.8 mph) | 8.1 litres per 100 kilometres (35 mpg‑imp; 29 mpg‑US) |
| T13/653 | 1299 | air-cooled flat-four, SOHC | 61.5 PS (45 kW; 61 hp) at 5500 rpm | 96 N⋅m (71 lb⋅ft) at 3250 rpm | 157 km/h (98 mph) | 7.3 litres per 100 kilometres (39 mpg‑imp; 32 mpg‑US) |
Under Oltcit branding
- Oltcit Special (652 cc)
- Oltcit Club 11 (1129 cc)
- Oltcit Club 12 TRS (1299 cc)
- Oltcit/Oltena Club 12 CS (pick-up) (1299 cc)
Under Citroën branding
- Citroën Axel 11 R Entreprise (1129 cc)
- Citroën Axel 11 R (1129 cc)
- Citroën Axel 12 TRS (1299 cc)
- Citroën Axel 12 TRS Entreprise (1299 cc)