PSA-Renault X-Type engine

Française de Mécanique

Company type	Joint venture
Industry	Automotive engineering
Founded	1969
Founder	Peugeot, Renault
Headquarters	Douvrin , France
Products	Internal combustion engines (PSA X engine series)

The PSA X engine series comprises a range of internal combustion engines utilized in vehicles from Citroën, Peugeot, Talbot, and Renault. Mainly installed in supermini and entry-level midsize cars, this engine was developed by Française de Mécanique, a collaborative venture established in 1969 between Peugeot (the forerunner of Groupe PSA) and Renault. Production was concentrated in Douvrin, located in northern France. The X engine is commonly referred to as the "Suitcase" engine, a nickname that sets it apart from the larger 2.0–2.2L Douvrin J-Type engine also manufactured at the same facility.

Launched in 1972 alongside the Peugeot 104, the X engine is characterized by an all-aluminium SOHC inline-four configuration, featuring two valves per cylinder actuated via a chain drive. It was exclusively mounted transversely in front-wheel-drive layouts, inclined at approximately 72 degrees from horizontal. The transmission is integrated and affixed to the rear of the crankcase, driven through transfer gears that generate a distinctive "whining" noise reminiscent of the BMC A-Series engine. Engine displacements spanned from to cc. When separated, the side-mounted gearbox and engine arrangement resemble two halves of a suitcase, inspiring its colloquial name.

The X engine continued in PSA vehicles until 1990; however, Renault ceased its use by 1982, opting to revert to its Cléon-Fonte engines when transitioning from the R14 to the R9/R11 models. PSA succeeded the X series with the more advanced belt-driven camshaft PSA TU engine, introduced in 1986 with the Citroën AX. The TU featured a conventional end-on gearbox with independent lubrication and was directly evolved from the X design.

Française de Mécanique Engine Types	108	109 — 121	129 — 145		150
PSA Designation	XV	XW	XZ	XL	XY
Renault Designation			X5G(*) — X6G(*)		X5J — X6J(*)
Displacement	954 cc	1124 cc	1218 cc	1288 cc	1360 cc
Bore (mm)	70	72	75	76	75
Stroke (mm)	62	69	69	71	77

(*) These designations are inferred based on Renault's subsequent naming conventions.

In their early years, Renault and Peugeot shared designations within Française de Mécanique; by the decade of the 1980s, each manufacturer had adopted distinct naming systems.

An example of Renault's three-character engine coding is the X5J (1360 cc) found in the Renault 14 GTL starting in 1982: 'X' indicates the engine block family (X series), '5' denotes the type of engine (such as hemispherical head petrol engines with single carburettor), and the final letter signifies displacement category ('G' for engines between 1150–1249 cc, 'J' for those ranging from 1350–1449 cc).

XV

The XV model featured a displacement of , with bore and stroke dimensions of . Fitted with a single-barrel carburettor, it delivered an output of .

This engine variant powered models including the Citroën LNA, Citroën Visa, Peugeot 104, Peugeot 205, and Talbot Samba.

Model	Power Output	Remarks
XV8	33 kW (45 PS; 44 hp)	Single-barrel carburettor

XW

With a displacement of , bore and stroke measuring , the XW initially came equipped with a single-barrel carburettor producing . The high-performance XW3S variant employed a twin-barrel carburettor that increased power output to . A detuned version delivering was also introduced as a replacement for the XV in certain markets.

This engine powered various vehicles such as Citroën LNA, Visa, C15, BX; Peugeot 104 and 205; as well as Talbot Samba. The more powerful version was fitted to sportier models like the Visa X and the Peugeot 104 ZS released in 1975.

Model	Power Output	Remarks
XW3	42 kW (57 PS; 56 hp)	Single-barrel carburettor
XW7	37 kW (50 PS; 50 hp)	Single-barrel carburettor
XW3S	48.5 kW (66 PS; 65 hp)	Twin-barrel carburettor

XZ

The XZ engine featured a displacement of , with bore and stroke dimensions of . Initially, it delivered , which was later enhanced to in the Visa Super X model. The XZ7R version was equipped with dual twin-barrel carburettors, producing .

Although its production span was brief, the XZ powered several vehicles including the Citroën Visa, Peugeot 104, Talbot Samba, and Renault 14. High-performance variants were introduced in models such as the Peugeot 104 ZS Coupé and Talbot Samba Rallye, with some versions designed specifically for racing.

Model	Output	Notes
XZ5	42 kW (56 hp)	Single-barrel carburettor
XZ5X	47 kW (63 hp)	Double-barrel carburettor
XZ7R	66 kW (89 hp)	Twin double-barrel carburettors

XY

Succeeding the XZ, the XY engine had a displacement of , with bore and stroke measuring . It was initially offered with a double-barrel carburettor outputting , while later configurations included single-barrel, twin single-barrel, and twin double-barrel carburettors delivering up to , depending on the specific tuning and vehicle model.

The XY engine powered various cars such as the Citroën Visa, Peugeot 104 and 205, Talbot Samba, and Renault 14 GTL, with power outputs ranging from in standard versions to in higher-end or sportier trims like the Samba Cabrio, 205 XT, BX, Visa GT, and Samba S. The most potent versions were reserved for the Visa Chrono editions, which gained recognition for rally achievements in France. Additionally, a larger displacement racing variant exceeding was utilized in Group B competitions.

Model	Output	Notes
XY6B		Double-barrel carburettor
XY?		Twin double-barrel carburettors
XY7		Single-barrel carburettor

Sources

• Guide des moteurs Peugeot Citroën (in French)