Citroen Saxo VTS: The little country road king turns 30

(Motorsport-Total.com/Motor1) – It is such news that ruthlessly confronts you with how old you have become. The Citroën Saxo VTS was a hero of my youth and pretty high up in the “I’ll get it as soon as I have my driver’s license” ranking. Now the little troublemaker box is turning 30 years old.

Read more «The computer decides»: Drivers worry about rain chaos in Miami

In 1996, Citroën launched the new Saxo series. The successor to the AX was developed by PSA and shared much technology including engines with the Peugeot 106. At launch, there were four-cylinder eight-valve naturally aspirated engines with 50, 75, and 88 hp. Additionally, a 1.5-liter diesel with 57 hp. From the start, the then still very compact-sport-obsessed market was also offered a distinctly sporty top model with a 1.6-liter 16-valve engine delivering 120 hp and 145 Nm of maximum torque – the Saxo VTS.

In the mid-90s, the world of small hot hatches was still wonderfully uncomplicated. This also applied to the hot Saxo. It was the answer to the question of how much driving fun you can pack into 3.72 meters of metal without breaking the bank. Today, the little Frenchman celebrates its 30th birthday – reason enough to take a look at why it was actually so damn good.

Gilles Vidal’s debut work and the spirit of the AX

The Saxo had a tough time in 1996. It had to fill the big shoes of the AX, which had set standards as the AX Sport and GTi with radical lightweight construction. While the regular Saxo debuted more as a sensible city car, a young designer named Gilles Vidal – today, by the way, design chief at Renault – was allowed to experiment with the look of the sport version.

It was his first assignment at Citroën: He designed the characteristic fender flares that flowed seamlessly into the side skirts, and the more distinctive bumpers. Otherwise, the VTS remained comparatively discreet. A 16V emblem on the rear fenders, special 14-inch wheels, and a chromed exhaust tip were enough.

Photo series: Citroen Saxo VTS (1996)

Under the hood of the top model was the cream of the TU engine family: the TU5J4. A 1.6-liter sixteen-valve that mobilized 120 hp at 6,600 rpm. That doesn’t sound like much today, but we’re talking about an empty weight of only 935 kilograms. The result was a sharp power delivery that only ended at 7,300 rpm at the limiter. This allowed the VTS to officially sprint to 100 km/h in 8.7 seconds and break the 200 km/h mark. At a time when a Golf GTI was already becoming significantly heavier, the Saxo was a real scalpel for the country road.

Read more Telemetry analysis: How Antonelli won the pole duel against Verstappen

Between racing toughness and everyday life

The Saxo VTS’s chassis was legendary – and notorious. The precise steering and the trailing rear axle made it extremely agile but also demanded a skilled hand at the limit. Typical for a French compact sports car of the 80s and 90s. The desire for proper oversteer was part of the good tone back then. No wonder the Saxo became a talent factory: Whether in rally sport or brand cups, a whole generation of drivers, including a certain Sébastien Loeb, learned the craft here.

In the tough competition of the nineties, the Saxo VTS had to assert itself against well-known rivals. There was, of course, the Peugeot 106 S16, its technical twin brother, which was often tuned even a bit sharper. But also the Opel Corsa GSi with 106 hp, the Fiat Punto GT with 131 hp turbo punch, or the then still young VW Polo GTI with 120 hp fished in the same pond. But the Citroën offered this very own mix of understatement and pure mechanics.

Over the years, the VTS line was broadened to make the sporty look accessible with smaller engines (75 to 100 hp) as well. The big facelift in 1999 with the distinctive almond headlights modernized the look once again before it finally ended in 2003 after seven years and the replacement by the C2. Anyone looking for a well-preserved VTS in original condition today needs patience. The relevant used car markets do not offer much. We found no more than a handful of examples in a brief search – depending on condition between about 5,000 and 9,000 euros.

More from Citroën
Citroen: Collection special models for C3, C3 Aircross and C4
Citroen shows old and new concepts at Retromobile 2026

Read more This is how Formula 1 reacts to the death of Alessandro Zanardi