Oltcit
Encyclopedia
The Oltcit was a Romania
n car
developed in co-operation with Citroën
of France
in the 1980s. It is a small three-door hatchback, based on the Citroën Prototype Y
and built in Craiova
at the Automobile Craiova
plant.
when they intended to use the Prototype Y design to replace the Ami
, but when Peugeot
took over Citroën (forming the PSA Group), it decided to base the Citroën Visa
on the 104
.
The Oltcit carried on with the Prototype Y-derived design and was sold between 1978 and 1996; it was also sold in Western Europe
, Canada
, and other markets, often badged as the Citroën Axel
.
The name "Oltcit" comes from the region of Oltenia
in Romania, with "cit" being an abbreviation of Citroën. The Oltcit logo is also similar to the Citroën one, but features only one chevron, as opposed to the two found on Citroën's logo, plus the letter "O".
After 1994, it was sold under Oltena and Rodae brands.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n car
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
developed in co-operation with Citroën
Citroën
Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that...
of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the 1980s. It is a small three-door hatchback, based on the Citroën Prototype Y
Citroën Prototype Y
The Citroën Prototype Y was a project to develop a replacement for the Citroën Ami, conducted by Citroën in the early seventies. It was superseded by project Citroën VD ....
and built in Craiova
Craiova
Craiova , Romania's 6th largest city and capital of Dolj County, is situated near the east bank of the river Jiu in central Oltenia. It is a longstanding political center, and is located at approximately equal distances from the Southern Carpathians and the River Danube . Craiova is the chief...
at the Automobile Craiova
Automobile Craiova
Automobile Craiova is a Romanian car manufacturer located in Craiova, Romania. It is owned by Ford Motor Company.-The beginnings:Automobile Craiova was founded in 1976 as OLTCIT joint venture company between the Romanian government and Citroën...
plant.
History
This vehicle was studied by CitroënCitroën
Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that...
when they intended to use the Prototype Y design to replace the Ami
Citroën Ami
The Citroën Ami is a supermini produced by the French automaker Citroën from 1961 to 1978. The Ami and stablemate Citroën Dyane were replaced by the Citroën Visa and Citroën Axel . The Ami was for some years the best-selling car model in France...
, but when Peugeot
Peugeot
Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...
took over Citroën (forming the PSA Group), it decided to base the Citroën Visa
Citroën Visa
The Citroën Visa is a supermini that was produced by the French car marque Citroën from 1978 to 1988.-Development History:The Citroën Prototype Y to replace the 2CV based Citroën Ami that dated back to 1960 in the early seventies, was originally developed in co-operation with Fiat...
on the 104
Peugeot 104
The Peugeot 104 is a supermini motor car designed by Paolo Martin and produced by the French car manufacturer Peugeot between 1972 and 1988.- Production history :Saloon launch 1972...
.
The Oltcit carried on with the Prototype Y-derived design and was sold between 1978 and 1996; it was also sold in Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and other markets, often badged as the Citroën Axel
Citroën Axel
The Citroën Axel was a supermini automobile produced between 1984 and 1990 and developed in co-operation by Citroën of France and Automobile Craiova, a joint venture company with the Romanian government....
.
The name "Oltcit" comes from the region of Oltenia
Oltenia
Oltenia is a historical province and geographical region of Romania, in western Wallachia. It is situated between the Danube, the Southern Carpathians and the Olt river ....
in Romania, with "cit" being an abbreviation of Citroën. The Oltcit logo is also similar to the Citroën one, but features only one chevron, as opposed to the two found on Citroën's logo, plus the letter "O".
After 1994, it was sold under Oltena and Rodae brands.
Engines
| Name | Capacity (cc) | Type | Power | Torque | Top speed | Consumption (liters/100 km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VO36/630 | 652 | 4 valves OHV | 34 PS @5250 rpm | 49 newton metre @3500 rpm | 121.2 km/h (75.3 mph) | 6.8 l/100 km |
| G11/631 | 1129 | 8 valves SOHC | 57.4 PS @6250 rpm | 79 newton metre @3500 rpm | 149.4 km/h (92.8 mph) | 8.1 l/100 km |
| T13/653 | 1299 | 8 valves SOHC | 61.5 PS @5500 rpm | 96 newton metre @3250 rpm | 157 km/h (97.6 mph) | 7.3 l/100 km |
Models
- Oltcit Special (652 cc)
- Oltcit Club 11 (1129 cc)
- Oltcit Club 12 TRS (1299 cc)
- Oltcit Club 12 CS (PickUp version) (1299 cc)
External links
- Oltcit (Citroen Axel) in RomanianRomanian languageRomanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
- Oltcit, Oltena and Axel at Citroenet
- Oltcit bearing the Oltena logo at PicasaPicasaPicasa is an image organizer and image viewer for organizing and editing digital photos, plus an integrated photo-sharing website, originally created by Idealab in 2002 and owned by Google since 2004. "Picasa" is a blend of the name of Spanish painter Pablo Picasso, the phrase mi casa for "my...