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Included in the famous X-body car line-up of General Motors, Chevrolet
Citation was a compact car that run in the market from 1979 up to 1985
model year. This car together with other X-body cars like Buick
Skylark, Oldsmobile Omega and Pontiac Phoenix were known to be the
first compact front wheel drive automobile released by GM. Since the
company acknowledges the consumer demand for smaller cars, GM decided
to replace V8 engines with more cost-effective V6 and four-cylinder
engines. As a result, the X-body cars come 800 lb lighter that similar
vehicles before.
Planning for the production of this kind of vehicles began way back in
April 1974 and the first prototypes were assembled in mid-summer of
1976 model year. And finally, in April of 1979, the Citation was
released into production. In the beginning of 1979 model year, General
Motors realized that the Citation was geared up to race in the Sports
Car Club of America under SSB class. Because of this, they created an
exceptional suspension – the Z19.
To further prepare the Citation X-11 version for racing, GM also
outfitted it with a special High Output 2.8 L V6 engine known as the
LH7, aside from the Z19 suspension. This power source produces 140
horsepower and 145 ft.lb of torque. The X-11 became successful in race
track, making the engineers and designers very glad that they happen to
produce the car in smaller size, as what the rules required. To further
enhance the performance Citation X11, it was significantly equipped
with new decals and aluminum wheels as well as cowl induction to
accommodate cold air intake. This Citation version was at times dubbed
as the muscle car of its era.
The Citation became largely popular at that time to a point
that there were significant delays in delivery to customers. In fact,
there are some customers that have to wait for nine months to receive
their ordered Citation. Because of its popularity and excellence,
Chevrolet Citation was awarded as Motor Trend magazine’s Car of the
Year for 1980.
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Chevrolet Citation Parts
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