The more beautiful variant - Citroën Zabrus
The Citroën BX 4 TC is not exactly one of the automotive beauties, nor did it have to be visually attractive, just fast. However, it only achieved this to a limited extent and Group B in rally sport was at an end (in 1986) before the BX was able to show that it had more to offer.
We can do better, the Bertone people probably thought, and designed a sports car with a station wagon rear, which they called the Zabrus. The name was borrowed from a type of Beetle from Asia Minor, for whatever reason.
It is said that 25,000 working hours were spent on the show car at the time. This included hammering the body over wooden molds, but also casting special plastic panes because no glass manufacturer had been able to shape them conventionally.
Inside, the Zabrus passenger was welcomed by a comfortable leather/velour interior, the seats could be moved forwards and backwards electrically. Conventional instruments were not welcome; the latest computer technology had to make do.
Under the elegant bodywork, however, the mechanics of the BX 4 TC remained untouched, which meant that the luxury car was equipped with technology that was suitable for racing but not necessarily noise-comfortable. At least there was a hydropneumatic system so that the Zabrus could glide over the road at the desired distance from the ground.
Yes, the Zabrus really did drive, but not always well. On the first drive, the accelerator pedal got stuck in the full throttle position, and during the test drive with the editor of Auto Motor und Sport, the engine didn't want to rev above 3000 rpm. However, this could certainly have been fixed, as could the rapid heating of the interior.
The AMS driving report from the summer of 1986 concluded with the following words:
"The Zabrus thus fulfills two functions for Carrozzeria Bertone: it is a space and dream proposal for automobile voyeurs and, as a rolling belly-load of Bertone capabilities, it will ensure that Nuccio continues to do well - at least until 1987, when the company celebrates its 75th anniversary."
Well, Bertone survived a little longer than that, and the Zabrus can certainly be considered one of his attractive creations, especially if you place it next to the Group B road BX for comparison.
