The Citroen C5 X is heading for the chopping block after the current generation, but the quirky flagship crossover still has a few more spins around the sun. To drum up some interest in Japan before the final curtain call, Citroen has rolled out a special edition of the C5 X called the Auditorium. “Auditorium” is French for “concert hall,” which fits since this model is geared toward audiophiles. The big selling point? A new sound system by Bewith, a Japanese company that specializes in high-end car audio.
While audio systems boasting countless
speakers are all the rage, the Citroen C5 X Auditorium Edition keeps it simple
with just six. These consist of two 1-inch (2.5 cm) dome tweeters and four
6.5-inch (16.5 cm) woofers. What sets them apart from the factory speakers is
the aluminum-magnesium diaphragm used by Bewith, which promises a clearer sound
and smoother transitions. The woofers are mounted on aluminum boards designed
to suppress vibrations and “muddy sound,” giving you that crisp, clean audio
experience. Citroen sweetens the deal with a free one-year Spotify Premium
subscription, so buyers can test their fancy speakers with all their favorite
bangers and ballads.
Style-wise, don’t expect anything
drastic—the only visual difference on the Auditorium Edition is some
calligraphy stickers on the sides, so you can let the whole world know you’re
serious about sound. Under the hood, it’s business as usual: a non-electrified
1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 178 hp and powering the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic. If you’re after
the plug-in hybrid version, you’re out of luck—Auditorium buyers don’t get to
have their cake and eat it too.
Priced at ¥ 5,689,500 (US$ 39,888) in Japan,
the C5 X Auditorium Edition is a cool ¥ 71,500 (US$ 500) more than the C5 X Max
it’s based on, despite the Bewith audio system alone supposedly adding ¥ 300,000
(US$ 2,103) in value. For the record, the most expensive version of the Citroen C5
X in the Japanese market is the comfort-focused Hypnos special edition with the
plug-in hybrid powertrain and a price of ¥ 6,820,000 (US$ 47,812).