Meet the Citroen CX Penthouse, Once the Fastest Motorhome on Earth

The Penthouse goes by the Citroen CX Penthouse official name and is a one-off prototype that has long been lost to time. It is one of the most famous creations of French coachbuilder Pierre Tissier, who founded the Application des Procédés Tissier in 1972 and patented the system that would sit at the base of the motorhome, along with countless other “centipede” Citroens that would serve an incredible range of industries and purposes.

In the ‘70s and ‘80s, Tissier became synonymous with Citroen conversions, at first based on the DS, then on the CX GTi saloon, and the XM. They could be anything the client needed, from ambulances that offered standing height for medical personnel so they could offer on-site assistance, to limousines, car haulers, delivery vans that carried newspapers from France to Spain at incredible speed, to helicopter carriers, camera cars (insert cars that carry the camera and/or crew), and promotional vehicles.

Tissier was the man who did what others couldn’t or wouldn’t, and his “centipedes,” often counting six or eight wheels, were incredibly popular. More than anything, they were efficient, way more so than any other conversion based on a van or a truck: with a very low weight, they could carry heavy loads at high speeds because they integrated the Citroen hydropneumatic suspension on all axles, and had front-wheel drive.

In 1980, Tissier showcased this patented system on what was meant to be a prototype of the future luxury apartment on wheels, the aptly-named Penthouse. The Penthouse was a Citroen CX GTi converted into a motorhome: the front end was still pretty much a stock saloon, but the rear end was replaced with a fiberglass body by Dubicamper that added new functionality to the vehicle. In short, it was now a rolling palace on wheels, with incredible features for the time – and even by today’s standards, if you take into account the very small footprint of the RV.

The Penthouse was on display at the Citroen booth at the 1980 Paris Motor Show, and Automobiles Citroen dubbed it the “world’s fastest motorhome” in its 61st edition, which came out after the event. “With the CX GTi injection engine, this six-wheel motorhome is not only the fastest in the world, it is also one of the most comfortable,” the magazine claimed.

This statement was never confirmed in any official way, unsurprisingly. The Citroen CX 2400 GTi 2347-cc, four-cylinder engine delivered 92 kW (128 hp) of power and 193 Nm of torque, but without the added weight in the back. Since most Tissier “centipedes” could easily travel at a constant 100 kph without issue, maybe this unofficial record title wasn’t entirely far-fetched, even if unverified.

But the thing about the Penthouse was the way in which the fiberglass body allowed putting an entire home inside. It put the “home” in “motorhome,” if you’ll indulge the pun.

Access inside was done via the rear door on the passenger side (the one on the driver’s side was removed), and there was standing height at camp, thanks to an automatic accordion-style pop-up roof with two porthole windows allowing in natural light. The living room offered seating in lush red velvety-like fabric, with the benches convertible into a divan for lounging, or a bed at night. The area was also a dinette if you just added a table between the two benches.

The kitchen was small but impressively well-stocked, with a gas stove, a small refrigerator, a small sink, and even an espresso coffee machine. You can do without a lot of things in life, but not without coffee, and that’s a fact. The bathroom included a toilet, a sink, and a shower which is impressive even compared to some of today’s conversions, which lack one or more of these basic amenities.

There was a 167-liter (44.2-gallon) water tank onboard, with a separate tank for wastewater, and all electricity needs were met by an onboard independent generator. The living area of the vehicle had separate AC and heating and was fully insulated.

The Penthouse delivered entertainment options as well, and that’s not a euphemism for the kind of attention that you could get from other tourists at camp. Tissier put in a stereo system with 3 tuners, an amplifier and a cassette player, a television set, a clock radio, and a telephone. The Penthouse was a deluxe apartment on wheels alright, but it was also one where the party never stopped.

Sadly, the party did stop someplace. As far as we can tell, the Penthouse went off the radar shortly after its display at the auto show, even though the concept proved so popular that it even got its own toy car later. Whatever happened to the Citroen CX Penthouse remains a mystery, but if it’s any consolation, it will forever be remembered as the fanciest, poshest Citroen saloon conversion ever.