Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 1

CITROËN CLASSIC OWNERS’ CLUB OF AUSTRALIA Australia’s National Citroën Car Club

Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts

December 2020/January 2021 Vol 44 No 4

Volume 44 2020_21 #4 GS With Letter.indd Spread 1 of 44 - Pages(88, 1) 27/11/2020 10:02:25 2 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 3

PPostalostal AddressAddress CCommitteeommittee SSupportupport CContentsontents CITROËN CLASSIC OWNERS’ President ~ Ted Cross Web Site Manager ~ Bruce Stringer ED SED PAGE 4 [03] 98I9 2208 [H] 04I2 342 706 [M] CLUB of AUSTRALIA Inc. PREZ SEZ PAGE 5 The address of the Club and this [email protected] [email protected] magazine is: Secretary ~ Tim Cottrell Membership Secretary ~ A-TRACTIONS PAGE 6 04I6 009 297 [M] Ian Macdermott PO Box 52, Balwyn, Victoria, 3I03. CIT-IN 202I BENDIGO The Club’s website is: [email protected] 04I9 362 375 [M] www.citroenclassic.org.au Treasurer ~ Ian Macdermott [email protected] PAGE I0 Citroën Classic Owners’ Club of 04I9 362 375 [M] Asset Custodians ~ Ted Cross PERIOD PIECE: I970 PAGE I2 Australia Inc. is a member of the [email protected] Max Lewis Association of Motoring Clubs. Activity Coordinator ~ Lee Dennes AOMC Liaison Offi cers ~ 3-WAY SPLIT PAGE I8 The views expressed in this publication 0438 286 I8I [M] Max Lewis [03] 9372 092I [H] MEMBER’S MODEL PAGE 30 are not necessarily those of CCOCA [email protected] Russell Wade [03] 9570 3486 [H] or its Committee. Neither CCOCA Spare Parts Offi cer ~ Lance Wearne Club Permit & Safety Offi cers~ INSIDE COTY PAGE 39 nor its Committee can accept any 0424 054 724 [M] Russell Wade [03] 9570 3486 [H] THE FRENCH CAMARGUE [email protected] Philip Rogers [03] 5944 309I [H] responsibility for any mechanical PAGE 52 advice printed in, or adopted from this Publication Editor ~ Leigh Miles Ted Cross [03] 98I9 2208 [H] publication. [03] 9888 7506 [H] Librarian ~ Max Lewis GSA: CHANGED BUT The Club cannot accept any [email protected] [03] 9372 092I [H] RECOGNISABLE PAGE 57 responsibility for, or involvement in, Committee Persons ~ [email protected] any business relationship that may Robert Belcourt [03] 9885 4376 [H] Club Shop ~ Kay Belcourt AVANT GARDE FOR THE occur between an advertiser and a Max Lewis [03] 9372 092I [H] 04I3 65I 2I0 [M] MASSES PAGE 64 member of the Club. Russell Wade 040I 859 704 [M] [email protected] Bruce Stringer 04I2 342 706 [M] ICCCR Representative ~ YOU SED PAGE 72 Ted Cross [03] 98I9 2208 [H] 6 CARS, 6 DAYS III PAGE 73 AN ACCIDENTAL CENTENARY LLifeife MembersMembers MMembershipembership CCoverover ImageImage The committee awards life Annual Membership is $35 and The cover image is taken from the PAGE 76 membership to Club members in printed editions of ‘Front Drive’ are website www.schlegelmilch.com MADMEN & ADVERTISING recognition of their contribution posted to Australian addresses for an Rainer W Schegelmilch is a German PAGE 80 to, and support of, the Club. Life additional $45 per year. photographer who specialises in memberships have been awarded to: motoracing photography. He also has CLASSIFIED ADS PAGE 87 Sue Bryant 20I7 a reputation photographing cars, but Brian Wade 20I7 not just cars: concept cars are a special Rob Little 20I2 MMeetingseetings interest. CContributorsontributors Ted Cross 20I2 Club meetings are held on the fourth Contributors to this edition of ‘Front Peter Boyle 2003 Wednesday of every month [except DDeadlineeadline Drive’ include Tony Baker, Andrew Jack Weaver I99I December] at 7:30pm. The venue The deadline for the next edition of Cunningham, Mark Ebery, Mark Nance Clark I984 is the Frog Hollow Reserve Rooms, ‘Front Drive’ is Wednesday, I3 January Provera, Andrew Roberts, LJK Setright Fordham Ave., Camberwell. 202I. and Geoffrey Webber

CCitroëningitroëning Club Permit applications to New Permit holders must Club permit renewals can be FOR SPARE PARTS & TOOLS CLUB SHOP OTHER CLUBS VicRoads must be accompanied supply the Club with sent to PO Box 52 Balwyn, Contact Lance Wearne. For Citroën models, VIC www.citcarclubvic.org.au by a RWC [pre I949 cars can approved photos, club permit Victoria. 3I03 with a stamped Phone: 0424 054 724 [if memorabilia and other items NSW www.citroencarclub.org.au be inspected by a Club Safety number and expiry date. return envelope or signed your do phone, please do contact Kay Belcourt at QLD www.citroenclubqld.org Offi cer], ownership validation at club meetings/events if so at a reasonable hour] or [email protected] SAwww.clubcitroensa.com and VicRoads forms endorsed the appropriate offi cers are spareparts@citroenclassic. WA www.citroenwa.org.au by the club including fi nancial present. org.au TAS ww.citroentas.org validation. 4 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 5 EEdd SedSed PPrezrez SSezez al assessment at the time of the So why not start looking for inally, the long-promised launch of the GSA. What is inter- ell I’m excited again. your little bit of history and you GS-focussed edition of esting are the comments, both Another magazine will be rewarded with a quirky F‘Front Drive’. positive and negative, that last the Wfrom Leigh, and this time he has and comfortable little touring Unlike the SM which was killed- life of the car and areas where im- fulfi lled his promise and given us gem. Not very economical, but if off well before its time by a com- provements were wrought. our planned GS/A 50 years edi- you close your eyes when you are bination of the oil crisis and the After announcing in our SM edi- tion. on the highway at high speed [just sharp knives of the bean-counters tion that the GS was to be our Having joined CCOCA in the joking of course] your GS will feel [apologies to any accountants centre of attention I was contact- early eighties to learn about and like a DS or CX ~ a lovely fl oating, reading this] at Peugeot who nev- ed by club members Andrew and restore my Traction Big 6, I did not highway-hugging bundle of fun for er understood the brand’s DNA, Sue Cunningham from Stawell originally favour the more mod- not too much money. the GS/A lasted right through to [Vic]. They were very keen to ern Citroëns. However, I quickly Now to events. We are gradu- I986. It overlapped with the BX share their Citroën experiences realised that the friendships with- ally re-starting events under strict for about four years. with the Club. Check out Mem- in CCOCA were the most enjoya- safety guidelines. Generally, the But a life of I6years, during which ber’s Model on page 30. ble part of our club, and I became events will be limited in number the competitive set changed and Last year ‘Classic and Sports interested in all the Citroën mod- and need to be accepted in ad- advanced [well, perhaps there Car’ pitched a GS Pallas against els. When Tim, our younger son vance. Most likely you will need was less advance than we like to one of its contemporaries ~ the turned I8, I purchased his fi rst car; to give us a contact phone num- think] meant that the GS faced Allegro van den Plas. ‘Avant Garde and yes, it was a GS. He had this ber and maybe wear a mask and very different landscape when it for the Masses’ makes interesting for a short time before updating practice social distancing. Nothing was launched, and won the Euro- reading. We have been granted to a highly modifi ed Datsun I600 really that can’t be accommodat- pean Car of the Year, to that when permission to re-print this article and the GS needed a new owner. ed and planned for in advance. the last GSA, apparently an Estate, with the proviso that we not put It was sold to a friend in the coun- Also please consider the 202I rolled off the line at Vigo in Spain. into the web. So, this article will try, and it became a garage queen CIT-IN in Bendigo whilst there In this edition we have three not be included in the version of and never returned to the road. are still some places left. We are views from three phases of the ‘Front Drive’ loaded onto our site. Much to my surprise, earlier this very confi dent that it will run as GS/A’s life. A French revue from I thank C&SC for their permission year it returned to the Crosses ~ planned, and we already have I00 I970, a comparison test from the to reprint. just before our fi rst lockdown, registrations. This meets the cur- UK in I975 and another individu- Many of you will be aware of and I have been slowly bring- Continued on page 6 the GS Camargue coupe, but ing it back to life. And it is look- there was also development of ing pretty good. It has low mile- other coupe ideas both inside age after 20years at rest, and a bit and outside Citroën’s Bureau rough around the edges. You may d’Études. that the GS became the Car of And there is more… the great the Year in Europe. And all these LJK Setright wrote a lengthy fea- years later I can see why. GS/As ture in praise of the GS back are fi nally being appreciated, and 50years ago. Filled with proof of there is a growing group of inter- his engineering expertise his very ested owners in Europe and in long read is worthy of in depth Australia. Some members ~ your reading. Editor in particular ~ has multiple Continued on page 6 GS choices in his own garage. 6 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 7 EEdd SSeded PPrezrez SSezez Continued from page 4 Continued from page 5 In a lighter vein there is the fi nal rent COVID-I9 numbers allowed part of Geoffrey Webber’s ‘6 Cars to meet together, but secretly we in 6 Days’ feature. With the end of are anticipating up to I50 people national lockdown in sight and the will be possible by next Easter. joys of border opening looming I Time will tell, and we will keep [email protected] am hoping that Geoffrey will be you informed. on the road again soon. Driving Welcome to the new members All information below is based more Citroëns from across the since our last magazine. By now I on current COVID-I9 restric- country. will have spoken to you and wel- tions. You will be notifi ed of any Geoffrey and his co-writer, comed you [and your partner if updates accordingly. Mark Provera, are also featured there is one] to the big CCOCA The Club rooms will not be ac- with their investigative piece family. Every model Citroën is ac- cessible due to restrictions on proving that Citroën’s Australian cepted in CCOCA and we contin- social distancing. However, when Chit Chat Tuesday centenary is THIS Y EAR, not 2023 ue our national focus on all things we checked the toilets were WHEN: Ist Tuesday as the importers would have us Citroën. available for use. I December believe. I hope to see you at a future • Bookings for this event are 5 January Enjoy event, or, talk to you soon. essential, due to attendance 2 February Leigh F Miles ~ Editor Ted Cross ~ President numbers being limited by the TIME: I0:30am COVID restrictions. WHERE: Provedore Café, • You will be required to provide McCrae AA-Tractions-Tractions a phone number, and email COST: Cheap Eats address for each participant BOOKING: Not required Please note: As a result of the uncertainty surrounding future restrictions due to Covid-19 when making a booking. CONTACT: Warwick please check the Club’s website for the latest information or contact the Spinaze organiser prior to travelling to any event that may be listed. • You can register by email to [email protected] with 04 070I 67I9. ECEMBER the subject: CCOCA BBQ. Provedore Café, McCrae Plaza, • D cnr Lonsdale St & Pt Nepean A Very CCOCA Christmas GS/A 50th Anniversary Rd, McCrae Easy to fi nd, plenty BBQ/Picnic Gathering of parking, under-cover seating WHEN: Sunday, 27 December WHEN Sunday, I3 December if weather wet. This is a low key TIME: I1:00am TIME: I2:00pm ‘DIY’ event for like minded Cit- WHERE: Coronation Park, WHERE: Frog Hollow roën owners to meet and chat. Reserve, Fordham Ave., Healesville Camberwell. COST: Pub grub October Anniversary GS/A Tour, COST: Free BOOKINGS: Essential, by Sunday, a low-key CCCV gathering has BOOKINGS: Essential by Monday, 20 December been planned to celebrate the 7 December [see notes below] CONTACT: Michael Sparke, 50th year of manufacture of this BRING: Everything for a picnic/ 0432 685 704 dynamic little car. BBQ Attention all Citroën GS/A/ At I2:30 we will adjourn for lunch CONTACT: Lee Dennes, Birotor enthusiasts. Due to the at the Grand Hotel in Healesville. 04 3828 6I8I postponement of CCOCA’s Please provide the names, email 8 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 9 AA-Tractions-Tractions addresses and phone numbers WHERE: Trey Bit Reserve, Jetty a small entry fee to cover some • DAY 5: Friday, 9 April. of participants. Rd., Sandringham included meals, but no bookings Lorne to Warrnambool 207km BOOKINGS: TBC have been made to date given • Warrnambool Holiday Park • JANUARY 2021 BRING: Everything you need for the COVID-I9 situation. If there & Motel [2 nights] Monthly Meeting: a picnic in the sun is a small fee, participants will be [03] 5562 503I Combined CCOCA/CCCV/ CONTACT: Lee Dennes, advised, and this will be col- [email protected] BBQ/Picnic 0438 286 I8I lected as cash in Bendigo. • DAY 6: Saturday, I0 April WHEN: Wednesday, 27 [email protected] ACCOMMODATION EXPENSES: Warrnambool and surrounds. January Keep an open for more de- All entrants are responsible for • DAY 7: Sunday, I1 April TIME: From 5:00pm tails closer to the date. booking their accommodation Warrnambool to Hamilton WHERE: Frog Hollow and all other expenses. Full I16km Reserve, Fordham Ave., • APRIL details are here. • Lake Hamilton Motor Village Camberwell. Post Bendigo Cit-In Run BOOKINGS OPEN: Expressions & Caravan Park. [2 nights] COST: Free 2021 of interest will be taken now. [email protected] BOOKINGS: Essential, by WHEN: Monday 5 to BOOKINGS CLOSE: Again, • DAY 8: Monday, I2 April Monday, 25 January Thursday I5 April Covid-I9 has made planning Hamilton and surrounds. BRING: Everything for a WHERE: Central Victoria diffi cult but adequate advance • DAY 9: Tuesday, I3 April picnic/BBQ and Western District warning of booking closure will Hamilton to Halls Gap 96km CONTACT: Lee Dennes, FROM: Bendigo be provided. • Halls Gap Gardens Caravan 04 3828 6I8I TO: Horsham • DAY I Monday, 5 April Park. [I night] [email protected] VIA: Ballarat, Lorne, Warrnam- Bendigo to Ballarat I54km [03] 5356 4244 As both clubs were unable to bool, Hamilton and • Accommodation Eureka stay@hallsgapgardenscaravan- be together for the Christmas Halls Gap Stockade Holiday Park. [2 nts] park.com.au BBQ this gathering will give us COST: TBA, see below [03] 533I 228I • DAY I0: Wednesday, I4 April the opportunity to catch up with BOOKINGS: Expressions of inter- • DAY 2: Tuesday, 6 April Halls Gap to Horsham 80km each other in a pleasant outdoor est being taken now In Ballarat. • Horsham Riverside Caravan environment in the warmth of a CONTACT: Brian James • DAY 3: Wednesday, 7 April Park. [I night] Summer evening. [03] 9728 5526 Ballarat to Lorne I58km [03] 5382 3476 0427 534 0I4 • Lorne Foreshore Caravan horsham@southerncross- brianjamesphotography@ Park. [2 nights] parks.com.au • MARCH [03] 5289 I382 • Day I1: Thursday, I5 April Combined CCOCA/CCCV bigpond.com with ‘PostCit-In’ as the subject [email protected] We all head home. Concours • DAY 4: Thursday, 8 April • Total distance 8I1km WHEN: Sunday, 6 March ENTRY FEE: The actual entry fee Lorne and surrounds. TIME: TBC is a TBA right now. There may be WWhyhy nnotot bringbring TThehe bbanksanks ofof thethe SSovereignovereign HHill,ill, MMaldonaldon VintageVintage Ma-Ma- yyourour 2CCVV ttoo thethe RRiveriver MMoyne,oyne, PPortort BBallaratallarat cchineryhinery MMuseumuseum CClub’slub’s JJanuaryanuary FFairyairy ppicnic?icnic? 10 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 11

BENDIGO IS PART OF VICTORIA’S HISTORIC GOLDFIELDS REGION AND generous supper 6pm ~ Cost [per person] IS A TOURIST DESTINATION. THERE WILL BE 10pm. Early Bird [before 31.12.20] $260 PLENTY FOR ALL TO SEE AND DO INCLUDING Saturday 3 April Later bookings HISTORIC TRAMS, CHINESE INFLUENCES, • Show & Shine, Bendigo [01.11.20 - 31.10.21] $275 THE POPULAR BENDIGO FESTIVAL Just in Time AND THE CHINESE DRAGON PARADE. Festival, catered lunch at the festival. [01.11.21 - 20.02.21] $290 WHILE CIT-IN WILL BE CENTRED IN BENDIGO, • Spit-roast dinner with country Age 5 - 18yrs 50% AS PART OF THE PROGRAM YOU WILL theme. Information and application ALSO VISIT SOME WONDERFUL HISTORIC forms TOWNS IN THE DISTRICT. Sunday 4 April • Observation run visiting www.citcarclub.org.au Distance from Bendigo historic towns in the region, www.citroenclassic.org.au • MMelbourneelbourne 115353 kkmm • AAdelaidedelaide 661414 kkmm picnic lunch. • It is important to remember • CCanberraanberra 662020 kkmm • SSydneyydney 88363 6 kkmm • Formal dinner at All Seasons this event is co-hosted by • HHobartobart 88717 1 kkmm • BBrisbanerisbane 11,599,599 Resort. CCCV and CCOCA and by • PPertherth 33,316,31 6 kkmm Monday 5 April mutual consent all payments • Full buff et breakfast at All should be directed through Seasons Resort the CCCV website. There will be more information coming • Farewell The National CIT-IN April 2021, direct with the All Seasons soon from CCOCA. Venue jointly organised by CCCV Resort to make sure there is This will be the fi rst post All Seasons Resort Bendigo. and CCOCA, will be held in still accommodation available. COVID-19 national meeting and www.allseasonsbendigo.com.au the beautiful country town of Book by phone or email only we strongly recommend every [03] 5442 8I66 Bendigo. The program and and mention CIT-IN to receive CCOCA member supports it. application form have now group rates. If you try to book Accommodation There is a possibility that the The resort has excellentlent been posted on the CCOCA online it could appear booked Cancellation & Refundevent mayma need to be modifi ed rooms at competitivee Website www.citroenclassic. out or higher prices will be ccloser to April but we rates negotiated for the org.au. listed. It is the organisers’Policy aare confi dent it will conference ~ but bookook intention that wherever Now that lockdown has Here is a sneak preview of the bbe substantially as early and mention possible a full refund of been relaxed there is likely event program. ddisplayed.i We will keep CIT-IN for special the registration fees will be yoyou all informed. to be a rush for holiday Friday 2 April rates. Alternative provided up to 21.02.2021. ReRegardsg accommodation, so book ASAP. • Registration at All Seasons accommodation However, after 21.02.2021 TTeded Cross ~ President, Our reserved accommodation Resort, 171 McIvor Highway, includes to Big4 if you decide to cancel on bbehalf of the CCOCA was only being held until the Bendigo 3pm ~ 6pm. Caravan Park about your registration then your comcommittee end of July so please check • Welcome reception including 3kilometres away. refund cancellation fee will be $25.00 per person. Please be further assured that every request outside of these guidelines will be considered on its merits and will be at the discretion of the organisers. Overalready I00 registrations received! 12 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 13 PPerioderiod PiecePiece 11970970 ~ have whetted the public’s appe- 2CV/Ami models, and the much objective of the GS was to enable n July I6, I970, before the tite in advance of the presenta- larger ID/DS series, was hurting Citroën to forget its troubles, the offi cial introduction of the tion of the new car at the Paris sales. L’Automobile’s compari- magazine commented. OGS, the French magazine l’Auto- Salon that year. son of sales between the fi rst For the most part, the testers Journal published a drawing of In many ways Citroën was real- six months of I969 and the fi rst liked the elegance and practi- the GS under the heading ‘La ly on a roll in I970: the very glam- six months of I970 show Cit- cality of the design. The simplic- Bombe Citroën’. The fi rst offi cial orous SM had been announced roën slipping behind Peugeot for ity of the car’s outward appear- photographs appeared in Au- at the Geneva Show; a great deal third spot. Renault, meanwhile, ance came in for much praise gust and the fi rst road test ap- of interest was being shown in was very much consolidating [‘une distinction certaine’], as peared in respected Citroën’s version of the Wan- its position as market leader: in did such features as the large French mo- kel rotary engine, which at the fi rst half of I970 its sales, at amount of luggage space that toring jour- the time was being tested in over 560,000, were more than could be accessed via an opening nal, l’Auto- a small Ami-based car called twice those of Citroën. Where- designed to enable one to avoid mobile, pub- the M35; and news of a me- as Renault and Peugeot sales had The dashboard having to lift items over the car’s lished what it dium -sized car with the hy- risen I5.2% and I9.5% respectively, shown below left rear bumper. Likewise, Citroën’s headlined on dropneumatic comfort of Citroën had only managed a 9.7% is from one of the beloved single-spoke steering its front cover as the DS range caused very increase. The new mid-range GS pre-production cars wheel was admired because of the fi rst road test great interest. On the was, therefore, a vitally important that were driven the excellent view it afforded of in the world of other hand, not all the model for Citroën. by the journal- all the main controls. ‘Les com- the new Citroën. news was good for Cit- It was with this thought in mind ists at the Irish mandes de climatisation’ [we’d The test was con- roën: whilst the compa- that L’Automobile commenced launch. All produc- call them climate-control these ducted on the roads ny had accounted for its test of the new car, mention- tion Continental- days] were also praised. Coming around Donegal on over 30% of the French ing ‘les rumeurs’ about the trou- delivery cars had in for some criticism, however, the north-west coast car market in I965, the bles that were facing the Quai de the multicoloured was the speedometer: ‘Originale, of Ireland, far from the large gap in the range Javel because of the large gap in tachometer shown mais peu pratique’ original, but snooping cam- between the small its range of cars. The number one directly below not very practical. [The journal- eras of scoop ists responses photographers to the dash- from rival jour- board ranged nals. Published from the ap- in the Septem- plication of ap- ber issue, the plied art while test followed another talked a blurred pho- about an in- tograph of the comprehen- new car that sible and un- had appeared wise choice. in the maga- Ed.] This was the odd re- zine the pre- volving drum vious month, device with a and would 14 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 15 PPerioderiod PiecePiece 11970970 permanently illuminated mag-~ So what did L’Automobile think nifying glass through which one of the car’s 5CV I,0I5cc 4-cylinder could see the car’s speed, The all alloy engine? Rather surpris- GS was not the fi rst car sport- ingly given that the engine was ing such an unusual speedo ~ the air-cooled, the magazine particu- idea had fi rst seen the light of day larly liked its quietness, helped no in the thirties, but had never re- doubt by the very aerodynamic ally caught on. Citroën’s revival of lines of the car. A top speed of the gadget was certainly a talking I48.7kph was quoted, although point, but it did not prove partic- it was admitted that this speed ularly popular, and was dropped had not been reached on the on later versions of the GS. [It test. The car’s somewhat poor should be noted that with the acceleration times, however, did launch of the GSA the revolving receive criticism, as did the fairly drum speedometer and tachom- high fuel consumption. [A heavi- eter made a re-appearance. Ed.] est fuel consumption of I3.4L/ Also coming in for a little criti- I00km was recorded, and a best cism in those pre-anti-tobacco of 8.6.] was a 345kilometre journey es included a guarantee for six days were the small rear ashtrays! The centre-piece of the test around Donegal. Given the na- months, which covered parts ture of the roads, which were un- and labour. Prices for the high- dulating, twisty and narrow, and ly advanced GS were at the top were likened to those in parts end of those for the cars that of Brittany, the magazine was L’Automobile considered were very impressed by the average of its rivals. These included the Opel 70kph that was achieved on the Kadett at 9,500 francs; the Simca journey. High praise was given I200GL at I0,I85; the Renault I2 for the car’s front and rear disc at I0,480; the NSU I200 at I1,700; brakes, road holding and the pre- and the Peugeot 304 at I2,I80. cise feel of the steering. A cen- A rough translation of the test’s trepiece of the car’s appeal ~ its conclusion was: the Citroën 5CV hydropneumatic suspension sys- GS is certainly a car that, in its tem ~ was highlighted in a num- category, has the most attrac- ber of detailed cutaway drawings tive personality. The car confi rms and came in for much positive Citroën’s wish to produce cars comment, though it was noted not like others [‘des voitures pas that the car had a slight tendency comme les autres’]. Comfortable, to pitch a little on some of the safe, the car will give much loy- more tortuous roads, alty and enjoyment to the driv- The test quoted a price for the er. Briefl y, if the car’s real qualities standard GS in France of I1,380 could be coupled with just a few francs, the better-equipped Club more horsepower, it would be version being I2,200 francs, Pric- very close to being a true suc- 16 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 17 PPerioderiod PiecePiece 11970970 TThishis rruralural iidylldyll ~ with separate ashtrays in front have a different shape. ffeaturedeatured iinn tthehe of the door handles. These lists are from the Edi- II973973 GGSS bbrochurerochure • the doors have an additional tor’s new most favourite GS/GSA ~ aallll wwhitehite ssuitsuits horizontal decorative trim to- book ‘Citroën GS & GSA’ by Marc aandnd ZZapataapata mmous-ous- wards the bottom of the panel. Stabèl and Julian Marsh, published ttaches!aches! • the tachometer has a black by citrovisie [www.citrovisie.nl]. A background, a white needle copy of this book has been or- and digits. fered for the Club’s library. Con- • the steering wheel has a ribbed tact Max Lewis to see how easy relief on the single spoke. it is for you to borrow this book. • the front ashtray cover is Author: Mark Ebery, with ad- smooth. ditional material from the Editor. • various buttons on The majority of the images ac- the dash are not companying this article are from provided a I973 brochure in the Editor’s with a relief, or collection. cess! Having made reference to the fact the journalists drove [and OOff ccourseourse ppicnicsicnics wwouldould nneverever ddoo fforor Citroën photographed] a pre- tthehe promotionpromotion ofof thethe hautehaute dede gammegamme production car for the launch, PPallas.allas. TThehe ssnobbishnobbish EEnglishnglish cclearlylearly here for the real ‘nerds’ amongst eexpectedxpected ppolo-playersolo-players inin thatthat advertis-advertis- us [and the Editor counts himself [similar to iing.ng. IInterestinglynterestingly tthehe eequivalentquivalent FFrenchrench in that collective] is the list of ex- the bumpers bbrochurerochure depicteddepicted ggolfersolfers iinstead.nstead. terior differences between the the Birotor would pre-production and launch cars. later receive. [this escaped the • 24 wider ventilation slots un- Editor’s notice and he still does der the windscreen instead of not ‘get it’.] 38 narrow ones. • the window frames of the third • the letters ‘CITROËN’ were side window are mitre joined. widely spaced on the plate • the wiper arms are fi tted with under the rear window, in line covered fi xing bolts, which with ‘old’ house style. No chev- were subsequently used from rons, no ‘GS’. I978. • an additional exhaust pipe rub- • an extra fi nishing piece at the ber mount on the rear crossbar end of the roof gutter. [who knew?] On the interior there were a • front bumper corner pieces with further six differences. a smoothly extended end part • the rear doors are equipped 18 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 19 3 WayWay SplitSplit 11975975 ~ collection he has decided that he Citroën GS had been something that allows a com- launched at the Paris Mo- parison with competitive cars of torT Show in October I970 and the era might be of more inter- been awarded the ‘European Car est to members. This three way of the Year’ trophy in I97I. While test from ‘What Car?’ in I975 fi ts the Editor has a I973 review of the goal. Ed. the GS I220 from ‘Motor’ in his

many of the more mundane me- range, but this front-wheel drive dium priced and sized cars. [It I,289cc machine has most of the is I975 when this is being writ- equipment of the more expen- ten and the ‘European Car of sive versions, except for a 40kW the Year’ was the Citroën CX, so instead of 45kW power unit. The all was not dreadful in the me- I2TL costs £I,443. The Triumph dium/large car space. Unfortu- Toledo is a relative of the now nately, the best Wheels could do defunct front wheel drive Tri- locally was award the Holden umph I300. Triumph decided to FFancyancy FrenchFrench ~ oror standardstandard Triumph?Triumph? Gemini. Ed.] Small cars are no revert to a less advanced speci- longer cheap by any standards fi cation for the Toledo and I500 DDistinctionistinction ccanan bbee bboughtought cheaply.cheaply. WeWe examineexamine Renault’sRenault’s UUKK bestbest seller,seller, and the three chosen for this a sophisticatedsophisticated CitroënCitroën andand anan oldold faithfulfaithful fromfrom TriumphTriumph allall atat £1,400£1,400 models, retaining a live axle with ~ test are certainly not among the rear wheel drive but also keep- cheapest for they all cost around ing the high standard of interior £I,400. The Citroën G Special trim. Our test car was a two- is the cheapest in the GS range because it retains the original door model costing £I,370 but ith petrol prices now fi nding the change surprisingly I,0I5cc engine and lacks some of the most suitable competitor for standing at well over pleasant, for technical ingenuity the luxury touches of the I,220cc the Citroën and Renault [both 60p per gallon [that’s is most marked at the extreme models. It retains the hydrop- four door cars] would be the W26c/litre… halcyon days. Ed.], it ends of the price scale. Some neumatic suspension, four-wheel four door Toledo at £I,4I9. is timely to examine some small of the small machines from VW, power-assisted disc brakes and Performance cars. Over the past year quite a Renault, Fiat, Citroën and BLMC all the other advanced features Not a great deal in the way of few motorists have been con- are as advanced in their way of the GS range. It sells for £I,4I6. performance can be expected verting from their medium and as anything from Ferrari, Lam- The Renault I2TL is second from from these small engined cars. large size cars to small ones and borghini etc and far superior to the bottom of the fi ve model I2 The Toledo engine gives 43kW 20 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 21 3 WayWay SplitSplit 11975975 the Renault 40kW and the ~Cit- tainly revs to its 6,500rpm maxi- From top left, clockwise: The air-cooled, roën 40kW. By virtue of its great- mum with great ease. fl at-four engine is partially concealed by er freedom to rev, the Citroën Flexibility is not a strong point the spare wheel. keeps up with the other two cars of these cars either as top gear Rear passengers are well catered for with up to 80kph, and actually moves performance is mediocre to say ample legroom and comfortable seating. ahead above that speed. The Cit- the least, so those who are step- Comprehensive instruments are clear. roën gets to I13kph [70mph] in ping down from larger cars will Low sill eases loading of the large boot 23.6secs compared with 25.8secs again discover that they have front wheel drive cars are less for the Renault and 26.4secs for to work a little harder with the pleasant than that of the Toledo the Toledo, which is pretty slow gear lever to keep the car roll- because of the apparent tenuous going by any standards. ing along. connection between gear lever Even to achieve these fi gures The Citroën is lower geared and cogs. The Citroën’s gear le- it is necessary to drive very hard than the other two cars, which ver is especially vague, requiring through the gears so it can be partly accounts for its willingness quite a lot of movement across seen that anyone moving down to rev but in turn this does cre- the gate while the actual engage- from a bigger car is going to have ate some fussiness for the car oughly uncomfortable. Both the ment is rather uncertain. The to sacrifi ce some performance. will not reach 50kph in fi rst gear Citroën and Renault will touch Citroën gearbox is also rather The engines let the driver know or I10kph in third, whereas the I45kph but only the insensitive noisy with a good deal of whine they are working hard too, for high geared Renault will almost would attempt to cruise at much when accelerating in the gears all three units are noisy when encompass 65kph in fi rst, almost over I30kph. and some rattling when idling. pressed, the Citroën perhaps be- I00kph in second and a healthy Our test Citroën proved to The Renault’s gear lever is ing slightly the worst because of I17 in third. The Triumph falls be a very poor starter, requiring rather rubbery but actual en- its air-cooling and lack of a sound midway between the two as far several attempts before it burst gagement is reasonably precise. deadening water jacket. Howev- as gearing is concerned but on into life, after which it needed The Toledo’s gear lever feels as er, the fl at-four Citroën engine is the road the engine tends to feel a lot of choke for three to fi ve subjectively smoother than the rather fussy because of its lack of km before it would run at all if it has some direct connection in-line four cylinder units of the refi nement. smoothly and idle properly. The with the gears and the change is Triumph and Renault and it cer- Top speed of all three cars hov- Renault engine was emitting an ers around the I45kph mark de- expensive sounding rattle when pending on road conditions, but idling during our test but it per- the Toledo is really only happy formed well and had no oil pres- up to around I35kph, by which sure problems. time the engine is sounding thor- The gearboxes of the two From top left, clockwise: All items on the From top left, clockwise: Front hinging Toledo engine requiring routine mainte- bonnet reveals I,289cc engine with all nance are easily accessible. components within easy reach. Entry to the rear seat posed no real Sumptuous seats provide a high degree problems. A four door model is also of comfort. The rear seat has an armrest available Oddly angled pedals mar driving position Wood veneer facia adds a touch of class. Boot of useful size marred by the high The boot of the Toldeo is rather small sill 22 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 23 3 WayWay SplitSplit 11975975 therefore precise although ~the up bumps extremely well. Ulti- so prone. It also has the added synchromesh is a trifl e obstruc- mate cornering power is not as advantage of height adjusters so tive. The clutch pedal pressure high as that of the Citroën due that the ground clearance can be on all three cars is light, with largely to its tendency towards increased for traversing rough progressive snatch free take up. strong understeer which causes roads or to jack up the car quick- The two front wheel drive cars the steering to become rather ly. The only problem of any con- tend to spin their front wheels heavy. sequence is the rather high level under hard acceleration because The Toledo’s conventional sus- of road noise transmitted to the of the rearwards weight transfer pension limits its cornering abil- interior. but this can be guarded against ity but within its limitations it The I2 is a comfortable car in by more gentle acceleration. handles well on smooth roads sonable but few fast drivers are which to ride for the soft sus- Road Holding but hopping a lot on bumpy cor- likely to get more than I5,000km pension copes with most bumps When the Citroën GS was ners. The steering is reasonably from a set of pads. very well, although not quite as heralded as Car of the Year near- light although a trifl e low geared The Toledo originally had an well as the GS. There is some ly four years ago one of its most at nearly four turns lock to lock. all-drum braking system which pitching over wavy surfaces but remarkable attributes was its Again, understeer is the Toledo’s was rather inadequate, but with road holding. This has remained cornering tendency but it is quite the servo assisted front disc, rear unimpaired over the years, for manageable. drum setup the Toledo brakes the GS will go round corners Braking very satisfactorily indeed, the faster than the vast majority of The G Special’s The Citroën outshines the oth- light pedal pressure being just roadholding is of cars despite an initial alarming ers because of its power assisted right for the car. the highest stand- angle of roll which the driver four wheel discs. The GS has a The I2 has front discs and rear ard. DS drums in conjunction with a ser- soon learns remains constant. Renault handling normal pedal unlike the ’s tiny The soft, self-levelling suspension inspires confi dence button but the pedal feels rather vo which gives good stopping ignores mid-corner bumps com- despite body roll. dead as there is very little play power, although the car tends to pletely, allowing the driver to get The Toledo’s safe in the pedal unlike convention- nose-dive under hard braking. on with the business of corner- handling is helped al hydraulic systems. But when Ride Comfort generally the I2 is comfortable. ing. The rack and pinion steering by precise steering. the driver stands on that pedal The Citroën has an outstand- The Toledo is not quite so is not light yet it is accurate. Facing page: Interi- the car screeches to a stop very ing ride for a small car because well served for the suspension The I2 is softly suspended, too, or layouts of [top smartly. In fact it does it so well the soft self-levelling suspension is fi rmer, the wheelbase shorter, on its steel springs but not as to bottom] GS, I2 that Citroën were plagued by in- eliminates all the pitching and with the result that the car does soft as the Citroën, so it does credibly short disc pad life in the and Toledo. jolting to which small cars are jolt and hop very noticeably on not roll as much, but it too soaks GS’s early life. It is now more rea- bumps. However, for some peo- ple this may be preferable to the marshmallow ride of the Citroën. Accommodation The G Special is fi nished in a garish orange colour both inside and out, the cloth trimmed seats of our fairly new test car show- 24 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 25 3 WayWay SplitSplit 11975975 ing signs of staining already. ~But showed that the rather spartan they are very comfortable seats, PVC covered seats left some of offering soft cushions and back- our drivers with backache over rests, well-shaped for location. long distances. On the two-door The front seats recline fully and test car the whole front seats provision is made for headrests. hinge forward to give access to G SPECIAL I,0I5cc RENAULT I2TL TRIUMPH TOLEDO The rear bench is adequate for the rear bench which will take DIMENSIONS two adults, cramped for three, two adults and leave quite ac- A/D: Headroom [F/R] 9I/86cm 99/84cm 94/84cm but leg room is quite generous ceptable leg room, while the B/E: Legroom [F/R] 85-I00/65-8Icm 76-I0I/58-89cm 8I-97/64-79cm for a small car ~ certainly ade- body sides are recessed to pro- C: Steering reach 29-45cm I9-48cm 35-5Icm quate for anyone up to I.8m tall. vide armrests. Stowage is provid- Interior width I35cm I27cm I27cm Sensible rubber matting covers ed by a facia locker, a full width L x W x H 4.I2 x I.77 x I.36m4.34 x I.6I x I.44m3.96 x I.57 x I.37m the fl oor while other trim is in parcel shelf and the rear parcel Wheelbase 2.55mI.83m2.44m PVC. Stowage for oddments is shelf. PERFORMANCE provided by a small facia locker, Equipment Speeds in gears small shelves below the facia, a The Citroën is equipped with Maximum speed I45kph I45kph I40kph large rear parcel shelf and map a silver-fi nished instrument pan- Max in 3rd I08kph I17kph I13kph pockets in the sides of the front el under a matt black cowling Max in 2nd 72kph 92kph 84kph seats. to mask refl ections. The round, Max in Ist 45kph 64kph 53kph The I2 is on a par with the Cit- clear instruments include a ta- Acceleration roën as far as interior space is chometer, speedometer, amme- 0-48kph 5.4sec 5.0sec 5.Isec concerned. The front seats have ter, clock and a fuel gauge. With 0-64kph 8.8sec 8.4sec 8.6sec oddly curved backrests but they neat white lettering on a black 0-96kph I8.4sec I8.0sec I8.4sec are soft and comfortable as are background the instruments are 0-I13kph 23.6sec 25.8sec 26.4sec the cushions. The backrests re- very legible, only the ammeter Standing 400m 2I.2sec 2I.2sec 2I.4sec cline by means of tiresomely being masked by the steering Terminal speed I05kph I05kph I05kph slow knurled wheels and there wheel rim. Top gear is no provision for headrests. The The Toledo has a wooden pan- 48-80kph I3.8sec I1.6sec I0.6sec rear bench is designed for two as el in which the only instruments 64-96kph I4.4sec I3.8sec I2.2sec there is a large central armrest, are the speedometer and dual FUEL CONSUMPTION but three could ride for short purpose instrument for the fuel Full test I0.3L/I00km 9.9L/I00km I0.IL/I00km journeys. Seats are PVC trimmed gauge and the water tempera- Touring 9.5L/I00km 8.8L/I00km 8.6L/I00km but cloth trimming is an extra ture gauge. Tank capacity 43L 44L 48L cost option. Stowage for small The I2TL has an aluminium Range 455km 500km 550km items is provided by a small lock- panel in which are set three Fuel grade 4star 4star 4star er on top of the facia, a full width hooded dials; in the centre is the Fuel for 25,000km £330 £320 £3I0 front parcel shelf and the rear I60kph speedometer fl anked by parcel shelf. the fuel gauge and the voltme- The Toledo’s seating does not ter. The various warning lights look as opulent as that of the are incorporated in the two two French cars and experience outer dials. The Citroën is pret- 26 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 27 3 WayWay SplitSplit 11975975 ty comprehensively equipped~ by with a vanity mirror, a dipping small car standards. It has a good rear view mirror, grab handles heating and fresh air ventilation for passengers, superb heater system together with a heated and fresh air ventilation with a rear window, two speed wip- heated rear window, door arm- ers, irritating non-cancelling di- rests/pulls on all four doors, ash- rection indicators, a rather poor trays on rear doors, an ashtray spade-handled facia mounted on the facia, interior light plus handbrake and well placed col- an illuminated glove locker and umn controls for the lights, horn boot, two speed wipers, cigar and light fl ashing. Other interior lighter, and well placed minor equipment includes a pair of sun controls. visors, the passenger’s with van- The Costs ity mirror, dipping rear view mir- The standing costs of the three ror, combined door armrests/ cars will be much the same, al- pulls, the rear ones having inte- though the Toledo will be cheap- gral ashtrays. An ashtray is fi tted er to insure than the two French on top of the facia. cars. We found that all three will The Toledo has sensible but average around 7.8L/I00km if the not lavish equipment. There is a acceleration is not used to the good heating system with fresh full, but even with hard driving air ventilation by eyeball inlets on we could not depress the con- the facia, together with a heated sumption below 8.7L/I00km on rear window. A column mounted any of the cars, while the care- stalk looks after the direction in- ful driver ought to approach dicators, horn, and light fl ashing. 6.7L/I00km with ease. The area Facia mounted knobs are used where the cars will diverge is in for the headlights, wipers/wash- the matter of servicing and re- ers and the choke. Other equip- pair costs. ment includes a pair of sun vi- The GS has proved an expen- sors [the passengers with vanity sive car to maintain even when mirror], a rear view mirror, inte- it has been running well, and a rior light, a pair of coat hooks, serious fault is usually very costly front door arm-rests/pulls, ash- to put right. The Renault is not as trays in the front doors and rear expensive to maintain but own- body sides. The Toledo also has ers speak of only moderate life front quarter lights, a rather rare on the front drive shafts and fi tting on modern cars. consequent very high bills for re- The I2TL is possibly the best placements. In contrast the To- equipped of the three cars for it ledo is simple and rugged, hav- has twin sun visors, one of them ing no exotic components to go 28 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 29 3 WayWay SplitSplit 11975975 wrong and even if they do they~ cerned with maintenance costs are cheap to replace. then there is little doubt that G SPECIAL I,0I5cc RENAULT I2TL TRIUMPH TOLEDO Verdict the Citroën is the best car of the ENGINE Alloy block and head Cast iron block, alloy head Cast iron block and head The costs of motoring must group. If we wanted some of the No. of cylinders 4, horizontally opposed 4, in line 4, in line be uppermost in many peo- advantages of front wheel drive Bore and stroke 74 x 58mm 73 x 77mm 73.7 x 76mm ple’s minds today and with this without the Citroën’s complica- Capacity I,0I5cc I,289cc I,296cc in mind the Toledo has a lot go- tions we would plump for the Valve gear Single overhead camshaft Overhead by pushrods and Overhead by pushrods and ing for it, because as already Renault, but if we needed a re- per bank rockers rockers mentioned it is going to be a liable uncomplicated car with a Compression ratio 9:I 8.5:I 8.5:I lot cheaper to maintain unless dash of style then we might stick Carburretion Solex 28CKM twin choke Solex EISA 4 SU HS4E some catastrophic faults devel- with the Toledo. Maximum power 40kW @ 6,750rpm 40kW @ 5,250rpm 43kW [DIN] @ 5,500rpm op. However, for the same price Editorial Aside Maximum torque 70.7nM @ 3,500rpm 88.4nM @ 3,000rpm 92.4nM @ 3,300rpm as the Citroën and I2 it does not The British car buyer in I975 Cooling Air Water Water offer much refi nement or space was certainly looking to buy an Main bearings 3 5 3 and certainly cannot match ei- uncomplicated car… I will leave Brakes Hydropneumatic powered Hydraulic Hydraulic servo-assisted ther of them in ride or comfort. the matters of reliability to one Front 25.5cm discs 22.9cm discs 22.2cm discs The GS is of course outstand- side and totally avoid the matter Rear I7.5cm discs I7.8cm drums 20.3cm drums ing in its ride and handling, of- of style, which is such a personal Wheels 4½J x I5 4J x I3 4J x I3 fers excellent braking and inte- matter. But I might remind you Tyres I45-I5 I45-I3 I55-I3 rior comfort. Its gearbox is not that of the top-ten selling cars of Body construction Unitary Steel unitary Unitary very pleasant and the car can be the period in the UK seven were Steering Rack and pinion Rack and pinion Rack and pinion noisy both through the engine uncomplicated. Ford’s Cortina Powered No No No and road transmitted noise. But and Escort, BLMC’s Marina and Turn, lock to lock 3.7 3.5 3.75 its styling is still futuristic; it has Triumph Dolomite, Vauxhall’s Turning circle I0.4mI0.0m9.Im a large boot and is quite a lot of Viva and Rootes Group’s Aveng- SUSPENSION car for £I,400. er and Hunter accounted for Front Independent with double Independent with double Independent with coil The Renault is less futuristic over 70% of the sales of the top wishbones, hydropneumatic wishbones and coil springs, springs, double wishbones than the GS, although its styling ten vehicles and 36% of the total struts with rear intercon- telescopic shock absorbers and telescopic dampers still looks odd even today. It does market of almost I.2million cars. nection and anti-roll bar almost as well as the Citroën in Renault sold 56,000 units and Rear Independent with trail- ‘Dead’ axle with radius Live axle with coil springs, ride, handling and braking but Citroën just 22,000 that year. ing arms, hydropneumatic rods, A-bracket, coil springs, 4 links and telescopic suffers from a noisy engine and Even Toyota sold 20,000! Citroën struts with front intercon- anti-roll bar and telescopic dampers a vague gearbox. UK accounted for only 3% of the nection shock absorbers The Toledo’s engine can be brand’s production. Having said TRANSMISSION fussy, its ride is quite hard, the that, ‘big brother’ Peugeot only Clutch I7.9cm diaphragm spring I7.0cm diaphragm spring I6.5cm diaphragm spring seats are only average, but it managed to shift I6,000 cars that Gearbox 4-speed all-synchromesh 4-speed all-synchromesh 4-speed all-synchromesh handles well and is easy to main- year in the UK. Ed. Ratios 3.82, 2.38, I.52, I.I5 to I 3.46, 2.24, I.48, I.04 to I 3.504, 2.I58, I.394, I.0 to I tain. If we were not unduly con- This article, from ‘What Car?’ I975, is Final drive 4.I2 to I 3.77 to I 4.I1 to I from the Editor’s collection. kph/I,000rpm in top 23.0 27.0 n/s Weight 853kg 848kg 864kg Price £I,4I6 £I,443 £I,370 30 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 31 MMember’sember’s Model:Model: 19771977 GGSS PallasPallas 1 tant; it was at the height of the oil AAndrewndrew & SueSue CunninghamCunningham 1] Andrew’s Citroën love affair began crisis. You know I really cannot re- have been a member of when he and Sue member what made Sue and me CCOCA for 20+ years since saw this 2CV in St interested to even look at a GS. Iwondering what Citroën to ac- Tropez. Truly an Clearly, I have loved the shapes quire in addition to the 2CV I ‘ugly duckling’ in a of CX, GS and 2CV! had had since I998. I was ‘hang- gorgeous location. My fi rst Citroën was in fact a ing around’ a CCOCA event in In the background 2CV which I bought in late I998, Mt Gambier. I remember picking a Simca I000, having seen them in Europe in peoples’ brains about what would a Méhari and a I974-5. I had been in the rather be best for me, living in country British-registered expensive habit of getting new Victoria with no mechanical skills Peugeot 504. 2 cars with a clear preference at all. What I really wanted was 2] They were driv- for European marques. But as I a CX which I remember notic- ing a Renault 5 could not afford Mercedes I had ing for the fi rst time from a bus at the time. This owned a Volvo, two Saabs then on a trip in Europe in I975. I just Renault publicity some very practical cars for us loved that shape [style!] and still photo from I97I in Stawell, namely Holden Com- do, but the wise folks in CCOCA suggests the world modore! My good friend and car suggested a GS would be more drove Renaults. adviser told me in the late I990s appropriate for me! Well, except for to stop buying so many cars and As far as membership goes, the Peugeot 504 get a ‘classic’! I have only been an occasional in the corner. I did obey his instructions and participant but love the maga- 3] right to left: in I998 bought a blue Fiat XI/9, zine! Glady, Nidy and called Fifi and I still have her and I fi rst saw and photographed Andrew’s Renault get much pleasure, and occasion- a 2CV in St Tropez in I974 and I6, Dijon, sharing ally much expense, due to her! thought of it as a sardine can and the carport. The idea of a 2CV came to still have the photo. We were ac- mind early. I initially actually tually touring Europe in a Renault looked at one in Eltham in late 5 we had bought in the UK with I998 and test drove it for the fi rst the intention of bringing it back 3 time and could not make up my home the following year. We had mind whether it was a car or already checked out a beautiful a tractor on a farm! My friend green GS Break that was being managed to source Nidy, as I call sold by an older lady in a fash- her, in Sydney where he lived. The ionable inner suburb of London. Australian owner had driven her We took it for a drive but I was in UK for several years before not expecting the semi-automat- bringing her to Sydney. I had her ic and I am glad we did not buy it trucked down just before Xmas as the new R5 was amazing and I998 and delivered to my niece’s very economical. This was impor- in Clifton Hill. Sadly, when she 32 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 33 MMember’sember’s Model:Model: 19771977 GGSS PallasPallas was being backed off the truck, week in Port Douglas! emony of the Sydney Olympics she missed the plank and landed In this pandemic this seems a fl at out on the bed! heavily on the front bumper and distant impossible dream. How- Nidy has been wonderful in bent my baby! ever, the adventure continued be- the bush around Stawell where Two days later which was a cause then Sue and I had a week I take her on tracks suitable only rather remarkable Boxing Day to drive home to Stawell, on our for 4WDs. Of course, she is the with foul weather suffi cient to own without the safety and me- only 2CV in the area and being destroy the Sydney to Hobart chanical security of the Raid. As it two-tone yellow/grey is really yacht fl eet and wash out the test turned out it was an amazing ex- hard to hide. cricket, I decided to drive back perience to share visiting places I Well enough of Nidy and onto to Stawell. This was not a good have not been to before or since, my next Citroën purchase, the idea, as you will read. Sue was such as Charters Towers, Car- I977 GS Pallas I called Glady af- behind in our waterproof, relia- narvon Gorge, Roma, Bourke, ter her owner, Mrs Glady Ball ble Holden Commodore whilst Cobar… In Deniliquin, on the fi - whom I gather had a collection I headed along the freeway in nal night of this trip, my back fi - of Citroëns. very heavy rain for my fi rst seri- nally decided to explode and left At that time, perusing ‘The Age’ ous drive in a 2CV. Well, the un- me watching the opening cer- on a Saturday morning was the mentionable happened on the Tullamarine freeway when I was doing a noisy 80kph and the hood fl ung back, allowing me to be drenched in a few moments. I then discovered the importance of making sure both the roof latches are secured. I had a truly miserable, cold, trip back home over three hours but was thank- ful to be home safely. I called her Nidy because her NSW number plate was NID, but of course, she shortly had to put onto Victorian registration. I have had a lot of fun in Nidy and still smile when I see her! She has been on ½ of the Raid 2000 and the full Raid 2004. My friend Derek and I had planned to leave Raid 2000 in Cairns, whilst the rest went on up to Cape York. Instead of Cape York, we were joined by our wives for a glorious 34 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 35 MMember’sember’s Model:Model: 19771977 GGSS PallasPallas wwayay toto keepkeep a lookoutlookout forfor usedused [[Ed.Ed. Andrew,Andrew, ccomparedompared wwithith a C- zoes in Germany! [www.fran- dal had got to it in the night. Any- ccarar ttemptationsemptations aandnd tthishis aappliedpplied MMatic,atic, yyouou ddoo nnotot kknownow wwhathat a zose.de/en/Home/] In those way, the local windscreen people ttoo mymy questquest forfor a GGSS inin 22000.000. I sspeed-demonpeed-demon yyouou ccanan bbe.]e.] LLuck-uck- few years, the world has shrunk could not help! A call to Euro- llookedooked aatt sseveraleveral bbutut wwhenhen I fi - - iilyly wwee hhaveave nnoo llightsights iinn SStawelltawell courtesy of internet! pean Autocare did the trick and nnallyally sawsaw GladyGlady inin tthehe sstablestables aandnd I mmustust aadd,dd, nnoo pparkingarking mme-e- Later I had to replace the driv- saved the day. ooff anan oldold mansionmansion inin WilliamsWilliams ttersers eeitherither [[whatwhat bblissliss yyouou ssay].ay]. I er’s window which broke in mys- Glady has been an expensive RRoad,oad, WWindsor,indsor, I wwasas iinn nnoo ddoubtoubt hhaveave followedfollowed NicNic fromfrom LaLa VilleVille terious circumstances. Sue and car to maintain and not partic- I nneededeeded hher.er. SShehe hhadad ttwowo lladyady iinn HawthornHawthorn toto CarsCars ofof FranceFrance I went out to the Grampians ularly economical on petrol, but oowners,wners, hhadad bbeeneen bbarelyarely uusedsed iinn DarebinDarebin andand thenthen nearbynearby toto on the old train track and got who cares? I love looking at her aandnd wwasas iinn lovelylovely conditioncondition forfor DDarebinarebin TyreTyre CentreCentre wherewhere NicNic through it easily. When we got and she is superb to drive on a 23-year23-year ooldld ccarar wwithith 667,000km7,000km sstilltill hhelpselps ooutut tthehe oownerswners aatt home discovered that a Pallas the open road but also pretty oonn thethe clock.clock. I stillstill rememberremember ttimes.imes. hubcap had been lost. Oh no, good on rough roads or wind- tthehe owner’sowner’s ddaughter,aughter, AAnthea,nthea, I diddid havehave a particularparticular prob-prob- that certainly will not be sourced ing Grampian roads not far from eemphasizingmphasizing rrepeatedlyepeatedly thatthat thethe llemem whenwhen a curvedcurved inletinlet pipepipe in Stawell, but European Auto- home. GGSS ‘‘waswas a PPallasallas yyouou kknow’!now’! I bbe-e- bbetweenetween ccarburettorarburettor aandnd aairir iin-n- care supplied the missing part! I am missing Glady as I write llieveieve I amam notnot a snobsnob butbut itit isis a lletet neededneeded replacing.replacing. SadlySadly whilstwhilst It was a rough track but Gla- this because she has been in PPallasallas yyouou kknownow aandnd sshouldhould nnotot tthehe locallocal mechanicmechanic waitedwaited forfor a dy, being a GS, managed. But wait, Melbourne since February for an bbee seenseen anywhereanywhere nearnear meremere nnewew ppartart ttoo bbee mmadeade iinn BBallarat,allarat, there is more. It was January and overhaul and repairs to the front ‘‘Clubs’.Clubs’. DDoo nnotot eevenven mmentionention tthehe hhee leftleft herher inin thethe inlandinland sunsun tootoo a few days later we had a mes- end. The pandemic has messed wwordsords ‘Spécial’‘Spécial’ iinn hherer ccompany!ompany! mmuchuch aandnd hherer ssteeringteering wwheelheel sage from my mother-in- law tell- the process up and of course, NNicic fromfrom LaLa VilleVille MotorsMotors wwasas ddamaged.amaged. ing me of the mysterious breaking even though she is ready, I am bbroughtrought GGladylady upup toto scratchscratch IInn thethe end,end, mymy SydneySydney of the door window. It certainly not allowed down to collect her. aandnd mademade suresure I couldcould bebe ffriendriend ssuggesteduggested ccontact-ontact- was fi ne when got back home af- I am sort of grieving, which is tru- cconfionfi ddentent t oto g ogo w ewestst t oto iingng EEuropeanuropean AAutocareutocare ter the drive, so I can only imag- ly embarrassing. It is hard to ad- SStawelltawell ~ 225km225km ffromrom tthehe iinn PenrithPenrith wwhoho ssentent tthehe ine it had been stressed in some mit that a grown man could be nnearestearest CCitroënitroën mmechanic!echanic! ppartart qquicklyuickly aandnd GGladylady wwasas way. We assumed a wicked van- so attached to a collection of bits GGladylady hhasas aalwayslways bbeeneen a bbackack oonn thethe road.road. I nevernever bbeautifuleautiful ccruiserruiser aandnd hhan-an- tthought,hought, aatt tthathat ttime,ime, ttoo ttryry ddlingling toto matchmatch thethe XII/9/9 ssourcingourcing partsparts fromfrom Eu-Eu- bbutut nneverever a ccarar ttoo aaccel-ccel- rropeope ssuchuch aass eeraterate hardhard fromfrom thethe lights.lights. FFran-r a n - 36 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 37 MMember’sember’s Model:Model: 19771977 GGSS PallasPallas called a car! But as discussed in matic was dated by the time I got a recent edition of ‘Front Drive’, her in 2003. Citroën does style and I reckon I did offer to lend her to my the GS is almost equal to the CX brother from WA for a touring for style. holiday in Victoria but the morn- If I make an ever so slight criti- ing he was about to leave Mel- cism of the GS Pallas, I would pre- bourne it had a major hydraulic fer the single headlights as on the leak. To quote my niece’s hus- mere Club to my double head- band, who witnessed this ca- lights! There, I have had a whinge tastrophe, ‘it pissed fl uid’! This and feel guilty. Fancy being neg- further confi rmed his misgiv- ative about a little thing like the ings regarding Citroëns and my style of headlights when there is brother had to get a hire car! a pandemic in full swing! Maybe I continued to admire the CX’s by the time GS edition of ‘Front style but better to look than to Drive’ happens, the pandemic leave home too much and I re- maybe just a memory?! alized it was not the right car Sue and I did drive Glady via for me in Stawell as I had been Lake Conjola, NSW where we warned by CCOCA folks in 2000 spent a couple of nights with or thereabouts! I literally gave Tom and Helen Campbell and her away to my cousin in Mel- on to Sydney to stay with Rover bourne but I later heard she friends. This is the longest trip we had failed him on the Westgate have made in Glady, but it was a Bridge so he swapped her for lovely drive coming home via the a DS and now has gone to a Hume Freeway/Highway. Peugeot 203! As for other Citroëns, I could Over the years I have had a not resist the ever present de- I974 Rover 2.5 4-speed, a Mor- sire for a CX any longer. In 2003 ris I100, a I987 Mercedes 300e, I took the plunge on a I985 a I977 Saab 99GL Combi Coupe, CX2.5 Pallas 3-speed automatic a I987 Saab 9000GLE new and a which I bought in Camberwell. 2007 Citroën C4 new, to men- She proved to be a complex car tion some of my auto wander- for me and kept the local auto ings! My current stable of what a electrician busy for some time call ‘toys’ comprises [in order of and helped his superannuation acquisition]: savings a good deal. Gabbie, as I • I980 Fiat XI/9 called her, was certainly a lovely • I98I Citroën 2CV limousine-type car to drive but • I977 Citroën GS Pallas not as sporty a feeling as the GS • I974 Renault I6TS and I thought the 3-speed auto- • I988 Saab 900 Turbo aero 38 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 39 MMember’sember’s Model:Model: 19771977 GGSS PallasPallas I am forever grateful to Vi- ter a service and the Saab refus- somewhere and asked him. No, open road. It really is an amazing- croads for the permit system ing to re-start in Ballarat! he had not traded it in and yes, ly comfortable cruiser and quite which has my fi ve cars on the Now some more detail re he still had it on his property near a pacer with only I,600cc mo- roads for about the cost of fully the Renault I6 as you request- Stawell. It turned out it had origi- tor. To be honest I think the RI6 registered car. I am not going to ed Leigh. I had noticed this lo- nally been his wife’s car that they is really ugly. So for style I award complain about nothin’! My ac- cal I6TS over the years because had bought new in Richmond in it one out of ten but for design, countant friend is convinced I am it was owned by Rod in the lo- I974 and had done 300,000km ooh I reckon nine out of ten! very good for the local economy cal musical comedy group. I nev- without trouble. Naturally I went Well Leigh I reckon that is of mechanics, auto electricians, er dreamed that the car would to have a look and was amazed enough ramblings! I will send panel beaters and auto pro shop! be mine one day. Well, Sue and I at how well preserved the inte- some photos of the RI6. I pre- rior was with perfect vinyl seats sume you have enough photos Sue, my wife, is long suffering bought a new Peugeot 307 and and uncracked dash! I bought it of the GS. Do you want photos but copes somehow but has had I started observing Peugeots in then in 2008 and have had Dijon of the 2CV and CX? If there is I some disappointments over the Stawell and eventually I noted [mustard coloured classic ‘70s] as thing I like, it is keeping photos of years with car failures in awkward Rod driving a new Peugeot 308 I call him as my golf car. I did get my cars on the computer! May- places. Things like the 2CV engine wagon and I just wondered what inertia real belts fi tted and lamb- be I am just a teensie weensie bit blow up on the Pentland Hills as had happened to his RI6. swool seat covers added and still obsessive!! we attempted to drive home af- I must have bumped into him love driving him especially on the Andrew Cunningham IInsidenside thethe CarCar ofof thethe YearYear One of your editor’s favourite grew to hate the life and in I96I parts of his job is the opportuni- joined Britain’s largest engineer- ty to share with members some ing magazine and quickly became of the best automotive writing in its editor. the world… ever! Many of these Writing about engineering led brilliant penmen wrote for ‘Car’ him to cars and the job at ‘Car’. magazine in the I980s. Russell The fact that he did not train as Bulgin, George Bishop and Philip an engineer did not hamper his Llewellin; they all spring to mind. ability to talk about technology Of them all, my favourite was with the most talented people in [and remains] LJK Setright. Se- the car industry. tright was born in London, the I knew he had written an arti- son of Australian émigrés. His cle about the GS after it won the mother Lena was a fashion buyer Car of the Year. But, despite ex- and his father Henry an engineer, tensive searches of the internet I who invented the Setright ro- have never found it. Then out of tary bus ticket machine and the the blue our French correspond- Tote betting system. He began ent, Alan Brown, emailed a copy his working life as a lawyer, but to me. I will let him take up the 40 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 41 IInsidenside thethe CarCar ofof thethe YearYear story: the aid of nature in order to defy made its provocative début selves with hum-drum conven- ‘As a young chalkie in Stafford- natural laws, in a wild philosophi- into the world of high fash- tional boxes-on-wheels. Without shire mid-I970s I was tasked cal merry-go-round that leaves ion and I30mph, it seemed surrendering their aristocracy, with motivating recalcitrant the meaner intellects of the Eng- that the engineering en- Citroën have found the common mining village kids into learning lish-speaking automotive indus- claves of the Quai André touch and motoring will never be French. We had [a] properfl ash tries, and the excessively prac- Citroën were sharply di- quite the same again. You will re- tical practitioners in the others, vided down the middle, member from reading your Sue- reel to reel Tandberg language gasping and baffl ed. It is natural with cars for the rich on tonius that the proudest boast of lab and a fi lmstrip projector that a car should roll when cor- this side, cars for the poor Roman Emperor Augustus was The girls were no problem. nering, natural that it should be- on that side, and a broad that he had found the city brick Most of the lads thought come unstable when braked hard no-man’s-land and left it marble. In the same vein, French was not very… manly. on a downhill gradient on a slip- Citroën may claim to have found Solution was to get them pery and uneven surface, natural be- the automobile a motorised cart yarning about… automobiles. that it should sink under a heavy tween, and made of it a magic carpet. Plus ça change, I hear you quip load, bounce on bumps, pitch on where There is something special that We wrote to Citroën in Paris stopping and starting, create au- Renault and shines through the whole design. I and in Slough The guff from dible disturbance when travelling Fiat could dis- am not sure whether to describe port them- Berkshire kept us gainfully at high speed. All this may ap- it as confi dence in themselves or pear commonplace in our every- selves unhin- utter contempt for everyone else, occupied all term.’ day driving, but the GS resists the dered. but in either case Citroën are Among the material was Se- commonplace. Poor men’s probably right. Look at what eve- tright’s GS article. Hoorah! For Thus to confound nature has cars usual- rybody else is doing in the small- Front Drive this is a very long ar- for some time been part of Cit- ly cost rather to-medium car market: either ticle and I trust readers will for- roën’s stock-in-trade. The original less than £I,I00. they are making tailgated pseudo- give the fact that as a result I have front-wheel-drive Light I5 of I934 Rich men’s estate cars, or they are churning used a slightly smaller font. started them on their iconoclastic cars commonly out hoary old triple-box shapes way, and the imperishable DS of cost a lot more. that are either wastefully styled in ccording to Voltaire, the se- the late I950s established them as Most men’s the American fashion [for swank] cret of art is to improve on the world’s leading technocratic cars, those that or left aggressively rectilinear [for nature.A It is a peculiarly French at- freethinkers. But the DS was a fair- sell in really big thrift]. So along come Citroën titude, one that is manifested as ly expensive car and the cheaper numbers all with their GS, which has a superb- much in their engineering as in variants that followed were not all over Europe ly airfl owed shape offering rough- their graphic, plastic or musical that much cheaper. So although and extensive- ly half the wind resistance of the artefacts. In their automotive en- the big Citroëns continued to be ly elsewhere, typical modern wheeled box, as gineering it is especially apparent: an example to the world, they tend to cost much interior space for passen- indeed it, together with that re- could not be said to have had a just about that. So does gers and luggage, looking quite morseless Gallic logic upon which marked effect on it. Nor, while the the GS. It is designed for large and yet proving to be I5cm I have commented from time to utility-futility Bijou and Ami repre- mass production, and has shorter than a Cortina. [Ed. To time, may be held responsible for sented Citroën’s contribution to been contrived so superb- put that into today’s context it is the utterly individual looks and working class mobility, could it be ly that Citroën can hardly 5Icm shorter than a Toyota Co- behaviour of French cars, which imagined that the pioneering that fail to make an enormous rolla sedan. That’s TWENTY inch- are like no others upon the face went into the big DS might fi nd alliance with the thou- es shorter!] It has a sloping bon- of the earth. It is not enough that more general recognition. Even as sands or millions net, sloping cropped tail, curved they improve on nature: they dis- recently as the spring of last year, who have hither- side panels and window glass, and arm all opposition by summoning when the Maserati engined SM to had to content them- being a front-wheel-drive car [of 42 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 43 IInsidenside thethe CarCar ofof thethe YearYear course!] it has a fairly smooth un- achieved. [Ed. It does seem to be GS to its torque and power, do to form longitudinal torsion mem- derbelly. There are several other generally agreed that the DS had not judge it by the standards of bers, braced at the front and rear cars that can claim all or most of a drag of 0.36 and GS of 0.3I.] its contemporaries: it may not be of the passenger compartment by these attributes, but none that Too many people seem to have good at those traffi c-light sprints very stiff sheet fabrications. These are not Cìtroëns can rival the GS forgotten the importance of low which are such temptation to the are in turn connected by tubu- in aerodynamic effi ciency. Citroën drag. Obviously it assists towards vulgar, but it is far better than you lar cant rails running through the say that its coeffi cient of penetra- achieving a high maximum speed might expect at speeds beyond roof and screen pillars, the whole tion is l5% better than that of the on a given power supply, or a 80kph, which is what matters to thing having a reasonable continu- DS which was once, along with low fuel consumption at a given the earnest driver. ity of stress distribution when the Porsche and Bristol, one of the speed. It does more: it liberates a There are only two disadvan- vehicle is in motion and, accord- ‘world’s best-shaped cars’. On relatively greater amount of sur- tages to good streamlining, if we ing to Citroën, providing effi cient this basis the drag coeffi cient of plus power for acceleration or may use this old-fashioned term. protection for the passengers in a the GS ought to be about 0.27 ~ hill-climbing at high speeds. For One is that streamlined bod- prang. If the ride and roadholding though it rather depends which example, the GS can do I20kph ies are usually heavy, and in the are anything to go by, the beam DS they were talking about. If on a mere 22.4kW ~ but if you days of separate body and chas- and torsional stiffnesses must they meant the original one, we fl oor the accelerator at I20kph sis this was probably true ~ but be ample ~ though alternatively could mark the GS down to 0.33, the engine develops 37.3kW, so it is not true today. The other is the proper criterion may be the which is a lot less clever. So let us there are I5 to spare for accelera- that a well-streamlined body usu- behaviour of the door-locks, in have recourse to the MIRA rating tion. In brief, the surplus tractive ally creates directional stability which case the torsional stiffness method for assessing vehicle drag effort is two-thirds greater than problems in crosswinds, due to [especially remembering that big coeffi cients, an apparently arbi- Grouping the main the resistance to motion at that the tendency of the aerodynamic tailgate opening] must be suspect. trary method which has proved mechanical com- speed. If the car had a drag co- centre of pressure to move ahead What is more surprising is the accurate to within 7% in the ra- ponents ahead of effi cient perhaps one-third higher of the centre of gravity. In a front- spaciousness of the body inte- diator-blanked condition except the front axle has [which would still make it good by wheel-drive car this is no problem rior. This is not always something that the DS cheated them by hav- resulted in a nota- current family car standards] then anyway, for the centre of gravity is that you can enjoy in a stream- ing an actual coeffi cient of only bly spacious cabin it would need 30kW to travel at necessarily well forward. [Inciden- lined body, where headroom is 0.3I1, a lot lower than The Meth- plus a large and I20kph, leaving only 7.5 to spare. In tally, I was chided for saying this wont to disappear at the back od predicted. Applying The Meth- unobstructed lug- other words the surplus tractive in a fi ve-year-old article in ‘Car’ by and where shoulder room is of- od to the GS, the answer comes effort would only be a quarter of a speaker in the I969 Symposium ten scarce. Bearing in mind the out at 0.293, and the 7% tolerance gage compartment, the resistance, and the capacity to on Road Vehicle Aerodynamics at external shape and the substantial could bring it down to 0.273, so aided by the trail- accelerate from I20kph drops by the City University ~ but though structure, the GS is jolly spacious, Citroën are probably telling some ing link suspension. something like 60%. So when you what I have said is not the whole getting as near to being a genu- sort of truth. Not that I resent it: relate the size and truth, it is still true, and everybody ine fi ve-seater as any of the ump- only because it is so amazing a weight of contradicted everybody else so teen 4.5seaters in the I.5litre fam- truth are we grudgingly slow the often during that symposium that ily market. There is luggage space to admit that this has I do not mind telling you that I too, good ample sensible luggage been suspect a malefi cent paradox in space taking the form of parallel- the fellow’s alternative theory.] epiped with no useless nooks and The GS body is cleverly built on crannies ~ not even an obstruc- principles that hark back to some tive ledge over the rear bumper, of the old ideas of a chassis with- for that rises with the boot door. out actually involving one. There is Therefore the I6 cubic feet of lug- a sort of substructure consisting gage space will truly take 450litres of a fl oorpan with side sections of luggage, which is the deuce of a attached to rails and side panels lot. Citroën tell me that the boot 44 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 45 IInsidenside thethe CarCar ofof thethe YearYear will accommodate a barrel of that the provision of hot air to the fi nd 0.24kW/cm2 of piston area or linear with revs, so that in SAE 7Icm diameter, and it may be co- passenger compartment is erratic 4I.4kW DIN at 6,500rpm, equiv- trim there would be nearly 45% incidence or the suspicious work- and feeble, and of course that [as alent to a peak-power bmep more power at 6,500rpm than at ings of my tyre conscious subcon- everybody knows] air-cooled en- of 689kPa ~ which is not very 4,500. As installed in the car things scious that this is equivalent to a gines are noisy. Except this one. good by modern standards. At inevitably work out a trifl e more complete set of wheels and tyres However the noise manifests 3,500rpm, when the engine devel- conventionally, otherwise Citroën for a DS. Is the GS a rally-support itself, reasoned Citroën, it always ops its maximum DIN torque of would never have arrived at that car in disguise? starts in the combustion cham- 70.85nM, the equivalent bmep is 37.3kW at I20kph that we had If it were, they would not have bers so they made the cylinder 864kPa ~ which is better, but not under discussion earlier. Never- taken such pains to make it so heads very rigid. Then they got much. It is perhaps rather reveal- theless the engine certainly feels eminently habitable a car. Lots of rid of some more noise by hav- ing that the gross power fi gures a lot stronger when its revs are soundproofi ng appears to have ing overhead camshaft operation according to SAE standards are so allowed regularly to run up to been done, not only of the con- of the valves, with the shafts driv- much higher than the net or DIN the limiting rubric on the weird ventional sort but also in the en by toothed belts. What noise ones. Peak torque and bmep go boomerang-shaped tachometer elimination of noise induced by was left was largely blanketed up to 73.5nM and 903kPa respec- scale. On the other hand, the sud- tyres and suspension, not to men- by the layer of cooling air fl ow- tively, but the really big jump is in den diminution of torque can be tion the substantial elimination of ing between the cylinder fi ns and maximum power from 4I.4kW at plainly felt if the revs are suffered the expected engine noise ~ and the shrouding. It is a pity about 6,500rpm to no less than 50 at to rise any further; and remem- this is no small accomplishment, this shrouding for it always spoils 6,750. This is extremely telling be- bering that the cheaper GS Con- for the engine is air-cooled. Why? what could be a handsome sight cause at this rate the peakpow- fort has no engine-speed instru- Because it is intended to run for beneath the bonnet, and instead er bmep works out at 924kPa. mentation, it is scarcely surprising at least I60,000km without ma- of lots of beautiful and generally In other words, the bmep and that Citroën should arrange for jor overhaul. Air-cooling makes it shapely metal, you see is an ex- torque [and, by inference, specifi c the engine to throttle itself and possible to eliminate many of the panse of dull-looking air ducts. In consumption] curves are virtually thus avoid overspeeding. sources of common premature the case of the GS the expanse fl at from 3,500 to 6,750rpm when It is still too early to be fi nal in breakdowns. There are no head is not big, for the engine is short the engine is given its head with- judgment on this engine. Since gaskets, no water hoses, no fan and very compact. It is a fl at four, out the burden of all its ancillar- the issue of the performance belt [the fan is driven directly by so it is very smooth and remains ies such as fan, alternator and so fi gures just assessed, two signifi - the crankshaft], no sensitivity to vibrationally undetectable at all forth. In SAE testbed conditions cant alterations have been made ambient air temperature. Inciden- speeds up to considerably be- the exhaust system may differ to the engine and they are likely tal benefi ts ought to include rapid yond its placarded maximum. from the type on the car, and this to affect its behaviour. One is an warm-up [though I know some This free-revving ability [it goes probably shares with the cooling amended ignition advance curve, water-cooled engines that are to 8,000rpm without any fuss, fan the responsibility for soaking the other an alteration in the link- quicker], low cooling parasitic loss but is redlined at 6,750] is due up that missing 8.6kW, as well as age between the primary and [but see what we say later about in part to the short stroke [only hauling the power peak down by secondary throttles of the carbu- the fan losses], considerable sav- 59mm] which keeps the mean a fairly substantial 250rpm. rettor. These are calculated to im- ing in space and weight through piston velocity at peak revs down That these fi gures are signifi cant prove the starting, response and elimination of the water radiator to a friction-mitigating 760m/min. is confi rmed when one drives the economy of the engine, for some and header tank, and improved The bore is 74mm, making the vi- car, for one can sense the contin- of the pre-production prototypes overall aerodynamic effi ciency tal statistics I,0I5cc swept volume, ued escalation of power all the [upon which the motoring press because the cooling air through- 0.8 to one stroke/bore ratio, nine way up the rev scale, creating was loosed some months ago] put is smaller than is necessary for to one compression ratio, and the illusion that there is not very gave trouble with fl at spots and an equivalent water-cooling sys- I69.7cm2 piston area. When these much below say 4,500rpm simply thirstiness. I suspect that half the tem. Disadvantages are that an oil quantities are related to the pub- because [thanks to the fl at bmep trouble was caused by young and cooler of a good size is necessary, lished performance fi gures we curve] the increase in power is frankly idiotic drivers who claimed 46 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 47 IInsidenside thethe CarCar ofof thethe YearYear that they were doing 9,000rpm ~ minium bush sometimes put into though how they knew remains a motorcycle big-end eye in place a mystery. Perhaps they really did of the standard roller bearing, a get up to 9,000, for the engines device which Mr Surtees used to then varied somewhat in their employ in his youth when riding lustiness and appetites. At least a Vincent 500. In time, I suppose the machinery is unlikely to suf- Citroën might try direct deposi- fer grievous harm from such way- tion of the bearing metals on the ward driving, for it is of singular surface of the crankpin or in the and durable construction ~ as eye of the rod. one would expect if it has to sur- Given this nicety in the design vive I60,000kms. The most nota- of the reciprocating bits, some- ble feature is the combination of a thing commensurate is called for built-up crankshaft with connect- in the rotating bits. The crankshaft ing rods whose big-end eyes are is built up from separate jour- solid [that is, they are not split]. nals and throws, the former being This is a most endearing feature, larger in diameter than the holes for the continuity of stress distri- intended to accommodate them bution around the big-end does a in the latter. This is clever [if not lot to preserve that hard-worked new], for each crankpin is then component in health, and one- chilled in liquid nitrogen, where- piece construction does wonders upon it contracts enough to be for rod stiffness. All the best racing Opposite: At Ret- inserted in its chosen bore. The motorcycle conrods are thus built assembly is held in a jig while it almost as a matter of course, and romobile this year all recovers to room tempera- they stand abuse such as could Citroën presented ture, by which time the crank- never ever be heaped upon the a special GS with pin has expanded again and is a equivalent GS component. They a recent inte- very fi rm fi t. Only a special press are almost invariably associated rior designed by can then separate the two com- with roller bearings, whereas the Tristan Auer for ponents in order to remove the big-end bearings of the GS are the Parisian hotel conrod, which would have been plain. This is a good thing: rollers ‘Les Bains’. It will slipped over the crankpin before are fi ne for main bearings in some be on display for fi nal assembly of the shaft. It is a cases, but they are really quite un- three years at the system that I like very much: I fi nd suitable for big-ends, where the hotel at 7 rue du it preferable to the alternative plain hydrodynamic bearing is Bourg L’Abbé. Den- [employed in the past by Daim- better in nearly every way. Be- is Huille of Citroën ler Benz for roller-bearing race cause of the system whereby the engines] of a more conventional GS crankshaft is assembled, Cit- Heritage states: solid crankshaft and split bearings roën are able to install thinwall ‘The restoration and big-ends. big-end bearings, but they too was carried out Whatever the engine is and are undivided and annular, which under the supervi- does, and however it may do it, it must make them unique. I must sion of Citroën cannot be considered apart from say I like the idea: the nearest I Heritage’. Images the transmission upon which it have seen to it is the plain alu- from Citroën SA. so much depends. That of the GS 48 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 49 IInsidenside thethe CarCar ofof thethe YearYear is certainly not of any notewor- top involves a drop from 6,500 to they depend to some extent on and other equally sinuous parts thy merit. The diaphragm clutch is 4,850. Thus, for the realisation of the suspension system which we of County Donegal, and later in light and sweet, but the synchro- maximum performance the en- must briefl y study fi rst of all. another galumphing all around mesh on all four forward speeds gine speed is kept within the gam- We must do so because it is southern England and the Mid- can be obstructive and the quality ut bounded by maximum power of the hydropneumatic type, pi- lands. Each car, by the way, yielded of the change is further spoilt by and maximum torque. The overall oneered by Citroën fi rst on the exactly I1.3L/I00km overall. excessive movement of the lever gearing is perfect in that the car’s big six-cylinder car back in I953, Of all the car’s cornering char- across its spring-loaded gate, ag- maximum speed in neutral condi- and two years later on all four acteristics, the absence of appar- gravated by waggling of the whole tions corresponds to peak power wheels of the then new DS. Basi- ent roll is most remarkable. The assembly as the engine and trans- in top gear. Mechanically the gear- cally the idea is that the springing suspension is quite impeccable, mission together rock on their Of course, no mat- box is not remarkable, being a medium is compressed nitrogen incorporating anti-dive and anti- fl exible bearers. Furthermore the ter how ‘special’ a straightforward all-indirect exam- of constant mass, while damping squat geometry so that the car ratios appear to be quite widely model may be at ple with all the synchronisers car- and self-levelling are dealt with by stays on an even keel when brak- spaced: the sequence from bot- the start of its life ried on the secondary shaft be- an hydraulic system working at ing and accelerating and this con- tom to top runs at 3.8, 2.4, I.5 and inevitably some ex- cause it is lower and continuously high pressure under the stimulus tributes to consistency of behav- I.I2 to one [in more or less round amples will fi nish bathed in oil. There is a simple spi- of an engine-driven pump. Thus at iour during cornering regardless fi gures] which can be translat- their days rusting ral bevel fi nal drive to constant- front and rear the height correc- of whether the power be on or ed into speeds of 43, 7I, I09 and in piece. This col- velocity driveshafts incorporating tors maintain a constant level ride off. The elimination of the once fa- I50kph at 6,500rpm. Yet this spac- lection of derelict trilobite universal joints at the in- height, though a manual override miliar lift-off oversteer character- ing is seen on closer examination board ends, after the fashion of allows the driver to adjust ground istic of front-wheel-drive cars has to be nicely judged, for the ratio of Citroëns was found Autobianchi and Fiat, and Rzeppa in the Nether- clearance for wheel changing, been achieved by a combination fi rst to second is the same as that ball types at the out-board ends swamp crossing, and other extra- of factors including tyre and sus- between second and third, so that lands by Dick and after the manner of Austin and curricular activities. So far so good; pension interaction and a happy when changing up at 6,500rpm, in Bart Veldhuizen. Morris. Also mounted inboard but the hydropneumatic system choice of steering geometry in each case, acceleration is resumed Photo by Sim van are the front brakes, and fi ne big as originally developed for the big which, as in the big SM, the king- at or just over 4,000, while the Gysegham. www. brakes they are too ~ but we DS was not perfect. In the fi rst pins are vertical in the plane of narrower gap between third and drivetribe.com will come to them later because place it had no roll stiffness, and the wheel with no camber, castor, in the second place it could leave kingpin inclination or other spuri- all the occupants of the car abso- ous side effects to interfere with lutely bone-jarred and paralysed the consistent near-ideal behav- if the car landed heavily after tak- iour of the wheels and tyres. The ing a humpback at speed, or went tyres are, of course, by Michelin: into a deep pot-hole. Consider- ZX radials which look unfash- able revision of the damping ar- ionably narrow in their I45mm rangements [fi rst tried tentatively section, but they go on big I5in in the fuel-injection version of the wheels with 4.5in rims, and this DS2I that was a late addition to probably helps the roadholding a the range] have now been com- little, the steering and ride quite pleted so successfully that all the a lot. Really the handling is out- humpback problems have been standing and only when you start cured and cornering has been getting very enterprising indeed vastly improved. Of these things does the car cease to go precise- I have been able to satisfy myself ly where you put it. You may then quite thoroughly, fi rst in thrashing use the brakes to modify its cor- a GS around the Bloody Foreland nering line, helping the tail round 50 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 51 IInsidenside thethe CarCar ofof thethe YearYear and shedding a little speed at the in mass producing, to appropri- ing effort according to the load save a great many travellers from same time ~ a useful trick in a ate standards of cheapness and to which every several wheel is perils that they will not be aware corner that turns out to be tight- reliability, a system so refi ned and subject. Here the hydraulics of of having negotiated, perils from er than you forecast. It cannot be complex as hitherto to have been the self-levelling suspension come which few if any other cars [the too strongly emphasised that the the preserve of a privileged mi- into action as load- sensing moni- Jensen FF springs to mind as an roadholding and handling of this nority of costly low-volume-pro- tors to govern the braking circuit- exception, but that too was the little family saloon, together with duction cars is a great triumph. ry, so that each brake is given as Car of its year] could preserve its exceptional ride quality, take it And, of course, the high-pres- much work as it can handle and them. Safety engineering and sys- right out of its apparent class and sure fl uid system is available for within limits, no more. It works, as tems engineering of high probity entitle it to rank among cars of serving the brakes system. This I was again and again able to verify and low price, together with a re- much grander pretensions. It is an being so, it were folly not to use on the road. So does the steering affi rmation of the value of aero- exceptional achievement in being it, for no better exists. Nothing geometry, remaining unaffected dynamic study, are what distin- by the brakes: only in extremis will by absolute standards superior compares with it for power or guish the Citroën GS. It has other to what we have already come for controllability. Ask any aircraft the GS allow these two control modes to interact. The resultant virtues of a commoner kind, but to admire in the big Citroëns ~ engineer. It is a safe system, too, these special ones are what have the improvement in roll damping otherwise aircraft would not use stability is accountable not only in made it a compulsive choice and being the most vivid example of it and although what you get in terms of sensitivity of brake op- the important differences. To put a Citroën cannot really compare eration but also by reference to a compelling success. all this into a car of such modest with aircraft practice in complex- that neutral steering geometry LJK Setright pretensions and price might once ity or cost, you still do pretty well. which encourages the car to go Setright’s last book, ‘Drive On! A have been considered dangerous, There need be no fears of run- where it is pointed, regardless Social History of the Motorcar’ is but the stage has been reached ning out of fl uid pressure to work of whether or not one or other in the Club’s library. If you want today where hydraulics may be the brakes, not with the reserves front brake happens to be locking. to borrow it [and it comes highly considered more reliable than of pressurised fl uid stored in the I fancy that the unseen subtleties recommended] contact our Li- their mechanical equivalents. For main accumulator and in the rear of the GS specifi cation will in time brarian, Max Lewis. example the GS has a new type suspension spheres. In an emer- of high-pressure pump driven by gency, all of this is made available the engine: quiet in operation, it under a sort of priority option has a constant high-pressure lu- scheme which must satisfy the re- LLookingooking ForwardForward brication device and a non-return quirements of the brakes before valve whose life is claimed to be all else. What is more, the high- almost limitless. The design life of pressure system allows the use of the pump exceeds that of the en- that delightful immobile pressure- gine [remember the I60,000km responsive pedal such as has al- overhaul life of that?] and the rest ways been a feature of the DS. I of the circuitry is of equal quality, lament its appearance in the GS having been designed for mass- as an ordinary pedal lever instead production repeatability rather of that lovely little button mush- NNextext issue...issue... than being adapted from equip- room, but the constraints which WWorld-wideorld-wide tthehe 2CCVV isis recognisedrecognised ment that had hitherto been em- enforced it are understandable. aass thethe carcar thatthat putput FranceFrance onon thethe ployed in small quantities. Indeed While speaking of the brakes, rroad.oad. ButBut isis thethe MéhariMéhari seenseen asas thethe this is perhaps the other great let us note a further advantage of achievement of Citroën which the pressure-hydraulic system. It is ccarar thatthat putput themthem onon thethe beach?beach? the appointment of the GS as Car the most suitable for adapting to FFindind outout nextnext timetime inin ‘Front‘Front Drive’.Drive’. of the Year celebrates: to succeed the automatic variation of brak- 52 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 53 TThehe FrenchFrench CamargueCamargue Still Born: The GS Coupé seen here. Citroën. To do Ligier a favour, Opron Having said that Citroën was But Citroën’s level of interest and Jean Giret started work. ven before the introduc- working on a coupé even be- in a GS coupé changed in I972 The rear of this Giret worked very closely with tion of the GS, Citroën fore the GS was fully defi ned. when Citroën took a share in drawing calls on Opron on both the GS and SM hadE been playing with the idea Sketches for pos- The sketch below, by Jean Giret the factories of Ligier. The inten- cues from the M35. and would subsequently re- of making a coupé version. Since sible a GS coupé was done in I968. and shows a tion was that from now on the In the design for place him as head of the Bureau the car already looked somewhat were done as very recognisable car. The sec- sm would be built there. Guy Li- Ligier, elements d’études . In February I974 they like a coupé, it would need little early as I968 by ond sketch shows the work gier did not fi nd theSM profi table from the previous came up a GS coupé which was adaption. However much the de- Jean Giret [top of Michael Harmand, with his enough, so he went looking for a coupé studies were a clever combination of elements signers dreamed about a coupé, and bottom] and ‘trademark’ front wheels rotated second model that he could pro- revisited. Only one from previous attempts. For ex- it always stayed at the sketches Michel Harmand to full lock. In January Jean Girst duce as well in his brand new as- model was worked ample, the retracting headlamps and scale models stage, as can be [centre]. had another go and made these sembly hall. It must be a car with a out in full size, suggested by interior design spe- two side-view sketches for a pos- sporty touch. Robert Opron re- but without run- cialist Robert Harmand were sible gs coupé. The second draws members that Ligier said to him: ning gear. This car used and the profi le of the car heavily on the lines of the sm, ‘Opron, faites-moi un project!’ could roll, but not is easily recognisable from earlier while the upper one would have [Opron, make me a project!] be driven. proposals. The protruding grille been easier to realise. might have seemed new, but The only well-known coach- was actually already provided builder who worked with the GS for in the Birotor. Later this style was Bertone. His GS Camargue element, which in both Dutch was ~ and still is ~ very beautiful. and English is not very stylishly At the time Bertone worked for known as ‘pig nose’ would be Citroën subsidiary Maserati and used in the Visa, albeit briefl y. [As as a result had contacts in Paris. a Visa owner, I prefer the Aus- He hoped to further strengthen tralian nomenclature ‘wombat his design studio by coming up nose. Ed.] with a concept car based on a Citroën. The Camargue had its Although the proposal was ab- premiere at the I972 Geneva Sa- lon and is still seen regularly at shows and events. The big disadvantage of this truly unique car was that no- body recognised its GS origins. Although the model did use the standard GS interior, albeit with more luxurious seating. Inciden- tally, it was Bertone’s chief de- signer, Marcello Gandini, who designed the Camargue and not Bertone himself. Gandini would later pen the lines for the BX for 54 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 55 TThehe FrenchFrench CamargueCamargue solutely viable, it could not have released a coupé version of the el would be built at Heuliez. In a previous one, but with the differ- come at a worse time. Citroën C4. And Ligier? With borrowed second version the model was ence that rather than the Wan- was heading for bankruptcy and money he made a new start and referred to as ‘GS Birotor coupé’, kel engine, a V4 Maserati engine Peugeot was waiting in the wings got back on his feet. The com- which suggests the use of the would be fi tted. to take over the overall control pany still exists today and is now Wankel rotary engine. This might With the knowledge we now of the company. When the time know, among other things, for have been a good model for Li- have, option one seems the least came, Peugeot immediately pulled making microcars, some of which gier to produce, especially since, plausible, especially since Des- the plug on the unprofi tableSM . were designed by… Opron. with the demise of the SM and champs is not known to have The GS coupé was not going to GS Birotor Coupé no other model to produce, this worked at Heuliez, and in any happen anyway, perhaps partly Several stories have circulated left them with spare capacity. A case, certainly not at that time. because Opron left for Renault. about the two different I:5 scale third story largely resembled the Versions two and three undoubt- Ligier’s plans fell apart. In order to GS coupé models that Marc Des- edly come make his new factory profi table, champs [later responsible for the closest to the he asked Frua to draw a design XM, see the next edition of Front truth. Unfor- for an alternative body for the SM, tunately, this which could possibly be sold as Drive] designed at Ligier in I973. a Ligier. But Frua’s design literal- Obviously, the intention was to project was ly made Ligier burst into tears. In develop only one car, hence the cancelled and the absence of any cars to build, use of the singular in the text be- nobody ever Ligier went bankrupt. low. got to see a After this last, unsuccessful at- This design blue- It was suggested that the full-sized ver- tempt, Citroën stopped talk- print for the coupé would be an addition to sion of Des- ing about a GS coupé. Due to Camargue is from the existing range and would, be- champs’ coupé. lack of money and the takeo- the Bertone stu- cause of its sporty lines, attract All that re- ver by Peugeot, all plans went dio and is from a younger clientele. There was mained were into the proverbial trash bin. No the website of no mention in this case of what the two scale real coupé would be built until auto&design maga- engine might be fi tted. Howev- models. model year 2005 when Citroën zine. er, it was claimed that the mod- It must of

www.autodesignmagazine.com/en/2020/08/citroen-gs-camargue-bertones-dream-car/ 56 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 57 TThehe FrenchFrench CamargueCamargue GGSASA: ChangedChanged butbut RecognisableRecognisable course cause one to speculate The idea must have met with of these early UK cars did make whether Citroën could have sold approval as the next we hear s I noted earlier in this edi- it to Australia. Long-time CCOCA more GS Birotors had it been is of a full-sized prototype. The tion any car that achieves member Peter Fitzgerald was at clothed in a better differentiated front seats were fi tted with a Ahigh praise at its launch can be one stage the owner of a pale suit of clothes than what appears tilting mechanism and the front expected to have had the shine blue example. It replaced his to be merely a slightly modifi ed doors were lengthened to facili- taken off it I6years later. Surely Renault I6 which in turn had sub- standard GS body. Of course, as tate entry. As this made the rear the GS/A is no different? Mark stituted for his GS Pallas. I believe NSU discovered to their regret, side windows appear small the Ebery noted that at its launch the the GSA eventually joined the selling more rotary-engined cars C-pillar was moved backwards response of the journalists was collection of George Hamada, did not lead to a better outcome and the third side window was not unanimous praise. Although but as to its present location… for the business. Ed. replaced by a grille, reminiscent it was only the Dutch who went your guess is as good as mine. When is a Coupé is not a Coupé? of that used subsequently on the so far as to suggest that the GS Versatility When it is a three-door, rather Renault I7. was simply ‘no good’. The top-line summary said than a coupé. The other novelty of the pro- In addition to the What Car? ‘The GSA is the newly introduced The coachbuilder Heuliez totype was the inclusion of a I975 review of the I,0I5 G Special, hatchback version of Citroën’s started work on a three-door bootlid hinged from the roof. As the Editor also has a I973 review evergreen GS. Versatility is natu- GS on his own initiative in I970. Citroën discovered with the GSA of the I,220 GS Pallas and a I980 rally increased, while many of The fi rst scale model was in I:I2 in order to maintain the body’s review of the I,299cc GSA also in the GS’s other virtues and faults scale made by converting a Jou- rigidity the panel between the Pallas trim. Both these are from remain ~ it is comfortable and ets Mont-Blanc toy rear lights had to be fi xed, cre- Motor magazine. smooth, and very economical, car. ating quite a high lip. That on the Early UK GSAs are easily identi- but not particularly quick.’ GSA is lower than on the proto- fi ed as they continued to use the Naturally they praised the ar- type, but still not as convenient as ‘old’ GS dashboard rather than rival of the hatchback. They be- GS that found on the . the ‘new’ GSA facia. lieved the GS had always been © This is a modifi ed extract from ‘Citroën GS & GSA ~ Citroën’s avant- As a further aside, at least one spacious and the addition of the garde mid-range cars’, by Marc Stabèl with Julian Marsh. The illustrations have been sourced from Citroën SA. This book is now available to borrow from the Club’s library. 58 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 59 GGSASA: ChangedChanged butbut RecognisableRecognisable hatch and folding rear seat add- in it. It is possible with the Estate low long-legged drivers and pas- es the ‘climate control’ levers did ed to the versatility. But they as the hole is almost vertical. sengers to become comfortable. not fall off as they did in Motor’s thought the process of folding Interior This is an interesting point, given previous test of the I,0I5 GS and the rear seat was overly compli- The writers continue to praise that of the comparison set of in their I973 I,220 review. cated. First the rear parcel shelf the overall interior space of the fi ve other cars only two provid- But in the I973 article Mo- is removed, the seat cushion re- car. Despite a decade of new ed more leg room at the great- tor complained bitterly about leased via a lever underneath and cars, the rear seat foot and knee est extent [the Fiat Strada, offer- the heating. They do recognise folded forward and fi nally the room offered is still ‘more than in ing 8mm extra and the Renault I4 that there are issues to be over- backrest released via catches hid- most rivals’. However the need proving 25mm extra]. come with cabin heating in an air- den in narrow slots on each side for the hatch to have hinges near The testers gave praise for the cooled car. ‘The problem… is to of the seat back. As the owner of the heads of rear passengers ap- location of the major controls maintain a stable temperature at a GSA, I have to agree. The same- pears to have impacted the head- [lights, indicators, horn, fl asher…] varying speeds and engine loads. era Visa is far simpler, although room. They also commented that but were less impressed by the Citroën… have yet to fully mas- the seat base catch is just as in- the rear seat was not particular- positioning of the minor controls ter the problem. The output is accessible on the Visa as it is on ly wide. In the I975 test the only [‘… a row of rather fumbly but- modest even when the engine the GSA. comment on the rear seat was tons on the facia… the choke is warm and revving hard; when What also surprised the writ- that it ‘ …is adequate for two is down under the steering col- idling, the output is virtually non- ers was the inclusion of quite a adults, cramped for three, but umn… the heater slides scat- existent.’ high lip at the back. Given the leg room is quite generous for a tered over the facia…’]. In I970 By contrast in the GSA test, ‘out- GS and GSA Estate’s bumper-lev- small car ~ certainly adequate for these, you will recall had been put from the heater is good but el opening they were baffl ed by anyone up to I.8m tall.’ singled out for particular praise. takes a while to come through this retrograde step. Pretty much The front seats, however, came As they were in the What Car? from cold.’ every other small/medium hatch in for high praise being ‘relatively test where they commented At launch the views about the faced the same issue and it was/is large, soft and squashy, with plen- that the GS had ‘… a good heat- French dashboard were, to say due to the need to maintain the ty of lumber, thigh and side sup- ing and fresh air ventilation sys- the least, diverse. The UK dash rigidity of the body, once you cut port.’ But it was felt that there tem… ’ was altogether more conven- such a large, steeply-angled hole was insuffi cient adjustment to al- But, at least in those two cas- tional, and was the same as that 60 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 61 GGSASA: ChangedChanged butbut RecognisableRecognisable The GSA is the hatchback derivative of Top model in Renault’s I4 range. Bigger Citroën’s ten-year-old GS. Compared with [I,360cc] engine gives better performance, the four door versions it is longer and notably at the top end without too much has different trim details, such as a front sacrifi ce in fuel consumption. As in other spoiler. The performance is disappointing, Renaults, comfort via a resilient ride and but the addition of a fi fth gear has helped soft seats comes before handling, which to make it very economical. Comfort and is soggy but safe. Eager engine and good ride as usual superb, but minor controls wind noise suppression are good features are scattered and instruments small and as are interior space and versatility. Very refl ective. Well equipped. well equipped. The Strada is the fi rst of a new genera- The Horizon is Talbot’s contender in the tion of front-wheel-drive hatchback Fiats, Kadett/Golf market is expensive in GLS the Strada does nothing especially well, or form but plushly trimmed and extremely especially badly, having safe, if rather un- well equipped. I300 engine gives impres- sporting, handling, a fairly pliable ride and sive blend of performance and economy; average performance. Gearchange lacks refi ned cruising marred by booms at some precision, but CL version gets fi fth gear speeds. Smooth but rather noisy ride, and for very relaxed motorway cruising. Fuel surefooted handling that is spoiled by very economy fair and interior appointments low-geared [although commendably light] lavish for class. Very well priced. steering. Not as roomy as might be ex- pected, and driving position is cramped. In GL form, with the more powerful I.3S For I980 the GLS [and LS] Golf has a engine, Opel’s new front-wheel-drive Ka- smaller, I300 engine, which is noisier than dett combines excellent performance with the previous I500, but performance is only outstanding economy in a package with slightly reduced, and competitive in its very good accommodation, taut, precise class: fuel economy fair. Not as roomy as handling and a delightfully quick and pre- some of its rivals but still a comfortable cise gearchange. Ride comfort, however, is car with a supple ride and good heating only average for this class and mechanical and ventilation; and a driver’s car with refi nement needs to be better. But overall eager engine, balanced handling, delightful the Kadett is an excellent car and a wor- gearchange, good control layout. Not as thy rival for the Golf. lavishly equipped as some similarly priced rivals. used in the Birotor. What Car? the ‘annoying refl ections at night said ‘with neat white lettering on from the trim beneath [the dials].’ introduction of the new French a black background the instru- In their GSA review , with the ‘old’ GSA dash while saying that ‘the Engine & Performance ments are very legible, only the GS dashboard, they believed the new facia shown at the Frankfurt Early reviews had been criti- ammeter being masked by the instruments were not ‘particu- Motor Show last September, in- cal of starting issues and lengthy steering wheel rim.’ larly pleasant… [being] small, re- corporating Visa-style ‘satellite’ warm-up times for the GS. In I970 Motor [I973], while being elat- fl ective and rather hidden by the switch-gear, will not be fi tted to the I,0I5cc motor was liked for its ed that the car on test did not cowling over them’. They were right-hand drive versions in the quietness [rare in an air-cooled have the French dash, bemoaned clearly looking forward to the foreseeable future.’ engine] but the acceleration 62 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 63 GGSASA: ChangedChanged butbut RecognisableRecognisable times did receive criticism. the GS’s small original engine was In I975 What Car? complained to endow it with good fuel con- G SPECIAL I,0I5cc GS PALLAS I,220cc GSA PALLAS I,299cc that the I,0I5 motor ‘proved to be sumption. But it did not work out [What Car? I975] [MOTOR, I973] [Motor, I980] a very poor starter, requiring sev- that way in practice. Remember, PERFORMANCE eral attempts before it burst into l’Automobile had ‘achieved’ a fi g- Speed in Gears life, after which it needed a lot of ure of I3.4L/I00km in hard driv- Maximum Speed I45kph I48kph I53kph choke for three to fi ve km before ing. Hardly ‘good’. Motor [I973] Max in 3rd I08khp I13kph I19kph it would run at all smoothly and quoted consumption on test for Max in 2nd 72kph 72kph 79kph idle properly.’ the I,0I5 of I1.0L/I00km while the Max in Ist 45kph 45kph 47kph Motor had no such issues I,220 gave them I0.5L/I00km. Acceleration starting the I,220 car from cold As an aside, Citroën faced the 0-48 5.4sec 4.5sec 4.5sec .8 .0 .9 but ‘it was infuriatingly reluctant same problem with the Visa Club 0-64 8 sec 7 sec 6 sec .2 .7 .I to pull without stalling, no matter [652cc] and the Super E [I,I24cc] 0-80 I3 sec I0 sec I0 sec .4 .0 .6 how much you played with the where the offi cial ‘Constant 0-96 I8 sec I5 sec I4 sec .6 .3 .9 choke.’ Eventually, they settled for 90kph’ consumption of the small- 0-I13 23 sec 22 sec I9 sec .2 .8 .8 a lengthy warm-up period before er engine was exactly the same Standing 400m 2I sec I9 sec I9 sec Terminal speed I05kph I09kph I13kph driving off. as the larger. Of course, the pur- Top gear Similarly, the GSA started easily chase price was lower. 48-80 I3.8sec I1.4sec I1.4/I6.0sec [4/5sp] but the warm-up was tempera- At steady speeds Motor found 64-96 I4.4sec I2.0sec I1.6/I7.2sec [4/5sp] mental, the choke needing to be that the fuel consumption of the FUEL CONSUMPTION fi nessed to achieve smooth run- bigger engined GS was always Full test I0.3L/I00km I0.5L/I00km 9.0L/I00km ning. better than the smaller by al- ~ Touring 9.5L/I00km 7.9L/I00km 7.7L/I00km Fuel consumption of the cars, most 3L/I00km at I10kph. ENGINE all types, came in for criticism. And the even larger-engined Maximum power 40.3kW @ 6,750rpm 44.8kW @ 6,750rpm 48.5kW @ 6,750rpm One of the reasons given for GSA? The overall fi gure was bet- Maximum torque 70.7nM @ 3,500rpm 87.5nM @ 3,250rpm 98.0nM @ 3,500rpm TRANSMISSION Clutch I7.9cm diaphragm spring I8.4cm diaphragm spring I8.4cm diaphragm spring Gearbox 4-speed, all-synchromesh 4-speed, all-synchromesh 5-speed, all-synchromesh Rations 3.82, 2.38, I.52, I.I2 to I 3.82, 2.38, I.52, I.I2 to I 3.82, 2.29, I.50, I.I3, 0.9I to I Final drive 4.I2 to I 4.I2 to I 4.I25 to I kph/I,000rpm in top 23.0 24.6 24.3/30.I [4/5sp] Weight 853kg 874kg 970kg ter than the I,220 GS by a further weight increases that came with I.5L/I00km. the larger capacity and improved Of course the performance of trim and specifi cations. The table the larger engined vehicles was shows it all. always better than the smaller Leigh F Miles, Editor engined cars. This despite the 72 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 73 6 Cars,Cars, 6 DDays:ays: PartPart 3 We left Geoffrey, at the end of where they had extended the Part 2 of his ‘6 Cars in 6 Days’, house, made their own improve- heading north from Murwillum- ments and typically he said, it was bah after driving Damian’s GS. still a work in progress. He had Day Five: Friday, 21 February at that moment, roofi ng contrac- Vehicle Five: Citroën SM. tors replacing old corrugated iron on his offi ce nearby. he time was 2pm, I was Time was getting on,Warren to have just enough time had his appointment in an hour, Tto test drive probably the most so he started up the SM, revers- iconic Citroën, Warren Coyle’s ing carefully out of the garage. Im- beautiful, majestic, big LHD SM. mediately that motor, that sound, This was the car with that 3litre you sensed this motor was differ- 6-cylinder Maserati motor. I had ent, not just an ordinary Citroën, an idea where I was heading, the this one. Stepping out from the GPS taking me off the main high- left hand driver side,Warren said, way and into the Eucalypt forest, ‘Ever driven an SM before?’ Cau- deep into the Currumbin Valley. tiously, I said, ‘No, but I have driven Got there, as I soon recognised LHD cars in Europe and the States two immaculate Citroëns in his some years back. ‘Take the wheel’, open garage, so impressive, his he said, ‘I’ll run you through the DS 23 bonnet up and beside was instruments. It’s a 5-speed manual, YYouou SedSed that long low slung SM. there’s the button brake, just like The letter of 9 October postage costs would result exist! The Committee is Warren generously contribut- the DS and the same indicators, 2020 from the CCOCA in additional income to the intending to work on a plan. ed to our fi rst book, Citroën DS not self cancelling’. President and Treasurer club of approximately $5600 As a member of and that’s how I knew he had this I sure felt comfortable in the informed members of a pa. after offsetting $4200 in CCOCA for 42 years, I fi nd SM that I was about to experi- Tabac leather upholstery, the Committee decision to reduced fee income. On the Committee’s decision, reduce annual membership top of this, the club intends taken without a thorough ence and drive for the fi rst time. seats were luxurious in typical fees from $55 to $35 pa. for to recover approximately consultation with members Greeting Warren, he sure old Citroën style and the radio those opting to receive Front $I000 pa. from those as MEAN. My offer to pay seemed pleased to see me arrive. was there beside me in the Con- Drive magazine electronically. members who choose the $45 pa on a “Magazine He introduced me to his love- sole. Those members who print option. (The fi gure of only” basis, as some other ly wife Mandy, we had a cuppa Well, with my right hand on wished to continue to 28 opting for print includes clubs offer, has not been over a quick chat, the Key Lime the gear stick, I was impressed receive a printed and posted some Life Members, who looked upon with favour. Pie was pretty delicious, thanks to drive this Citroën, although copy of the magazine would deservedly pay nothing.) Alternatively, I believe that it Mandy. [have already put in a re- Warren had to operate the pay an extra $45 pa., a total Those who read the would be reasonable for the quest for another pie sometime] windscreen wipers occasionally, of $80 pa. Treasurer’s report published “full cost recovery” of $45 per Based on estimates kindly in FD vol. 44 no.2 will be member to be suspended Then a tour around their beau- and I did drift towards the cen- supplied by the Treasurer, aware that CCOCA is until the Committee actually tiful family home, a classic archi- tre line too, I was really concen- reduction of $I1500 of fee holding a cash reserve of developed an overall plan. tect’s house of the late I970s and trating, taking it all in. Warren di- income by about $7500 $65,800, for which no plans What do you think? previously owned by an architect rected me. ‘Look further ahead, and abolition of printing and for future expenditure yet Peter Simmenauer too. Warren proudly pointed out not down in front, that way, you’ll 74 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 75 6 Cars,Cars, 6 DDays:ays: PartPart 3 keep left’. Of course, the SM was a [Yes, Warren’s SM retrieval sto- ber that. could not start it. Steeley got it big car and a little wider than our ry during the Queensland fl oods Day Six: Saturday, 22 February going pretty quickly but did not DSs. We were at the end of Cur- will make a good one for the Vehicle Five: Citroën CX. want to do any further work on rumbin Creek Road to the Cou- book.] Next day, the last day, Saturday it, so he said to me, you buy it gal National Park, the winding bi- Back on the MI Gold Coast 22 February, drove my sixth car Ken, so I did. Needs some atten- tumen road had some traffi c, was Motorway, I headed back to Bris- for the trip. tion, the paint work’s not good wet and narrow in places but I bane, it was 4pm Friday after- It was to be a CX. I had al- but it goes and it’s quite useful, did manage to get it to 5,500rpm, noon, slow, stop, slow, stop…, ready driven one some 20 years has enormous interior space’. felt that surge, that throbbing Ma- all 4 lanes, commuters every- ago when we had the 505 of Ken concluded as I thanked him serati V6 under that long bonnet where, everyone heading home the same vintage. This one was for his time, his generosity and out in front. So grateful that War- from work! Eventually, I arrived the CX Break, a big wagon. Ken wonderful insight into Citroën ren entrusted me to drive this my next venue overnight stay in Wilson generously let me drive it. ownership. car [knew he was short of time], Northgate. Picked up my own It was a very early model, it was Back home that afternoon af- I gladly pulled over… Then back special takeaway Pizza from Gi- only a 2litre and 4-speed manual. ter travelling I,065kms and I knew in the driver’s seat, Warren real- nos in Hamilton. Ken took it out fi rst, ‘It’s like driv- I had plenty of notes to write up. ly demonstrated its prowess, its Some of you may remem- ing a land barge’, he said with a I think I have lots of material for handling and power, he knew the ber Ginos, the Italian restau- chuckle. And I quickly gathered this next book. And I’m already road too. rant, I started dining there some that as he turned the wheel left thinking of the next trip. Heading back, he told me Having relieved 45years ago and today, still there, and right, the car wallowing along, Ken Wilson’s CX That was until the COVID-I9 some of its background, and how Geoffrey of the their pizzas still good. its very soft suspension making it may not be the Restrictions suddenly put a big he acquired the car. ‘I bought the unique stresses Pity not the same attrac- sway from side to side, quite ee- most perfect exam- stop to all that. So as I prepare SM ten years ago from a gentle- of driving a left- tive waitresses, only some ten rie really. However, when I took ple of a CX Break, this Part Three for your next man in Nashville,Tennessee in hand drive SM on years ago, the previous owner, the wheel, the gear changes were and it may have magazine, restrictions are im- late 20I0, sight unseen, took a Queensland’s roads, Dominique, she was pretty good, easy, managed the clutch well and driven with all the proving and hopefully, I’ll to be risk I know, but it turned out to Warren Coyle took had beautiful round eyes, and a the motor was quite responsive. aplomb of a ‘land back on the road perhaps to be in pretty good condition. Pe- the wheel. brilliant memory too, took all our ‘She drives well for an old girl’. barge’, but Geof- Cowra in September, 2020 to ter McLeod and DS Motors did Warren’s SM, next orders in her head and then the Ken said, ‘the car was trucked in frey appreciated drive a few more Citroëns. some maintenance work for me’. to his DS. next table too! I always remem- from Alice Springs. The owner the experience. Geoffrey Webber 04I1 652 555 76 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 77 AAnn AccidentalAccidental CentenaryCentenary end has it that, in order to escape early stage, pipping both Preston November’I0 and, by late Novem- itroën marketing has previ- the heavy crowds intent on view- Motors own Citroën advertis- ber I920, a shipment of Citroëns ously suggested that the be- ing the fi rst Citroën car, Cur- ing which commenced in January had arrived for sale by Moncrieff ginningC of the marque’s history in tis had withdrawn to the men’s I920 and Curtis’ return to Mel- Engineering Co Limited in Ade- Australia began in I923 ~ for ex- toilet to conclude an agreement bourne [in around March I920].7 laide.I1 In late December I920, ample, the Citroën C4 85th An- [indeed, on the edge of a wash- There is some ambiguity about Preston Motors began adver- niversary Edition was marketed basin] for the Citroën franchise.4 when exactly the fi rst Citroëns tising that ‘regular shipments of in Australia in 20081 or the 75th Curtis also took the opportunity reached Australia ~ possibly these now famous cars are now Anniversary Xantia in I998. How- to take an extensive tour of the from as early as late Septem- arriving and immediate delivery ever, initial research for our book One of 75 Limited Citroën factories whilst in France, ber I920 to late December I920. can be given’.I2 on the history of Citroën in Aus- Edition models noting how the cars were made Preston Motors had a display as Accordingly, there is a Citroën tralia [co-authored with Geoffrey produced to entirely in-house ~ including part of the Grand Exhibition of centenary upon us right here in Webber], places the marque’s celebrate what steel castings and dynamos ~ as the Royal Agricultural Society at Australia. We can only wonder presence in Australia a few years was purported well as the output [40 cars per Flemington, held between 20-25 what other fascinating insights earlier ~ indeed, it closely follows to be the 75th day in December I9I9] and the September I920.8 Citroën sig- will be uncovered about the the birth of the fi rst Citroën car Anniversary of measures the company had tak- nage is prominently displayed in marque’s history in Australia as itself. Citroën cars in en for the welfare of its workers.5 the photographs but it is unclear our research progresses. Herbert Curtis, Managing Di- Australia. It was Curiously, it was Co-Operative whether Citroën cars were actu- Mark Provera. rector of Preston Motors in Mel- a brilliant family Motors Limited in Hobart, Tas- ally shown or whether Preston Peter Olerhead’s Your Editor has done a little bourne, had embarked on a sev- car with about mania, that placed the fi rst adver- Motors was merely marketing I920 Citroën Type more research. In April I922, en-month voyage that included $5,000 worth of tisements for Citroën in Australia them at this stage. In late Octo- A, a typical ex- just one year after securing the attending the Paris, London, New extras,including in December I9I9, claiming ‘ship- ber I920, Co-Operative Motors ample of the fi rst Bianchi agency, it was announced York and Chicago motor shows.2 fog lights, col- ments arriving shortly’.6 Accord- in Hobart was expecting a ship- model that came that the Maughan-Thiem com- Having spent fi ve days at the Par- our co-ordinated ingly, one presently unresolved ment of Citroëns to land ‘short- to Australia. Co- pany had obtained the agency is Salon d’Automobile in Octo- bumpers, sun roof aspect of our research is deter- ly’.9 In early November I920, a author Geoffrey for the French Citroën car which ber I9I9, the show was so busy and steering-wheel mining how it came to be that Geelong Citroën agent, Aus- Webber in the was previously handled in South that Curtis was unable to con- mounted radio Co-Operative Motors began ad- tralian-Aero Garage, advertised driver’s seat at Australia by the Moncrieff Engi- duct any business.3 However, leg- controls. vertising for Citroën at such an deliveries of Citroëns ‘during Motorclassica. neering Co Ltd. The Citroën had CCo-operativeo-operative Motors,Motors, HobartHobart inin I923,I923, withwith a rowrow ofof DodgeDodge carscars lined-up.lined-up. Today,Today, theythey ssellell TToyotaoyota andand laylay claimclaim ttoo bbeingeing tthehe llongestongest servingserving mmotorotor dealerdealer inin AAustraliaustralia hhavingaving bbeeneen ffoundedounded iinn II9I3.9I3. 78 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 79 AAnn AccidentalAccidental CentenaryCentenary already made a name for itself before coming to South Aus- tralia, and for some seven years Maughan-Thiem fl ourished in its dealership for this popular make of car. Indeed a Citroën Car Club was formed, and on Sunday, I6 September I923 what the press called ‘rather a unique event in the motoring world’ took place. A fl eet of 40 Citroëns left the Maughan-Thiem premises for Belair, where prizes were of- fered in an interesting range of events. These included the fi rst car to arrive at Belair, the most attractive car, the best-kept car, the larger car, originally a I0hp car Ltd of Currie Street. year I920 with index, H Hearne & Co, the dirtiest car, the car which Maughan-Thiem on Preston Motors in which was increased to I1.4hp in Footnotes Melbourne, p.4. had travelled most miles, a skil- Pulteney St, Ad- the early days. about I926, and the Baby Citroën 1 For example, see announcement 9 ‘The Cooperative Motors Limited. ful driving event for ladies, and elaide with a col- which was originally a 5hp model of Citroën C4 85th Anniversary an event in which mechanical lection of Citroëns Austin and Dodge Sales’, The Mercury, in I923. and became 7.5hp later on. The edition, Wheels, August 2008. troubles had to be righted. There 2 ‘Four Shows Witnessed’, The Hobart, 2I October I920, p.I0. Maughan-Thiem company found was also the usual round of Herald, Melbourne, I5 March I920, p.3. I0 Geelong Advertiser, Geelong, 4 the Baby Citroën a particularly picnic events such as threading 3 Ibid. November I920, p.6. popular car. It has been described 4 Hunter, M [20I2], Preston the needle, a fl ag race, and an I1 ‘A light-weight car ~ the French by one who knew it as a sort of Motors I00: a celebration of life A display of adver- obstacle race. This was the begin- Citroën’, The Mail, Adelaide, 20 Peter Olerhead’s cousin to the Volkswagen, a rug- and achievement, Preston Motors, tising material at ning of a number of such outings November I920, p.I6. Type A on display ged little car about the same size Campbellfi eld, Victoria, p.I2. the Preston Motors which served to emphasise the 5 ‘Four Shows Witnessed’, The I2 The Argus, Melbourne, 22 at the Preston Mo- as the later German car with Centennial. Citroën popularity of the Citroën. The tors Centenary Cel- Herald, Melbourne, I5 March I920, p.3. is third from the December I920, p.2; The Age, disc wheels. In the I920s a Baby 6 The Mercury, Hobart, 6 December two most favoured models were Melbourne, 22 December I920, p.3. ebrations in 20I2. Citroën was driven all around I9I9, p.4. right. Australia by a team of trial driv- 7 The Herald, Melbourne, 26 January ers which included Bill Forrest I920, p.4; The Herald, Melbourne, 2 February I920, p.2; The Herald, of Maughan-Thiem, no mean Melbourne, 9 February I920, p.3; The feat for a small car in those days. Herald, Melbourne, 8 March I920, p.5. The Citroën brand remained on 8 ‘The Forty-Ninth Grand Annual Maughan-Thiem’s books until Exhibition of The Royal Agricultural I929 and for some years was Society of Victoria, held at the show- an important agency for the grounds, Flemington, last week’, The Australasian, Melbourne, 2 October company. In September I929 I920, p.I0. For Exhibition dates, see the South Australian agency was Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria taken over by Crawford-Richards [I92I], Report of Proceedings for the 80 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 81 MMadmenadmen & AdvertisingAdvertising 7” in diameter and revolving at in 20I7, ‘I wish I’d gone to the Ge- made something really stand out 2 dvertising and Market- I6 /3rpm, each side played for neva motor show back in I972. In this year: the girls in the plastic ing are interesting fi elds. about 60minutes. The unit came my mind, I picture a simple cir- jump suits are still here. Yet in the Well,A they are for your Editor with six records and more could cle of nylon shag-pile carpet with midst of all [the] stylised, political- who spent almost all of his work- be ordered through your friend- a wedge-shaped concept car on ly correct perfection, you’d come ing life in the fi eld. Marketing has ly Chrysler dealer. It price, $200 it, penned by Gandini. The only across a stand with a blonde in been described by some as the [about $2,000 in today’s mon- adornments on the stand are a a revealing plastic dress, her fake ‘art’ of persuading people to ey] may well have been an im- white fl owerpot and a peroxide grin held up by a scaffolding of buy things they don’t need, with pediment to purchase that no blonde wearing a plastic jumpsuit. make-up as she tries to ignore the money they don’t have, to im- amount of marketing, or adver- …In my imagination every stand agonisingly sharp heels. For some press people they don’t like. And tising, could surmount. is like this in Geneva in I972, even reason, this year more than ever, I those with that jaundiced view The other thing that can hap- Austin Morris. Sadly I missed that found it unbelievably tacky.’ could well be right. pen to the much-maligned ad- era but 45years later I fi nd myself Citroën has not been immune But the other thing about ad- vertiser is that social standards in Geneva in 20I7, witnessing an- to sexist advertising. Whether it vertising is that over time it can and mores change with time. other chapter unfold in the auto be promoting a particular mod- move from being infl uential to Once, in the days when buy- industry. Instead of Gandini wedg- el as just right for the ladies, or laughable. We move on, and the ing a car was seen as the pre- es, every stand this year featured that another is only for the men, appeal of the in-car portable re- serve and domain of ‘the man of a self-parking, interconnected hy- Citroën like pretty much eve- cord player has diminished con- the house’, something the ‘little brid touchscreen-on-wheels with ry other brand has transgressed siderably since the launch of the woman’ would be best to avoid, video cameras instead of rear- and crossed lines that today they fi rst example by Chrysler in I956. advertising for cars, and indeed view mirrors. Perhaps it’s because would not even approach. This unit, carefully designed, and the stands at motor shows, were of this homogenous propaganda As Julian Marsh has noted in placed, to knock into the passen- fi lled with scantily-clad beauties message of ‘a new dawn’ ~ a 2Ist one of his excellent ‘Iconoclast’ ger’s knees, was on the options disporting themselves over Hen- century revolution of smartphone articles from I997, ‘Citroën is no list for most Chrysler brands. It ry Ford’s latest sheet metal. apps, battery motors and please- stranger to using women in their used specially designed records: As Mark Walton wrote in ‘Car’ don’t-mention-the-diesels ~ that ads. The 5CV was advertised back 82 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 83 MMadmenadmen & AdvertisingAdvertising in the Twenties with pictures of of all, ferry her be-suited, bowl- women behind the wheel and this er-hatted husband to the train theme was employed on many station. Remember, it was in all subsequent models ~ presumably probability Mr Middle-Class who the intention was, somewhat pat- had picked-up the brochure and ronisingly, to infer that the controls subsequently bought the car for were suffi ciently light and the cars his stay-at-home wife. suffi ciently manoeuvrable to allow So, what has all this got to do the ‘little lady’ to drive it without with advertising for the GS? Well, too many problems. as part of my research for this Gina Lollobrigida was used in edition of Front Drive, I delved the DS launch and pictures of into the dark recesses of Ju- Brigitte Bardot were also em- lian Marsh’s excellent Citroënët ployed later. website. There I found images of Despite the arrival of the some rather nice looking French ‘swinging ‘60s’, Citroën, both in advertisements for the GS. the UK and France continued to Headlined ‘GS for Men’ [with a hold with the idea that a wom- handy French translation below] an’s place was, if not in the home, it could easily be a period mag- certainly at the beck and call of azine ad for the Chrysler Valiant husband and family. Citroën Cars Charger or the Holden Monaro. [UK] in their brochure for the Bi- When you think about it, it is just jou depicted how easily Mrs Mid- as sexist, when viewed from to- dle-Class could collect the chil- day’s perspective, as the Bijou im- dren from school, undertake the agery of Mrs Middle-Class drop- shopping and most importantly ping Ronald off at the station!

Enticing, lurking on their 4 suspension, they will never bad roads, the steering with entirely to those who like wheels, the GSX awaits loyal, betray your confi dence. pivots in the wheel centre, it with support to drive. ready to react to the slightest Composed of gas and a special maintains a perfect trajectory incorporated sign. Their nerves are on edge liquid, the hydropneumatic and prevents vibrations from head and it is enough to tickle the suspension is extremely being refl ected in the steering restraints, a accelerator and they start effective even after I00,000 wheel. complete immediately. Well trained, they km. Made to be driven on duty, dashboard obey every gesture. Indifferent to the GSX does not bother with with They are at one with the road weight; it allows the superfl uous, but in their tachometer, and you can rush it without you to ride with equipment nothing is missing oil pressure danger. With their 4 high wife, children Automatic height correction for a virile and safe drive: 2 indicator, dashboard clock, etc. pressure assisted disc brakes and luggage in instantly adjusts ground speed wiper, headlights with The GSX and the GSX2 are and their hydropneumatic complete safety. clearance based on load. On long range iodine bulbs, seats cars that will be given over 84 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 85 MMadmenadmen & AdvertisingAdvertising that is what the ad-men would el Van or the Holden Sandman have us males believe. than the Monaro or Coupe. It is an approach particularly But not so Chrysler. Here George’s fi delity to Betsy [an Nobody in his right mind would buy a Dyane with All this from only £637.15 (ex works inc. PT). prevalent in the arena of sports the idea of impressing the neighbours. Which does, ironically enough impress the You buy a Dyane because it has fi ve doors and neighbours. So why give your wife all the credit? a sunroof, independent suspension on all four cars, muscle cars and by extension aged Jaguar] has been thrown to wheels, petrol consumption that makes it almost as Visit your local Citroen dealer or write for brochure economical to run as a bicycle, and a tough reliable and list of agents to:- Citroen Cars Ltd., Dept. C3, engine that goes on and on and on. Slough, SL1 4QA. sporty cars, or at the very least wind now that he drives a Charg- those with sporty pretensions. er and is fawned over by Ann, I fi rst became aware of this ap- Penny, Sue, Chris and Wendy. parent connection in the I960s On the other hand why Suba- and ‘70s when British Leyland ru thought anyone would believe [yes, them again] pushing its out- that their I973 GL Coupe, with dated piece of sports car kit [the its I,4litre horizontally-opposed MGB and MG Midget] assured us 4-cylinder engine was either spir- that the mother of the girl stand- ited or required taming is any- one’s guess. Sitting pretty. A robust air-cooled engine with front-wheel drive ing provocatively front and cen- The Citroen Dyane has fi ve big doors and a two- for grippy cornering. Michelin radials on big 15” position sunroof. But it isn’t only the sun that makes wheels. Alternator. Heater/demister. Vanity mirror. Hmmm… I am suddenly re- you love the Dyane. There are many others attractive Jersey nylon upholstery. Go-anywhere independent tre of the ad would not like it. things about it. suspension. Like four big comfortable seats (which are Which all goes to show that you’re not just a minded that the Citroën GSX removable for picnics) and the amazing amount pretty face. Locally the Monaro, Falcon of space inside. Up to 46 mpg and 72 mph. Visit your local Citroën dealer or write for free colour brochure and list of agents to: Citroen Cars was powered by a I.0litre [not Ltd., Dept. B7, Slough, SL1 4QA. Coupe and Valiant Charger all played in this fi eld. Although from even the I.2litre] horizontally-op- what I have seen on-line the scant- posed 4-cylinder engine, and that Also dating from the I970s are From a similar period is the ily-clad girl was more likely to be was a car for men. the two press advertisements for VW press advert which is a lit- seen in the ads for the Falcon Pan- But, frankly these examples are the Dyane. tle more sexist in its clear impli- cation that women are not good drivers. A later execution, in com- mon with the Dyane examples, is the Mini automatic magazine ad, also reproduced. Clearly of more recent vin- tage is the German magazine ad for the Mark 5 Golf [2003-20I0] with the benefi t of Park Distance Control. I was rather surprised that any company would use such an approach to promoting such an important safety feature in the 2Ist century. Sooner or later, your wife will drive home one of the best reasons for owning a Volkswagen Of course, we all know that the Women are soft and gentle, but And a VW dealer always has bumper. they hit things. the kind of fender you need. It may make you furious, but it If your wife hits something in a Because that’s the one kind won’t make you poor. car you drive, especially if you are Volkswagen, it doesn’t hurt you he has. So when your wife goes very much. Most other VW parts are window-shopping in a VW parts are easy to replace. interchangeable too. Inside and Volkswagen, don’t worry. man, has a vast impact on you And cheap. A fender comes off out. Which means your wife You can conveniently replace PParkingarking mademade easy.easy. without dismantling half the car. isn’t limited to fender smashing. anything she uses to stop A new one goes on with just She can job the hood. Graze the car. level of sex appeal. Or at least, TThehe VolkswagenVolkswagen GolfGolf withwith ParkPark DistanceDistance Control.Control. ten bolts. For $24.95, plus labor. the door. Or bump off the Even the brakes. 86 Australia’s National Magazine for Citroën Owners and Enthusiasts 87 MMadmenadmen & AdvertisingAdvertising FForor SaleSale relatively mild in comparison with UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED ALL PRICES SHOWN some of the worst sexist excess- EXCLUDE RELEVANT GOVERNMENT es of the car industry which to TAXES AND CHARGES. my mind have been perpetrated by BMW [for second-hand BMWs ID 19 Andrew Johnson has an ID I9 for sale in Greece in about 20I1] and • Aussie-built [C&G Series 6I03. Pleasingly, the engine No Pontiac, for its I957 Star Chief. matches too!] Leigh F Miles ~ Editor • Whole [save for spare wheel/door card and a broken rear indicator lens.] Would like it to go to someone genuinely interested in such vehicle who will do something with it. Floor is stuffed and to some fair extent the side rails of frame. For an enthusiastic talent, it is worth the look. Garth Foxwell has some 30 photos if someone wants to see, otherwise the fellow’s details are: Andrew Johnson, Ph: 0432 539 992 and asking $I,500. If anyone calls him, don’t rely on leaving message and being heard and do reference the Car Club ad! Garth Foxwell 0427 97I 488 [44/03A] 1958 BERINI MOPED BICYCLE 28” Malvern Star gent’s bicycle with original green pin- stripe paint. Has 3-speed Sturmey-Archer hub gears. Bought for £I5 in Feb I958, it is fi tted with a 32cc Dutch Berini M-I3 2-stroke motor that drives onto front tyre. Back-pedal brake. Good tyres. Mudguards & rear packrack. Rare machine. Family heirloom. Owners handbook and magazine articles. Goes well. Good condition. No reg’n required. [Some parts still available ~ see Berini website. Nearest agent is in Rotterdam] $2,000. Contact: Warwick Spinaze, Tootgarook, Vic. 0407 0I6 7I9 [44/3] 1950 CITROËN 11B My I950 Citroën BI1 Normale [209030] project is sadly for sale, as I’m no longer able to get back into restoring it. The car used to be another member’s car [Peter Fitzgerald] and was named ‘Moriarty’. It is complete, although the interior is a bit of a mess, partly disassembled interior by previous owner ~ and I kept it the way I got it… The crown wheel and pinion are worn beyond repair and would need to be replaced if restored to original. I have acquired an ID I9 engine and 4-speed gearbox with the intention of fi tting that to facilitate better maintenance and drivability. There is also a spare rough boot lid and a second spare wheel. Comes with original parts list and workshop manual and a complete photocopy and PDF. I have a few photos of it out of the ‘barn’ taken a couple of years ago… $I0,000 ONO. Contact Details: E-mail [email protected] or 0499 050 609. Joe Hovel, Bendigo. [44/02] CCITROËNITROËN CCLASSICLASSIC OOWNERS’WNERS’ CCLUBL U B OFO F AUSTRALIAA U S T R A L I A AAustralia’sustralia’s NationalNational CCitroënitroën CCarar CClublub