Attaining Nirvana In a Citroën DS
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- Опубликовано: 23 фев 2015
- In the early 1990s, Jeff Suhy was a young executive at A&M records in Los Angeles when he first heard a band from the far-flung reaches of the Pacific Northwest. The group, which eluded categories and didn't seem particularly interested in cultivating a mass audience, was Nirvana and its new album was a collection of songs called "Nevermind." Soon, this peculiar trio from the shores of Puget Sound was the biggest thing going and music would never be the same again.
Suhy, as it turns out, gravitates toward turning points, whether in culture or in industrial design, which explains his love affair with the Citroen DS.
"The Citroen DS is a car that defined the future of automotive design when it appeared in 1955," says Suhy. "It immediately made all other cars appear antiquated, and even cars today are influenced by technologies pioneered by the DS."
Whether it was the hydraulic suspension, the safety features (such as an engine that, on front impact, was designed to slide under the car instead of into the driver's solar plexus), or the self-leveling headlights that turn with the front wheels, the Citroen DS was remarkably ahead of its time. Indeed, the car was a a true product of the Space Age, when auto manufacturers found themselves awash in technologies that they were itching to use in the wake of World War II. Citroen was ultimately rewarded handsomely for its innovative efforts, selling more than one million DSs over the model's twenty-year-lifespan.
Whether in terms of Seattle grunge bands or French cars, then, it turns out that there may be some accounting for taste after all.
Drive Tastefully®
Petrolicious.com
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I think the Citroën DS is the best car ever made. I live in the UK and am old enough to remember them in the late 60s and the 70s. I remember riding in them then and it was a very special experience.
There were a huge number of innovations with the DS. Jay Leno reviews this car as well and he covers more of the unique features. One thing he misses is that the DS is front wheel drive, but the engine is behind the front axle, so it is in fact, officially a "mid engined car" according to some. Whatever you wish to call it, the car is superbly well balanced. The suspension has extremely little roll and feels very stable but at the same time it smooths out bumps such that you hardly know they are there. You really glide along in the DS, but it is a very stable glide.
When saying "DS" it is usual to say it as the French pronounce those letters which was the intention. To French ears those letters sound like the word "déesse" which means Goddess. So, for the French this car is the goddess. How very appropriate that is!
Timeless beauty. The most advanced car of that era. The design is just amazing, art on wheels.
I loved them when I was a child and I love them even more now.
Amazing technology and such a beautifully unique design. 💖
First saw the Citroen at the Seattle World's Fair 1962 and decided right then that I would own one. After leaving Seattle in 1965 and coming to the GTA, I was introduced to a fellow worker who had a Citroen and he put me onto Raymond's European Cars on Eddystone Dr. I then purchased, in 1969, a DS 19 Palass. Separated a few years later and ex-wife drove the car for awhile before its steel simply rusted away. Best car one could ever want to own. Lots of power in a 90 BHP engine (DS 21 slightly more power but o/w the same car) and it would run at high speed all day long. Once did a day trip of 560 miles in 8 hour flat including time crossing the border which was easier in 1969 than today. Returning from Windsor to GTA never dropped below 100 MPH over a 4 hour driving span. Lots of other interesting things occurred also.
One thing not mentioned was the fact that the car could be driven on 3 wheels. The seats were like sitting on a very expensive high quality living room sofa. Self leveling and turning headlights made night driving on country roads so much more enjoyable.
Unfortunately 1973 as I recall was the last coming to NA due to regulations which emphasized things that did not affect the quality of the car which in the Citroen was superior to anything produced in NA.
Not sure I would want any other Citroen today but an updated version of the DS would certainly be worthy of consideration.
Dad had a DS21. As a result I have allways been desapointed by all the cars I owned...
I am the Motorhead Supreme, and an architect, and I have bestowed upon the DS the title of EE in M, or Extreme Excellence in Motoring. The rust doesn't matter, the baffling hydraulics don't matter, the 0-60 is laughable, the electrical gremlins should be ignored...etc, etc, because of a little something called style. By the metric ton, my friends. It ALWAYS makes people happier when they see it.
A sidenote: I have never driven this masterpiece, but I have come close. I have had the honor of piloting a CX Turbo Safari through a warm, moonlit June night in upstate NY, along Rt. 20. A nice + easy, steady pace of around 85/90 between towns, just like warp-driving along the Milky Way. The deer were speechless.....
This is the most beautiful post-war car ever built in my opinion. It's elegant, innovative and way ahead of its time.
One of the best cars of the twentieth century. 👍
My dream car since the age of 8. 30 years later, I finally got to drive one. Talking of Nirvana...!
No matter what other vehicles I want, this is always first on the list.
Hey George, have you got yourself one yet?
One of the prettiest cars ever made.
Remember when we were kids back in the 70s when our neighbour came out and started up his DS.
All the kids in the street would gather to see the suspension and turning headlights in action.
I have yet to meet anyone that doesn't like the DS in some way. It's such a charming machine.
I can appreciate it, but I don't like it.
Not a fan of them.
you 2 have apparently never driven in one...
@@barenstil5525 I haven't either and it is my top car of all time I'm pretty sure.
@@frznrrfan.frznrrfan102 Have u ever owned one i think not
What a wonderful car ! Fantastic !
Citroën is the best french trademark and the DS is one of their huge car.
Thank you to Petrolicious to do this video in tribute at this car which has 60 years old this year.
It's fun to see someone really enjoy and appreciate a car as much as he obviously does this Citroen. Good story.
The most extraordinary car !
You gotta love the DS, it's gorgeous from every angle. I wish I could find a decent one to restore
The car, the scenery, the music and the words, a sentimental journey, beautiful.
DS was way ahead of its time!
One of the most fascinating car we ever made!
First true post-WW2 car in my mind. All the others more or less had their roots in the 30's and 40's. For all those mentioning bold prototypes, rare sports cars or car show models that predated the DS - just remember that this was meant to be mass produced for the public on a grand scale. As such it was unique back in 1955.
There's one in Back the the Future Part 2 - in the future scenes from 2015. :)
You're forgetting about the 1953 Studebaker coupe. That was a model that was mass produced and was revolutionary. It completely changed the paradigm of what an American car could be.
My dads old neighbors had one of these and we recently went to his hometown to find them still owning it! I got to take a test drive and it was strange but, cool. The car is really old for me but, still sweet.
Created in 1955 and still looks very futuristic....
I had a 67 DS21 in High School. It was an educational experience to say the least.
I just love the citroen ds my father had six of then & all six were master pieces , comfortable first class driving experience of the fifties & to now.
Tears,, that thing is beautiful..
Hi Geoff,
I keep watching your video, love it.
We’re locked down at the mo with covid19 so I’m not doing much DS,ing so I feel the need to keep returning to your clip and drinking it all in.
Keep safe, Stoyan.
Watching these videos.. You never want them to end.. Beautiful
This car did introduce some remarkable, if not complicated systems like the all hydraulic suspension, steering and brakes. The body shape of course was extraordinary for the mid 1950's and little publicised, it was the work of Italian designer Flaminio Bertoni. I myself rode in a DS when I was younger and agree the ride was "floaty" but I do remember it pitching a lot when going over road bumps. I may be wrong, but I think you could also change a flat by raising the car via the hydraulic suspension then "lifting" the flat tyre and removing it without a jack!
Just imagine this car full of modern metallurgy and rust-proofing. It would be unbeatable (A spot of performance would be nice too!)
Nice! Another DS was on Jay Leno's Garage not too long ago. It's really cool. The thing can drive on three wheels with the suspension if you have a flat, you don't need a jack to change tires and they they didn't even mention the awesome one spoke steering wheel!
Lol I just mentioned the same review Jays one was good 2
that's true i still liked it tho
+Luke Mallory Completely agree. It's nice to get *some* owner's emotions and backstory about the buy, but when the video is *only* about that it gets a bit stale. Jay usually strikes the perfect balance to satisfy my nerdy synapses with tech talk while giving interesting trivia tidbits about the story of the car itself and just *sprinkled on top* you might get some touchy feely fluff. And especially with the DS there's so many technical details you could go on and on about.
When I watched Jay rhapsodize about his DS, a funny feeling came over me that we were looking at the favorite car of his vast collection.
love big barmy citroens. My dad had a citroen BX, the last of the barmy citroens. it was black, cost him £200 & looked like a scrapper but the only thing that broke was the handbrake. I loved the suspension, the car was almost alive. You wake it up & it rises. Lovely cars
A joy to watch! Thanks for sharing!
Your video series are something very special. best show on the net
One of my top 10 cars ever.
Design-wise nothing surpasses it.
@@guyinsf This and the 1953 Studebaker coupe are neck and neck for me. It's very close.
Hello Petrolicious i just wanted to let you know how much i love youre videos and please keep making them.
A sublime car, very suitable as a daily driver and fast enough... And I have experience...
Guus Bouman je achternaam klopt niet! Haha
I was a kid in France when the DS first appeared. For us teenagers the scooter and Lambretta was the thing to have The car that was the envy for all of us was the Austin mini cooper.
The DS and ID were for well established adults like doctors , CEOS,and rich landowners .
Citroen was the first car company that introduced the front wheel drive, I think.
Although Peugeot was my fatherś first car, frenchmen all retain some kind of emotional attachment to Citroen mainly because of the 2CV.
France has very good not to say excellent engineers, they are not so good at merchandising.
Yes, they made the first van, first internet (Minitel), first commercial shipping of satellites to space, bullet train... but unfortunately they are very bad at selling.
The tail light!
It burned out during filming
Without peer in the sheer level of innovation and supreme comfort.
Wish I still owned one here is Australia.
I had one very similar to yours - 1968 DS21 Hydraulic, then 1970 D Super 4 speed, then 1972 DS21 EFI Pallas 5 speed with leather and a 1975 DS 23 EFI 5 speed... between the 1972 & 1975 DSs I owned a CX Prestige 2400 EFI 5 speed with leather... the only new car of these. CX Prestige is like a DS mother mated with an SM father.
CX Prestige was the same wheelbase as a DS. It was the only car to equal the DS ride, but not the lounge chair seats and swivelling lights.
Find a good DS like yours and be enchanted.
I've always enjoyed seeing these cars in northern Calif.
Very cool vid.
A real collector. Excellent condition. A rarety.
I couldn't disagree more about the Nirvana comparison. With all due respect Nirvana is very simple and straightforward both in terms of listener perception and for other musicians to copy (i.e. there is demand and possibility), so it's one of the most copied artists in the history of music. The very elaborate DS is the exact opposite, it's difficult to copy and there's no real demand either (in global market terms those, who like to drive tastefully, don't count for much, alas). Even Citroen themselves rarely dare doing that. DS is more of a King Crimson than Nirvana.
Not sure if you are not an intelligent person or a quite unintelligent person.
Musik is never simple, an when the band leader shoot himself or from someone else in his head, that topic is not very simple.
And after the DS, everybody copy something from it. and still do.
King Crimson = DS
Nirvana = VW Beatle
Had one as our wedding car. We have its younger brother the CX in our family. More bonkers!
Wonderful. What a fantastic car.
I agree with Mr Suhy's view that the Pallas trimmings detracted from the overall appearance of the DS. It is certainly the most comfortable car I've ever been in. By European standards its spacious too: seven adults is possible - three in front and four in the back...
A great car and design, for ever!
Great video, fantastic car, and one of the very few cars that changed the face of motoring.
Very nice. But if you know that your car is going to be filmed, wouldn't it be reasonable to make sure both tail lights work?
Oh, murphy law then ;-)
Good to know it doesn't just happen to cars with parts provided by the Prince of Darkness.
trefod NO. CITROËN DS HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN... ITS A LADY, A SHIP... SHE GO'S WITH THE WAVES... ITS SEXY AS HELL... NOTHING...
(I REPEAT) NOTHING! CAN COMPARE. have a nice day... trefod
The DS had a parking visibility feature: The driver could activate either rear light independently, depending on which side of the car was going to be protruding in the road. That could be what we're seeing here. Or as you suggest, a light could be burned out.
Clarification (Oct. 2016): A later post from the producer said a tail light actually did burn out the day of the shoot and they couldn't get a replacement in time. Still, that single-side parking light feature is cool; other Euro cars of the time had it as well.
tell me about it
Beautiful cars! I get to see those almost every day and they look gorgeous!
DS opera d'arte, non serve dire altro.
Its a beauty. The ride ive read is amazingly comfie.
To use a quirky, old, virtually extinct car as a daily driver must be incredibly difficult; unless you have an esoteric group of friends.
lol
or you have to live in Europe, where there are tens of thousands of it. but not one Nirvana.
especially esoteric.
they are not "virtually extinct " as you point out. There's plenty of them all over the world,surviving and being maintained,as daily drivers (even in Japan )
Why, this car is built to run. No chips, no quirky details for a Citröen mechanic, but relax it is just a couple of hydraulic systems....This requires a mechanic, not a tool operator. But it doesn't break down that easy....And BTW, you should always have esoteric friends, unless you work with auditing, legislation or accounting. Then it is very understandable that you don't like anything that you don't really understand :D
Wow, Simply wonderful !
What a wonderful review. And what an iconic car. Love the Petrolicious series.
I love the story, mostly because I feel very connected to the DS as it was my wedding limo :) owning one is a different story and I agree it's only possible in places with not much rain as the car rusted like no other
A most beautiful car in very beautiful pictures. The relationship to My DS lasts for 40 yrs now. Seems that once addicted, you are addicted all life long. Best wishes from Germany.
Reminds me so much of the eurooean ambulances of my childhood. I here the strange siren when I see it.
thanks for the video, another great job, but boy, we have to wait a week just for a handful of minutes of motoring heaven.
It s the classic car to own ...a must for all collectors
C’est dingue , dire que quand j’étais môme dans les années 70 on en voyait à tous les coins de rues et routes de campagnes . En France, elle faisait partie du paysage , c’était la voiture des ministres et du président. Et quand j’en voie une aujourd'hui, je deviens nostalgique ... Monsieur , vous avez là, entre vos main une pépite, quelle est belle ..
Oh ho, yes! This is what I have been waiting for (only the SM could top it)!
cant be a million left anymore. These are the cars that were always destroyed in the old bond films lol
Voilà un homme qui a du goût, il roule différemment des autres, il voyage, il se transporte dans le temps, ce qu’il voit quand il roule est différent de ce que les autres verront, car il voyage en silence, avec une tenue de route exemplaire, en fait il ne roule même plus, il vole, car cette magnifique voiture est un véritable aéroglisseur ou chaque irrégularité de la route est gommée !!!
Cette voiture est non seulement une véritable vitrine technologique en avance sur son temps, mais aussi une œuvre d’art intemporelle, un peu à l’image de l’univers de Jules Verne
Here is a man with taste, he drives differently from the others, he travels, he transports himself in time, what he sees when he drives is different from what the others will see, because he travels in silence, with an exemplary road holding, in fact he doesn't even drive anymore, he flies, because this magnificent car is a real hovercraft where every irregularity of the road is erased !!
This car is not only a real technological showcase ahead of its time, but also a timeless work of art, a bit like the universe of Jules Verne !
Great car....Beautiful n very advance technology...Love Citroën.👌👌👍😍😍😍
"The DS is not the car of the future, nor the car of the past. It is the car of today"
Beautiful video on the last special french car...(along with the SM)
Je suis québécois et mon oncle roulait toujours en ds dans les années 70-80. Je n’ai jamais été plus confortablement assis que dans une ds. Je m’ennuie de ces voitures!
I love the car! Jay Leno's garage recently did a video on the same model of car.
Masterpiece 💙
Thanks for sharing!
Very nice video, thank you.
I was really waiting for this video ;)
The Citron DS is the ultimate "before it was cool" car. A well educated hipster on wheels
This is a great story. This dude gets a lot of style points and proves he marching to a different standard. I like how you start the car and then wait seconds for the car to level. I bet the pedestrians find that amusing.
If he said "esoteric" on more time. I was going to toss my computer out of the fucking window.
I have been waiting for this video! :D
My grandmother had one of these!
I love these love stories.
Cool even today❤👍
I respect the DS, but I've never grown to like its shape that much. I'd prefer the estate version. I do remember its great comfort though, when I was a passenger in it as a kid. It was actually way more comfortable than the Daimler my dad drove.
great video, thanks for sharing
That is such a cool car
DS,Déesse ,la voiture de mon enfance
I still want one
HOLY MOLY IT IS FINALLY TIME FOR THIS CAR :D :D :D. love it. (sorry for caps)
AWESOME, AMAZING , INCREDIBLE CAR !!!!
beautiful car
superb
congratulatios, you made the DS a " charming car", which it is indeed, but rarely so mivied on. It was a revolutinnary car, for sure, and , meanwhile, it was relialable, as there were many produced, and cirtroen, commonly spread throughout France, was experienced in servicing it. I may add that it is very representative of a period of history in France ( confer general de Gaulle) . I may add roo, that hydropneumatic suspension still exists on high category of citroen, whereas it was on mid category too , earlier, and it is feared that citroen abandon it on later series. enjoy your soft drive!:
Always filmed at golden hour.
That's a superb car...!
I like the back wheels lowered. Is there any way to keep them down.
Two of my favourite Citroens are the DS and the SM.
These 2 are exactly also my favourite Citroen :-) we have the same taste ehehehhe and my 3rd is the XM
+José Carvalho We do indeed. :)
Jason Carpp Do you own any of these 2?
I want this car
The Godess
+Marco ocraM
Goddess.
Best car I've ever had
So simple that the DS took the price for the most beautiful car ever.
Hey, Jeff!!!! It's COULD'NT CARE LESS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You need to read "Mythologies" from Roland Barthes
At the end of the day he's got a passion for his DS & why not it's a great car. If anyone is interested Jay Leno does a good review on one as well
Awesome
Worlds coolest and best car ever made.