Citroen DS 1973 News

Car dealer Alec Lowe's 1973 Citroen DS23 Pallas Prestige has come fresh from the paintshop to the showroom floor.The prime late classic has been selected from hundreds of entries to be among 98 displayed at the second annual RACV Motorclassica in Melbourne's Royal Exhibition Building from October 21-23."I have even driven it, except to and from the paintshop and the workshop," says Lowe, 62. "It hasn't been seen anywhere before. This is its first time out."Lowe explains that the "Prestige" designation means it is a Special with a wind-up glass partition in the rear. The interior was built by Bugatti coach builders Henri Chapron of Paris for government and diplomatic use.This particular car was specially imported for use by the French ambassador to Australia who sold it to his secretary when he returned to France. She sold it to Lowe in 1995 for $7500."It was in pretty good condition, but we've done a total nut-and-bolt restoration from the ground up," he says. "If it hasn't been reconditioned, it's new."I wouldn't want to know what we've spent on it." It's insured for $50,000, but Lowe says the last Prestige model sold for $90,000 in Paris, unrestored."I'm hoping to take it back to France for a driving holiday and maybe sell it over there," he says. "I might get more for it in a left-hand-drive market."Lowe says he had no problem obtaining parts for the car or working on the front-drive vehicle. Nor should he as he started his career as a Citroen mechanic working with legendary endurance rally driver Jim Reddiex.He navigated for Reddiex in Repco round-Australia rallies in the 1970s and recalls one rally incident where they hit a tree and bent their CX machine into a banana shape, popping the windscreen."It was still driveable because all the mechanicals are up front, so we drove to the next stop holding the windscreen in place with our hands," he says. Lowe says the DS model was an innovative car when introduced in 1955 with a number of firsts throughout its model life, ending in 1975, including swivelling headlights that turn with the steering wheel."That's only been re-introduced in luxury models in the past decade and they don't turn as much as these. They almost go at right angles," he says.Other innovations included power disc brakes, hydropneumatic auto-leveling suspension with auto-leveling headlights, variable ground clearance, power rack-and-pinion steering and a lightweight fibreglass roof.It also featured a wider front track and different-sized wheels to counter the understeer effects of front-wheel-drive introduced in the Citroen Traction Avant in the 1930s.The DS has been named one of the coolest, beautiful and most influential cars of the last century.Citroen DS23 Pallas PrestigeYear: 1973Price New: $9000Price Now: about $90,000Engine: carbureted 2347cc 4-cylinderBody: 4-door sedanTransmission: 5-speed manualDid you know: The original 1955 DS was designed, not by car designers, but Italian sculptor Flaminio Bertoni and French aeronautical engineer Andre Lefebvre.Got a special car you'd like featured in Carsguide? Modern or classic we're interested in hearing your story. Please send a pic and brief info to mark.hinchliffe@carsguide.com.au

UPDATED - The Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa (shown here) set a new world record for a car sold at auction on the 17th May 2009. 0714TR reached 12 million dollars US at RM Auctions Leggenda e Passione Ferrari auction in Maranello.  For me it’s the car in the photo gallery on the right. However the judgement of the most authoritative list of automotive experts ever assembled to make such a decision voted the Citroen DS21 to be the car. This panel included Gioretto Giugaro, Marcello Gandini and Gordon Murray, three of the most respected names in the industry and themselves responsible for such legendary cars as the Lamborghini Countach, Lancia Startos and McLaren F1.This past weekend at the Paris Retromobile, a Citroen DS Chapron Convertible sold at by auction by Bonhams  for just under A$650,000. The Chapron Convertible is the rarest and even more beautiful version of the DS21.Personally while I greatly admire the DS, it does not make my top ten list, which comprises;1.    1957 Ferrari 250 TR2.    Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spyder3.    1963 Ferrari 250GTO4.    Ferrari 246GT5.    Lamborghini Muira6.    Ferrari P47.    Ferrari 206SP8.    Mercedes 300SLR Coupe9.    Maserati 5000GT by Touring10.  Jaguar E-Type S111.  Ferrari 365GTB/4 DaytonaGiven my long term fascination with everything Ferrari I am interested to see how the auction of 0714TR will fare at Ferrari Leggenda e Passione in  Maranello, on 17 May 2009. This is the car that can (and should) break the current world sale record of $10.8m (currently A$16.6m) for the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder (s/n 2377GT) set at last year’s Ferrari Leggenda e Passione on 18 May 2008.The 1957 Pontoon Fender 250TR is one of the true legends of the Ferrari marque and generally considered one of the most desirable models by Ferrari cognoscenti. This particular example is unique and beautifully restored in its original black color scheme. Delivered to Piero Drogo; himself a substantial character within the history of Ferrari and extensively campaigned in races North and South America this car has the potential even in the current economic climate to blow the current record away.We will update you with the result in May. Rod Halligan