1978 Citroen GS | Classic Car | Driving.ca

[@jacobzimmermann59]

Once upon a time Citroen made truly extraordinary cars: the Traction, the DS, the SM, this GS(A) and its spiritual successor, the BX... and let's not forget the XM, a criminally overlooked car in my opinion! It's so sad to see what this legendary company became today.

[@KiltedGreen]

Agree 100%. No other car maker like them, ever.

[@victoriapruitt1209]

My dad had this car when I was a kid in the 1970's , great car. I miss you dad.

[@minutepapillon5060]

Oui le départ d'un père est très dur j'en sais quelque chose.. que votre papa repose en paix 🙏

[@sakisspider2617]

i m from greece and my grandpa nad this car too and i felt inlove with it ! and i miss my grandpa too.

[@r.n.9115]

Same for me, 70s child! In the 70s my dad had 3 GS in a raw, then CX and his last car was an XM. I miss him while im grateful for amazing memories. Take care!

[@Mgoblagulkablong]

50 years ago this had much better aerodynamics, much lower air drag, better handling, much better ride comfort and at the same time more ground clearance than current SUV garbage...

[@nygelmiller5293]

To Mgoblag, etc. Etc., from Nygel Miller. You're right that some cars today have a rubbish ride! The Toyota Prius has a just about acceptable suspension. BUT the current London taxis, unlike their pre- electric predecessors, has a ride so firm, it throws you around! So the orientals don't appear to be able to do suspension yet! So much so, I'm going to write to GEELY, the Chinese designers of the present stylish London cabs! I'll tell them they need to improve that suspension, because in the meantime, I'll be waiting for one of the older cabs, with decent suspension! I' not paying A second time, for an uncomfortable ride however stylish the LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company) cabs LOOK!

[@reconforsales7708]

Most beautiful car ever made. Absolutely breathtaking

[@sakisspider2617]

i was inlove with it as a kid . my grandpa had it . i refused to go for a ride with an other car ! haha

[@r.g.6544]

I worked on these cars during my apprenticeship: 2CV, GS(A), LN(A), AX, BX, CX, DS - we even restored an 11CV! Amazing cars! I owned an LNA in gold metallic and really good shape - maybe they are all gone now...

[@Kollia888]

our family car in 1970❤❤❤ we had wonderful trips all over the Greece every weekend ....we climbed mountains,we visit inlands....i love it❤❤❤❤ it reminds me my happy child period.... in 1970 we bought it for 110.000 drachmas.... the same price with an excellent house in Thessaloniki ❤

[@camilleancona112]

I'm French, and when I was a child my father bought a new one (GS1220, manual gearbox). My father has almost always owned Citroëns (even today, at 90!) The GS is a great memory, especially when we went on family vacations. He drove it for almost 10 years, and it was an excellent car, reliable but different technically and aesthetically from other manufacturers' models. It was still running well when he sold it. Today, I think I would have taken it back and restored it, but I don't know what its fate was 🤔

[@michailgeorgiou278]

I learned to drive with a GS Special 1130cc, 53HP, Weber carburetor ... !! Drived it with snow, in roads flooded by heavy rain, "climbed" mountains that only 4x4 could be seen ...Just an amazing car!!

[@lznicu]

Had one for a short time 20 years ago, I love it! Low consumption, very smooth and quick for a 1.3L engine with four gears.

[@TheGramophoneGirl]

WOW it's in amazing condition. Not very many like that around any more. I bet it's a rare sight in Canada.

[@brucepiekunexpectedbutexpected]

The best car I ever owned, All in all over the years I have had about 200 of them as i used to rebuild them and put them back on the road. Wish I could find another one to work with.

[@ajhl9898]

My dad had about 6 of these in the late 70's, early 80's...really good cars.

[@51StPi]

GS Confort break, GS 1220 Club break, G Special Break and a GS Pallas, we only had 4, though we had a DS, a CX and a Dyane. What is it about Dads and Citroens??? 🤣

[@team3383]

I'm always amazed at people who talk about rarity as being something special, whereas if you think about it, in the case of a "mainstream" car like the Citroen GS, the C-Matic semi automatic transmission was rare because more people knew NOT to buy it than didn't. Loss of power (of which the GS had very little) and also such a pfaff. Standard gearboxes never broke. The C-Matic spent most of it's time being fiddled with by the garagist. THAT my friend is why a C-Matic GS is rare. They were no good.

[@redfordreplica7899]

I grew up in a GS. My dad owned a GS Confort (1015), GS Club 1220, both sky blue with blue interior. A silver colored GS Pallas with dark blue interior, a GS Pallas in a dark brown color in and out. Finally a GSA Pallas (1300) in light green in and out. All our Pallases had sun roof. The ones with vinyl covered roof like yours, where most common in the Netherlands, I think. I would love to own one, particularly in the same condition as yours. Congratulations on owning such a beautiful car.

[@gregbennet5560]

Excellent video. Everytime I watch it I remind myself I must get a GS.

[@joki5346]

I just finished the revision of my 1978 GS 1220 Club in papyrus green metallic. Unfortunately our 50th Anniversary Meeting in the north of Germany has been cancelled, especially we all hoped to get more than around 25 cars together, we have in "normal" years. This car was built nearly 2 million times and sadly most of them are rotten and forgotten. So it is always very pleasing to see, that the ones, which have survived are still be driven, for many spare parts are available. That makes it a lot easier, to keep them alive.

[@flothchtronk2068]

I was also planning on going to Röttgesbüttel with my GS for the first time this year. Hopefully it will happen next year.

[@agapitofioramonti381]

GS/GSA were built nearly 2,5 milion times.

[@newtonwhatevs]

"I've owned 2CVs since I was 17" : OK I love you already!

[@Indy_at_the_beach]

Citroen was a brilliant brand. Sad that they are but a generic vehicle today.

[@htimsid]

And that the silly 'DS' brand has been pushed in.

[@TheSoundsnake]

Great example. Love these cars, my dad had 3: that is, 1 GS special, GSA club and and a GSA special, in ‘break’ disguise. We travelled a lot in them, some 140k+ Mi. Too bad I’ve never driven one myself, but I do have an Xm, which has the hydropneumatic suspension and brakes, they’re absolutely wonderful.

[@BanjoLuke1]

Excellent video. And the car is quite sublime. The late-70s Pallas was a bit of a high point for the GS. On the four-wheel discs, Renault had ploughed that furrow in the 60s with the R10. In truth the GS was probably a sort of competitor for the 10/Major. You are quite right about the lines... In 1970 it was like NOTHING else on the road. On the engine... It was/is extraordinary. It took much from the A-Series flat twins, including the absence of a head gasket. The overhead cam was a GS thing, but much of the thinking in the engine design was 2cv. You have a real piece of treasure there. A real piece of treasure.

[@smoore9050]

Don't forget the Ami was available, and was hugely popular. The GS is my favourite Citroën, currently rebuilding the motor for a Club right now! I like the comment about club members helping you get a Cit. "You have too many Citroëns darling". You mean I should sell one? "Yes that guy over there wants one". Ok then I'll sell him one. " Good, that just leaves you with what? 12?". ps one of the best GS videos I've seen on youtube Hi 5!

[@RUfromthe40s]

i hqd the three versions of the ami , the weird sallon , fastback as all and the van ,like a boat on the sea, ALSO A MEHARI ,GLASSFIBER ,a 2CV, two of them a old and a 80´s the same with the Dyane

[@pierre4246]

OMG! this takes me back to my childhood (I was living in France back then). I LOVE Citroën! I owned a few myself (Saxo, BX, Xsara) and my parents did too (Tub, Ami 8, XM)...

[@kicobubu]

we had the GS 1976 and two Ami 8's !!

[@pwatom22]

Unbelievably good cars. The one my uncle had which I drove many times, many miles was an 1100cc but would still do nearly 100mph. Made my escort 1300 feel like a model T. Unfortunately the excellent design did not carry through to corrosion prevention.

[@stephenberry1205]

Great example of maybe the best small car ever made... Add a few other unique features of the GS that have still never been equalled. * Superbly comfortable seats to go with suspension * Cavernous rear trunk with bumper lifting to open it * Ride and handling and braking were still fabulous with 4 adults and a huge boot full of stuff with the self levelling hydropneumatic suspension * Even more incredible was the GS wagon * A GS was the best Citroen to show off driving on 3 wheels * Even came with an engine crank handle a la 2CV & DS * Happy to tour at 130-140 kph effortlessly all day without fatigue I owned a 1971 1015 GS Cmatic, a 1972 1220 GS manual, a 1974 GS 1220 wagon Cmatic My parents had a 1974 GS 1220 Cmatic Citroens are fairly rare in Australia

[@daveberry9922]

hey i had one when i was a window cleaner in the earley 80s, great little car,

[@acptelford1307]

Loved my GS almost as much as my Ami Super

[@redfordreplica7899]

Amy Super is a rare model. Pls post vids. Thx.

[@AnthonyDillon-y4q]

I had a 1978 GS Basalte i- fabulous car. I really wish I still had it!

[@JohnPeterGernaat]

My first car was a GS C-matic 1977 model in standard spec. It was a quirky gearbox that required one to match gearbox speed and engine speed with the accelerator to prevent sudden accelerations or decelerations. But it was so much fun to drive. I managed to roll it in a tight bend on a dirt road by hitting the brakes (2 passengers, no serious injuries). I then bought a GS X but its engine seized when a mechanic failed to close a tappet cover properly and I lost all the oil catastrophically. I replaced the engine with the engine from the car I'd rolled. That kept going for many more miles. Sadly, I had some work done by a less than qualified mechanic (who was recommended by a petrol-head friend) because was short on money and the result was a catastrophic driveshaft failure. I abandoned the car with my regular Citroën mechanic who sold it. Five years later I was still receiving reports of it about town (I have had it resprayed in a deep metallic silver, so it was quite unique and distinguishable). I then 'inherited' my mothers 1979 GS which I drove till it was 21 years old. It was involved in a fender bender that resulted in months of wrangling with the insurance company. When I went to find the car in the scrapyard it had stood with windows open and was so filthy I just could not imagine taking it back. But it to was sold and lived on for more years. I kept telling all my engineering friends how advanced the car was and how every other car of the 1980s and 1990s copied (or borrowed from) its styling. I tried to buy a more modern car at one point while my GS was out of service, but as soon as the GS was back on the road I sold the newer vehicle - Opel/Vauxhal Monza automatic - because it could not compete with the comfort and driveability of the GS.

[@jfv65]

Cool story. Why didn't you get a CX?

[@JohnPeterGernaat]

@@jfv65 The CX was never really available in South Africa. Citroën withdrew from South Africa because of the politics here and returned again only after 2000 with the C2 and C3 and later the C4. At the time I was keen to buy a C3 semi-automatic as it reminded me of the C-matic, but I didn't. I still drive a 2002 Berlingo series 1.

[@RUfromthe40s]

roll it, man how could you, i tried so many times but it never wants to, it must be a record of somekind and in dirt roads was better than a landrover , a small creek and the land-rover died but i was going back and forward to find anybody with a tractor in the same creek in a deepest part

[@RUfromthe40s]

@@jfv65 yes the 2600 diesel with full extras car and a visa gt toniq , a xantia ,a Xm before a GSMKII a GS 76 ,a DS 73 ,a DS 69 and when released a DS 19 GT, also have a mint tracion avant like the one from dupond & dupond the detectives on Tintin books

[@patrickguernsey4929]

On rainy Brittany days, we could drive it very quickly. It is really a great car. Comfort was top.

[@antonioliguori9906]

Meravigliosa, ne vorrei trovare una

[@chrispark4310]

Amazing to see a GS in Canada! Very good video and description. Yes it was kind of underrated in comparison to the DS and CX however it sold pretty good in France as far as I can remember, and it was extremely comfortable. The engine noise was very distinctive.

[@kas-hifi]

Beautiful car. That was what I was thinking, when I got my 2009 Toyota Prius Executive. My paternal grandfather had one, similar to this. ❤

[@Citroen1453]

I like your channel Bro, i still drive a 1989 Citroen GSA 1300 , this is my favorite car. I live in Bandung Indonesia, almost every week i go to Jakarta driving this car, a very comfortable car to drive, almost no car in its class is as comfortable as this car, the suspebsion is very soft and save when maneuvering. I've been to Bali severel times with this car, fuel efficient, very fun and enjoyable.

[@citroen-fan]

The GS shown here in the variant Pallas is equipped with rarely chosen extras: Vinyl roof, C-Matic 3-speed semi-automatic transmission, the rear-spoiler of the sporty GS variants X 2 and X 3 and the mud flaps on the wheels. A beautiful GS Pallas - apart from the rear-spoiler, which doesn't belong there. I wish you safe journeys and no defects (especially not with the C-Matic). By the way, an important note: Use only (!) the transmission-oil from the french oil-company "Total" for the C-Matic-transmission in the transmission!! It was specially developed for the C-Matic transmission!! Other oils will destroy the C-Matic-transmission. Another note on using the C-Matic-transmission: 1st gear is only for starting on hills. 2nd gear is normally used for starting and can be used up to around 60 km/h. In town, this results a fully automatic driving. 3rd gear should be used from 60 km/h and at higher speeds. And don't tow trailers or anything else with it, that's not good for this transmission. I had 3 GSA Pallas with this transmission for many years. I know how to drive the GS/GSA with this transmission. If you have any questions, ask the German GS-GSA-IG or the German company "Französische Klassiker" (also specialized in GS/GSA) - both can be found with google! I also own current some GS models from the 1970s and GSA models from the 1980s... Wonderful vehicles. Best regards from Germany.

[@antoniodelacruz5961]

Precioso,lo añoro, en casa tuvimos tres el Break ,el club y el GSA bread Club.Tan bien el BX.Un saludo desde España

[@markerwee2673]

I had a 12:20 GS Club when I was in Apprentice mechanic . I pull the motor had the cam modified fitted larger main jets The GS club had a roller bearing crankshaft which I could rev to 10,000 RPM . my brother's Alfred julieta 1800 could not get past me robot to robot. brilliant car had no problems with it at all.

[@Rafi.Benjie]

J'adore votre rubrique Classics. Continuez.

[@xsoireg]

Beautiful car. My dad owned a GS club estate back in the day. 78 too

[@64Alvis]

I owned two in period. My first ever car was a '73 1220 Cub I bought in '76. Of all the cars I have owned, that's the one I would be most proud to have in my portfolio if I was a car designer.

[@jamesfranklin2203]

The GS should be a rare spot in USA

[@kangaroogroundboy]

I had one in '78 but had to spend £400 on the suspension in '79 which rather cooled the relationship 😢. Still it was a lovely ride and the brakes could put you through the windscreen.

[@DannyFreiburg]

This is the first car that I posessed when i was 18 years old. Mine was a green 1977 model Club.

[@zymurphy]

I had one of these, very likeable cars.Mine was red, with matching jerseycloth covered seating. On an ambient day, most of my passengers would receive an electric shock on exiting, and on a very hot day they would be electrocuted due to said jerseycloth, and my sister-in-law also left most of her rabbit skin coat behind in the car...yes, I liked that car!😄

[@blagger42]

I had a GS Club, it was such fun to drive. Plus air cooled.

[@jonbaum]

We had one of those when I was a kid (the station wagon version). Very underpowered engine, incredibly unreliable, ordinary garages wouldn't go near it so it had to be taken to the official Citroen service garage, with the money my dad spent on that car he could have bought a Rolls Royce. Having said that, it was fantastically comfortable.

[@brunoderueil7575]

Cool la voiture de mon père une GS 1220 Cmatic, un peu plus ancienne (avant restylage) de 1973 !

[@Santos.Sarmento]

Nice car, specially rare, well done video. Thanks for sharing.

[@lgz2006]

As long is not the Birotor version then I love it.😍

[@alanstarkie2001]

These are great baby DS, which I also owned (DS21 Pallas). One of my more reliable 70's cars. Ah, back in the day when cars didn't all look like euro blobs as they do today.

[@newtonwhatevs]

Is this a vinyl roof?

[@rodneyemmerich8828]

Stunning car

[@gillesdessus6919]

Dommage que ce soit en anglais car l'image est d'excellente qualité.

[@KingswayMovies]

still the future

[@danrkelly]

Lovely car.

[@alarmactionukalarmactionuk893]

I've often thought the same about the similarity between classic Citroen and Toyota Prius. I guess the tinted coupe style rear glass is partly to blame for that.

[@igormullerle1454]

My 1st car was a 2cv. You always had to drive them at full throttle. As a result, you were constantly exposed to the pounding of the 2-cylinder boxer. It became a no-go for me. Unfortunately, the GS also had this sound - almost the same as that of the 2cv

[@RUfromthe40s]

how cool is it, i had it just like this nice seats dash with a level of design very high and the suspenction what a car only could never found a 2.177 cc´s in it as i had in my DS19GT

[@ne0ne0]

Wonderful video. Thank you very much!

[@Gideon01]

I have owned a 2CV, a Dyane and a GS Break. But I found Citroen's later models uninspiring and so I moved on to other cars. However, Citroen will always remain my first love. I have this funny dream of finding one of these cars that is restored or in decent shape and owning it again, like I did 40 years ago.

[@christianbenvenuto6921]

Beautiful car citroen gs pallas c-matic.

[@adstix]

Good looking classic car! Citroën's hydraulic suspension was way ahead of its league! But you don't want to be caught in that car or any other classic in a modern day accident!

[@barberton3695]

I think that Citroën was one of the first cars to have the engine collapse under the cab instead of into the drivers lap, in the event of a head-on..

[@adstix]

@@barberton3695 ok but what about a side impact or roll over? I think classic cars are much safer to drive in the country side with light traffic

[@barberton3695]

@@adstix not yet ahead of it's time in that department, in fact the roof (and hood) was aluminium. Safety is a Swedish thing, for the French it was comfort and style 😌😉

[@stephenberry8658]

GS is dynamically safer than any small light car made today. You can swerve and brake dramatically without losing control. Front wheel blow out can still steer and brake, rear wheel flat you will not feel it. My parents and younger brother owe their lives to a GS safety when the were overtaking a bus in their GS 1220 Cmatic at 65 mph and the car behind the bus pulled out forcing the into the dirt on the other side. Dad was able to swing the car back onto the tar, another swerve and they ended up stopped sideways across the road. Dad was not an accomplished driver. Any other car would have been off the road or rolled. Best small car ever. Also had load proportioning rear brakes which took account of the load in the car. Progressive crumple zones front and rear. Single spoke steering wheel that could not stab you. Almost no brake pedal travel with high pressure hydraulics reducing your emergency braking time.. All of that in a fast and supremely comfortable small car with a huge boot. The GSA 1299cc 5 speed was even more fabulous. A small car classic that makes a great daily driver.

[@minutepapillon5060]

@@adstix je pense qu'il faut vivre et arrêter d'avoir peur de tout ..

[@UnToulousainauQuebec]

Hello. Thank you for this video. My grandfather had almost the same one, but: Year 1978, same color but in breack version. I grew up with this car, since I am originally from France. And when my grandfather died, I inherited it. Now living in Quebec since 2000. I wonder how to import one from Europe? Can you give me some information?

[@tolikgladkov7407]

Nice video

[@randyc8171]

Beautiful car !

[@juliensanchez8535]

hello i like too much your Citroën GS pallas roof opened, cmatic nice color exelent condition it s a very cool car Julien from France

[@drivingca]

Thanks! 👍

[@nebojsabogovac6208]

Every time I see a Prius 2nd or 3rd gen on a street, I think of GS.

[@SuperCacahuete93]

Bonjour, elle est tres belle cette voiture

[@christoguichard4311]

That's a beauty. 😍

[@thebarak]

I had one, and in many ways it was exceptionally wonderful, except, the engine refused to start whenever you really needed to go somewhere.

[@LoneKinKong]

is the plate from QC ?

[@predragv.365]

Nice GS 👍👍👍

[@andrenow8478]

cool fantastic car keep it

[@xm222]

great car, congratulations :)

[@averrol]

nice car nice colour

[@markbehr88]

Love it

[@jmtikka]

And then there''s that little round whole in the grille. And if you take a look at the jack arm which is located conveniently beside the spare tire under the hood, you see that it fits right in there. The GS/GSA must have been one of the last cars with the ability to start the engine the old style without using the start motor. And why would you want to do that, you my ask. There are some unfortunate situations when the electrical system of the car is totally out of order and even the start engine doesn't work. My father had to start his GSA one time manually and drive the car with none of the lights working on a cold and dark Finnish morning to the dealership to get it fixed. With any other car (I mean any non Citroën car) a tow truck would have been necessary.

[@jmtikka]

And the YT algorithm just suggested to me a czech video showing how to crank start the engine. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bGq9iap6hrmtotk

[@RUfromthe40s]

it can be driven with safety with only three tires,no matter the road if a tar road

[@electricdreams22]

❤️❤️❤️

[@tolikgladkov7407]

Nicd car

[@Dg-zj6jo]

amazing give me a call when y sell it

[@pietrocardetta5919]

Auto comodissima, mi ricordo la prima volta che salii, un abisso rispetto alle auto coeve della stessa categoria.

[@harry130747]

Great car but the rust!!! Dunno how he has one so good.

[@honumoorea873]

The GS was a low cost car, not comparable with a DS, gs is just a small DS.

[@KiltedGreen]

It’s not.

[@metusalem543]

Bin alle Citroen GS und CX Modelle Limousine und Break lange Jahre gefahren, das war die Größte Katastrophe aller Zeiten. Bin von Beruf Automobilkonstrukteur, habe div. Sicherheitsteile, Lenkungsteile, bei ZF für den GS und CX konstruiert. Die Autos steckten voller Konstruktionsfehler, die im Laufe der Bauzeit nicht alle beseitigt werden konnten, manche könnte man nicht beseitigen. Könnte darüber viel Seiten Schreiben. Mein Leben wurde wieder schön, als ich dann auf Mercedes, Audi, VW und BMW umgestiegen bin.

[@guillaumeromain6694]

audi and VW ! 😂 #shitheaps!

[@oliverpetroski4205]

Beautyfull car. But good luck driving it in Europe these days, considering its high fuel consumption and the petrol prices nowdays.

[@jurekvakva]

I have driven my Citroen GS all over Europe, and will continue to do so. I'd say the fuel consumption is not bad at all.

[@oliverpetroski4205]

@@jurekvakva ? My friend sold his because it spent more than 15 liters on 100 km. But here in east Europe the petrol prices went up a while ago.

[@jurekvakva]

@@oliverpetroski4205 - 15 l/100km is twice too much. Normal fuel consumption for this car is between 7 - 8 l/100km. Your friend is either a funny driver, or his GS engine was badly out of tune. I have owned these cars since 1992, and I currently own four of them. I took my family on many long road trips: to Arctic Norway and other Nordic countries, to the Netherlands, to Germany etc, and fuel consumption on long trips is around 7 l/100km. I’ve got a lot of videos from those trips on my YT channel.

[@oliverpetroski4205]

@@jurekvakva Hmmm interesting. Cause Ive seen even those that are for sale, ownwrs sell them only due to fuel consumption. My friend had a pallas with "cyclop eye" speedimeter. And all of the people I takled to all of them gave me the same fuel consumption. Weinkel engines.

[@jurekvakva]

@@oliverpetroski4205 - Citroen GS & GSA cars were available with the following 4-cylinder air-cooled engines: - 1015 cc - 1222 cc - 1299 cc - 1130 cc The early 1015 cc and 1222 cc engines were a bit thirstier, but not much more than 8 l/100km. The later 1299 cc and 1130 cc engines were more economic, realistic fuel consumption was between 7 - 7.5 l/100km. Later models came with a choice of 5-speed transmission, which also helped to improve fuel consumption. The Wankel engine was only available in super-rare Citroen GS Birotor. These GS Birotor models are worth quite a lot of money nowadays. The Wankel engine had much higher fuel consumption, and it was introduced right at the beginning of global oil crisis in 1973. It was also much more expensive. So the sales numbers were disastrous and Citroen stopped selling the GS Birotor very soon.

[@radnik1607]

Flat 4😂

[@exegesis67]

I had the same model. C-matic. Sadly it was already in a bad way when I bought it and couldn’t be saved from rusting to away