Can it really drive on three wheels?! And other Citroën DS Party Tricks

[@peterriggall8409]

It got there Ian. I share the excitement with you. Who’d have thought that when we did this it would go on to be your most viewed video and reach 1 million. YIPPEE! 👍🥳😄🚙

[@johnd8892]

Great that you suggested it for your car. As I understand it. And it seems it was a bit touch and go whether Ian could stretch to going to Tasmania.

[@peterriggall8409]

@@johnd8892 Yes John. All the ducks got in a row. Getting the night shots was nearly a non starter as Ian’s camera was no good in failing light but then he decided to try his phone and it coped really well but that bit very nearly did not happen.

[@HubNut]

Aye. A few people noticed that piece of wood disappearing too. Didn't all go to plan but great fun, and a huge success! Thanks Peter.

[@MrRobertFarr]

❤Similar to Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg 's party trick in the song : Still Dre . I think it's called ! ❤ You couls call this car The First Lowrider. As it's perhaps the first car with hydraulic suspension ! ❤ The Wikipedia blog on Citroen Xantia cars is interesting. The rear wheels can turn it says ! ❤ Perhaps this guy is a Mechanical Engineer ? ❤ A worryingly immaculate car with 646 visible on the clock. Looking under yhe rear wing. Some dodgy looking bumps covered in necessary underseal. The rubber sealant mechanics hate. ❤ Maybe it stinks when then try and weld it ? ❤ I would be worried about that passing the British MOT . (Motor test ?) Where one test is to poke at the wings with a screwdriver . Or the metal surrounding a wheel. Without the rear wing the car looks a lot like The Austin Maxi ! ❤ Taking curves and corners. Steering and Power transfer must be a major challenge in The World Of Cars . ❤

[@MrRobertFarr]

❤Dr. Dre also knows the party trick of going around a corner or curve. Carpark or candlestick. On just 3 wheels ! kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXSvZ6Fme6-Nps0si=z1GnuJvuSmXFFJZL ❤

[@abrahkadabra9501]

I never get tired of seeing all the innovation that went into the Citroën DS and it's all the more amazing when you consider that this design is approaching 70 years old!

[@SuperBullyone]

and still the only car worth buying

[@ratzebones]

Yes as you said but hmmm now mostly forgotten and I still don’t know why it was left behind

[@timelwell7002]

The late President De Gaulle of France always travelled in a DS. Many will be aware that on one occasion a right-wing terrorist group attempted to assassinate him in Paris, as his convoy was speeding from one meeting to another. The Presidential convoy was sprayed with machine gun fire . Although some of the tyres were blown out, De Gaul's car was able to speed of to safety. The hydraulic suspension and amazing stability of the DS literally saved his life. Needless to say, he always travelled in the DS from then on. What with that and the swivelling headlights, this is one remarkable car. Thanks for a good demo!

[@SimonPeters]

General(ly) spelled ‘de Gaulle’.

[@CauliflowerMcPugg]

What a car, Ha! Who needs electronics. This was a vehicle way ahead of its time and still a marvel of engineering today. Brilliant!

[@huntermacdonald6431]

All the benefits of modernity but with no electronics to fail all the time!

[@cytrynowy_melon6604]

Actually electronics could make it even better. For example Mercedes Benz S-Class with magic body control and pneumatic suspension is even more comfortable than DS, because it has camera that scans road for imperfections. Hydro penumatic with modern electronics and camera would make the best suspension on earth (i know that c5 and c6 had amvar and some electronics, but suspension was too stiff in some cases, camera would certainly help).

[@WhiskeyGulf71]

If it was as you say ahead of it’s time why have we not seen it since ?

[@dieselfiesta2604]

@@WhiskeyGulf71 Because car manufacturers are boring nowadays.

[@callum9878]

The only marvel of this piece of engineering is the fact that it hasn't rusted away like the rest of them...

[@ceegee3664]

I was about 12 when a friend's father took us to a show, we got out afterwards to his DS to find a flat battery, he got out the crank starter, twirled it and away the DS went. That's a party trick!!!!

[@Dave5843-d9m]

I had a hand starter on my VW split screen van. Very handy when the start motor went awol.

[@jean-pierredeclemy7032]

Yes, very handy. Unfortunately the spigot is not there on models which have a five speed box. That and it is difficult to get number plates with a suitable hole for the hand crank nowadays.

[@uwekall6281]

@@jean-pierredeclemy7032 at least, my 5-speed still has the hole in the air duct. Not sure if it is still original, but as the duct is aluminium, probably it is. But funnily I never checked for the cranking capability as it always started no problem up to now...Need to look though :-)

[@ssssssss6889]

@@jean-pierredeclemy7032 And , nowadays most cars have transversal engine , that's another complication in that regard.

[@robinwells8879]

And all achieved without a hint electronics. Very impressive.

[@manfredschmalbach9023]

I like that part the most, too: simple valves and some rod to connect those to hight correctors, some oil, some nitrogen and a lotta chuzpe versus their fellow car builders.

[@CaptainDangeax]

The hydraulic semi auto gearbox and clutch has nothing, and I mean really nothing to envy to latest german or japanese robotic gearboxes, and all only with hydraulic and a fine tuned circuit

[@sethoz22]

Sounds terrifying to me

[@scb2scb2]

As a soft and hardware engineer i grew up with this car (my dad worked for citroen 50 years) and the way the system works is pure software programming in hardware. There are so many small details not discussed here.. (still great video) there is a reason why this is the most innovative car of last century.

[@manfredschmalbach9023]

@@scb2scb2 As a boatbuilder and offshore sailor, I have a natural aversion against putting my life and comfort on printed circuit boards used in saltwater environment, be it the Atlantic or continental winterroads - that does make the strictly mechanical approach so alluring, while I'm as well thrilled to date by this car's ingenious simplicity deriving from thinking "suspension" and "braking" in a way never used before in automotive history. Rolls and Mercedes licensed the "suspension" part to improve their luxury top end cars in the late sixties and seventies: There was no better option to have. And I doubt there's today. (That's why I still drive a somewhat 40 years old one as my daily ..)

[@jibjab351]

I took the back wheel off my GS and drove around town. The looks on peoples face and the cries of 'your wheel has fallen off' were priceless.

[@GhostOfDamned]

😂 I would pay to be there at that time

[@jibjab351]

@@GhostOfDamned You could get away with doing stuff like that in 1983. These days you would be arrested and your car impounded.

[@guyfromfrance]

Nice BLUE 3 WHEELER !!! GREAT VIDÉO !

[@andrewgurney6019]

One of the most if not the most beautiful cars ever produced, thanks for sharing.

[@stephenandloriyoung5716]

I like the SM a lot better, but...have you seen a 32 or 57 Chevrolet? Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Zey are so clevair, zese Francaises.

[@drd6416]

There was some beautiful metal from many makers... But the ds, and even the little Panhard were just so pure I think. Did you see the concept for the ds homage.? Quite modern but still has the same basic design language. Very neat.

[@johnking1381]

They look awful

[@rafaelfaxas1999]

Voiture très belle et confortable, beaucoup des technologies pour les années 60.

[@willo-zo5rd]

Nah, that’s them old 60s bimmers

[@normandiebryant6989]

Regarding the headlights, i) did you notice that when the inner driving lights swivel, the pivot isn't totally vertical; they face downwards slightly, to compensate for body roll when cornering hard, and ii) the outer high/low beam headlights are connected by cables to the front and rear suspension to compensate for pitching and also to dip slightly when cresting a hill and, conversely, tilting up slightly when coming out of a dip.

[@timbutton4990]

Well of course not clever clogs!

[@boullotguillaume5216]

I dont speak english, I'm french, so... Yes, it's right, the headligths were able to " compense" the level of the hydraulic suspension. All those systems made a very smooth and confortable car. Voilà !

[@uwekall6281]

This is also valid for acceleration as long as the suspension has not yet compensated the slight pitch motion due to sudden constant acceleration torque.

[@ericgraham7026]

Absolutely amazing! Just when I think I’ve heard it all… especially as everything is done without a printed circuit in site!

[@HeeWeiSeng]

This is the future we looking at !

[@47rintin1]

The first model was made in 1956.

[@thedoctor2102]

It come with its own car/jack stands and a hook on the frame to mount it, that really is bloody brilliant. Those good old days are decades long gone.

[@MetalTrabant]

Everyone heard that it can do these things in theory, but I've never seen all these on an actual footage! Very interesting video! I can't imagine how high-tech this must've been in the '60s! It's like a frickin' spaceship! :D

[@bbiwyou]

Truly a magnificent and impeccably restored automobile. The paint and structure are as if they just came out of the factory.

[@OkonomiStudio]

I have seen this car still in use in the 80s, although it was already old. I knew about the lights that turn with the steering, but not about the 3 wheels ability. This car is absolutely amazing. A masterpiece of technology. Just like the Concorde also was. Thanks for the video and thanks to the owner of so well preserved car.

[@daktarioskarvannederhosen2568]

it was manufactured until 1975

[@commonsense953]

Even now the DS looks so modern ... Absolutely gorgeous car

[@ReddThreee]

Hey you're right, it does look modern now and at the same time still looking futuristic

[@emjayay]

It got a lot more modern with the streamlined headlights and flush door handle facelift, finally making it look right. HubNut should check out an earlier one with the original dashboard sometime.

[@EdgyNumber1]

This and the Rover P6

[@jeff-gl1yx]

It looks old.

[@commonsense953]

@@jeff-gl1yx Good style doesn’t age ... it matures lol 👍😀

[@richardgoffin-lecar1951]

My all time favourite car. So quirky, so brilliant, so comfortable, so.....French!

[@dennok3357]

This car is simply lovely. I never knew it had such features. Wonderful!!!!

[@paulmillard1130]

They dared to be engineers back then

[@kevinkeeney6693]

Back before the lawyers and bean counters ruled the industry.

[@emjayay]

My (late) engineer uncle worked on a project many years ago that his company did with a French company. He said, in reference to the French engineers, "You couldn't tell them ANYTHING."

[@donkmeister]

From my extensive experience of French engineers, they seem to have a culture of flamboyance and doing stuff just to be different rather than because there is a demonstrable benefit. In Citroen's case that worked out, noting that Rolls Royce and Mercedes both licenced their technology. They definitely don't like reporting to engineers from any other country though, there's a definite "we know best because we're French" attitude.

[@martyzielinski2469]

FEEL DIBEN -or maybe.........you’re delusional...

[@leborde]

@FEEL DIBEN C'est pas tellement de la propagande, il a quand même un peu raison. Et c'est normal, vu que nos ingénieurs sont les meilleurs. :)

[@77funtomas]

10:37 even with the weight of the driver on this side!!!!!! Good man Ian. First time ever I can see what I've only heard about so many times. Standing ovation for You!!!!👏👏👏👏

[@robingray1302]

Brilliant as usual, I can imagine the scenario when you experience terminal understeer approaching a tight bend, one pair of lights to show where you should be going whilst the fixed lights illuminate the ditch you're about to slide into with those fearsomely powerful brakes locked up....(all while on only 3 wheels.....)

[@pauldavies6037]

Yes I was thinking that as well LOL

[@murphymoe753]

Have to be prudent on 3 wheels

[@aussiebloke609]

And when the car comes to a stop, shrug expressively and light a cigarette. Gauloises, for preference.

[@deeeeeeeench1209]

And a German passing by howling retreat

[@uwekall6281]

Well, being used as off - road racing cars (Rallye) the Deesses must have performed quite well in comparison to their competitors at the time.

[@daktarioskarvannederhosen2568]

perhaps among its most practical party tricks is its not dipping downward at the front when braking hard -the suspension keeps the body level, increasing pressure to the front end while reducing it to the rear (during braking).

[@wanderinggentile]

Americans of a certain age (Over 50, particularly) will recall an episode of the police drama "CHiPs" where three wheel capability was shown to high effect on a California freeway. It has taken more than 40 years for me to see, finally, how this was done. Cheers from Costa Rica!

[@jean-pierredeclemy7032]

I remember that one show but none of the others in the series.:)

[@ginggur17]

Omg. I’d heard this but never seen it done. Very impressive for its day, and still to be honest.

[@kasuraga]

Man you have such a beautiful example of a Citroen DS I remember hearing about the Citroen being able to drive on 3 wheels. I'm happy to see you demonstrate this

[@grayfool]

That never gets old, does it? Of course, that trick also means that you can drive with a blown out tyre. In fact, when a trye does blow the car will stay pretty much on course. Chuffin' brilliant. I beleive that it was De Gaule who would only use a DS after an attemp on his life went wrong when one of the tyres on his car was shot out but his driver managed to escape the ambush. As I said, trės formidable mes amis.

[@Mortimer50145]

Ah yes, the Petit Clamart assassination attempt by Bastien-Thiry, described in the opening chapters of The Day of the Jackal.

[@emmajnation-emma]

That jack stand looks a bit like a little Eiffel Tower :-)

[@watsisbuttndo829]

Im a little surprised it dosent look exactly like the Eiffel Tower!

[@scb2scb2]

@@watsisbuttndo829 Funny enough Citroen had a massive ad on the Eiffel Tower for 9 years. They did many weird PR stunts in their days. Let that sink in for a second the _whole_ Eiffel Tower was a citroen sign for 9 years : www.arnoldclark.com/newsroom/275-how-citroen-turned-the-eiffel-tower-in-to-a-huge-advert-in-1925-for-9-years

[@mosemose3690]

I thought that too

[@ZakiWasik]

I've heard that if you forget the jack stand at home, you can always use a croissant as a substitute :D

[@jamesmiller113]

Oh that is a nice touch!

[@EleanorPeterson]

A marvellous car. I had a Swedish school friend when I was in Kenya in the 1970s whose dad had a DS. Many of the roads there were atrociously bad, either disintegrating tarmac or full-on bush-tracks made of red soil and rocks, and they wrecked imported cars after a month - Fords and Land Rovers in particular needed expensive repairs and suspension upgrades - but the DS just floated over them. Tyres were still tyres, and punctures still occurred, but every car carried two spares. The seemingly unbreakable 'magic carpet ride' suspension wasn't down to magic, though, just amazingly advanced engineering. I was too young to understand what was going on back then, but I was always aware that the Citroën was something very special.

[@the_monza_man]

Just amazing! Thank you so much for doing this ON VIDEO when everyone else just talks about these party tricks! It's what KZbin is for! Did you know that in plan view, the front of the DS is semicircular, which makes such a long car much easier to park! No sensors required!

[@MPPelli]

I found this channel just a few weeks ago, and have been gorging through the content since. And I have to say, I've always loved classic cars, but those weird old Citroens have done nothing for me. But now Ian has changed my mind in just a few videos. The GS is very nice, the DS is amazing! Thank you for enlightening me. :)

[@MattBrownbill]

And soon you'll want a mad SM!

[@billh230]

I've always considered the GS as a perfect blend of DS and 2CV. I love them, and I want another.

[@HubNut]

I got home from filming this video and bought a GSA. As you say, seems an ideal mix of hydropneumatic fun times but not too scary in terms of complication.

[@uwekall6281]

@@HubNut I took the other route and rebuilt a DS and later a 2CV just for the fun of it. And yes the GS is kind of in-between and a great car. My parents used to have one.

[@volvo480]

The DS is a true engineering marvel, one of the most iconic cars ever built. I wish I could afford one, maybe I should rent one just to enjoy the ride. There is a Peugeot dealership nearby, former Simca dealer, who has many French classics but also ordinary cars from the 1970s out of their private collection for rent. A bit expensive but sometimes you have to celebrate Good Times.

[@julienbee3467]

What cars do they have ?

[@volvo480]

@@julienbee3467 see for yourself: www.visscherpgh.nl/oldtimers/

[@julienbee3467]

@@volvo480 wow I like the Simca 1000L, 504 GL

[@Unknown-jl7mg]

@@volvo480 thats hot

[@sunbeam8866]

Perhaps renting a Simca would be cheaper.

[@maxpower4638]

Unreal ahead of there time.

[@muhammadirfanataulawal7630]

The suspension is still ahead of anything today

[@richardking6066]

All these years on, still looks like a space-ship!

[@huseyinuguralacatli5064]

bttf 2 taxi :)

[@Sven.Bornemark]

That's engineering for you. Most magic car ever!!!

[@Shane_Marsh]

You are the great Oracle Ian. The more I watch the more I learn. Fabulous video.

[@simonredfern2584]

Love it! never seen the 3 wheel trick done with the missing wheel on the same side as the driver. I did suspect drivers weight aided this trick, but no, even more impressive. Top work mr hubnut

[@Wok_Agenda]

My father drove his GSA once with all of us on board (4 people)

[@areyouundoingthatorwhat9181]

You could apply the same to most fwd cars.

[@GeorgeSPAMTindle]

@@areyouundoingthatorwhat9181 No you can't.

[@areyouundoingthatorwhat9181]

@@GeorgeSPAMTindle go find a fwd hatch and try it,BUT don't try to tell me what I can or can't do when I have already fucking tried it.

[@areyouundoingthatorwhat9181]

@HiWetcam I tried it with. MK3 fiesta it was hanging slightly towards the ground,a slight push would cause the rear drum and backplate to touch the ground but once moving as long as any momentum wasn't shifted on to the nsr it was more or less ok,going round our yard clockwise,I was able to get some speed up with no problem.

[@jonneville2287]

I currently have a CX Estate, only because I couldn't afford one of these. Still has the hydraulic suspension, true power steering (not merely assisted), power brakes, all running off the suspension system. Problem is, if the hydraulics fail, you lose suspension, steering, then brakes, in that order, so you can get the car safely off the road and stop, but this rarely happens if the car is well maintained. The things that fail on CX's are simple things like door hinges (they develop an annoying click over time due to wear), body rust (the factory rust proofing wasn't the best), and sensor bugs (the sensor cable connections become unreliable over time because of dust and corrosion, causing warning lights to go on and off). Beautiful car to drive - you can ignore speed bumps, the car rides over them like a boat, and the steering is the most accurate I've ever experienced, with built in self - centering for easy parking. These old Citroens are for enthusiasts only these days though.

[@richardsmith2879]

So good. Thank you. This takes me back to my childhood. All cars, no exceptions, are so dull now. And less comfortable too. In those days all French cars were comfortable, it was said this was to drive all day along routes nationales , and over broken pave. Now all cars are engineered to drive on the Nuremberg ring, which is stupid, but appeals to know-nothing road testers. Anyone remember LJK Setright, the worlds most knowledgeable car tester?

[@rickbee53]

used to look foward to reading LJK column in ?? was it Car magazine? Editor Steve Cropley? I recall they turbocharged a 2CV which returned the favour by catching fire

[@HubNut]

Yes, it was Steve Cropley. The car still exists and is awaiting a rebuild (it was rebuilt back in the day after the fire.)

[@emjayay]

@@rickbee53 I think the blaze was a CAR cover photo. That was in the British eccentric days before the magazine was combined with some Boy Racer mag. One columnist used to write mostly about car trips to France to buy a trunk load of wine. Since then it's been half F1 and McClarens etc. unfortunately. But in internet days probably a necessity to keep afloat.

[@lesrogers7310]

You can say whatever you like about the French, but there was truly remarkable engineering involved in making the DS. Thanks for showing us this Ian.

[@caileanshields4545]

A true engineering masterpiece that only gets better with age. Still hard to wrap one's head 'round the fact that it debuted in 1955. A fine vid showcasing the Goddess' party tricks, Ian. :) Need to get yon hands on a SM once lockdown is over. ;)

[@VDPEFi]

Honestly the best DS demo video I have watched. Fantastic stuff. And the cornering headlights are far more effective than the ones in the ds5 or c class Merc I've had!

[@simonhodgetts6530]

Tremendous! I’ve always wanted to see those engineering features demonstrated! What an amazing car!!

[@dobrichanos]

All my childhood memories...was recalled.with your video...i was in love with my dad's car! Now i am 44 yeers old & still i cant find a comfortable car like this one! Vive la France!

[@andregreen8040]

Fantastic video on an amazing piece of automotive engineering. Well done. Here in Australia the be all of automotive prowess is based on how fast a car can go in a straight line. Hence the ridiculous prices for locally built V8 cars from the ‘70’s which handled like shit and braking was intermittent. Lol I drove a brand new BX 1.4 around Europe and England 30 years. (20,000km) A 1.4 litre 4 cylinder car cruising at 150-160 kms. Great road holding. Unheard performance from anything ever built in Australia.

[@flemmingsorensen5470]

I stopped breathing, when you did the three wheel stunt !!!! I absolutely adore this car. I have the pleasure of driving a DS23 Pallas a few times, on some longer runs. The comfort is simply out of this world.

[@notroll1279]

This is still pretty impressive now. Imagine the sensation when this came out in the mid-fifties! OK - the swivelling headlights only came on an update in the mid-sixties - but most of the other good stuff like the hydro-pneumatic suspension or the bolting of the wing were in place from the very beginning... People must have believed to meet an UFO when this was launched...

[@Mortimer50145]

Was the bolt head exposed all the time, or did you need to open the boot to get at it. If it was accessible all the time, it must have been a great temptation to passing drunks on their way home from the pub to remove the rear wings of a DS ;-)

[@azertyytreza8947]

Even if you’re not really into Citroën, you can only appreciate this wonderful car with it’s amazingly clever features. My granddad used to have a brown one and I remember sitting on the backseat as a kid while cruising to the Belgian coast. Thanks for sharing your amazing car!

[@icascone]

Thanks for the video... The Citroen DS in mainstream is still an "uncool" car as many are "V8 barberians fans" (and don't get me wrong I do like classic V8 myself), but those people over looks engineering marvels like this... Thanks for the video!

[@slartybartfarst9737]

You have done it! The one thing we all want to own a DS for. Driven on 3 wheels. Thats why i like this channel. Goes where no other channel can be arsed and in sandles! What a stunning DS, still want one. Ah no you showed the look round corner headlamps...I have to have one NOW.

[@IngramCars]

Magnificent, a real treat to watch. I've always wanted to see this done!

[@andrewwebb4635]

I had a rear wheel blowout on an ID at about 75mph on a downhill curve on a bumpy road! The noise was awful but the steering was completely secure and I simply braked to a halt. I’ve been a Citroen Nut ever since, that first big one, then a GSA then two Xantias. Loved them all. Incidentally, I also experienced a rear wheel blowout on an Austin 1100 (which turned over and flew into a field) and a Holden (which I JUST held onto the road width). People get all excited about engine power but what really matters in a car is a first rate chassis.

[@pit_stop77]

Was that the owner watching like a protective mother hen for that trick? "Don't harm my baby" 😂

[@HubNut]

Ha! He did keep an eye on me, and did important camera work!

[@jfv65]

@@HubNut a true co-production! The self centering steering is another party trick that the DS has. Fun video! PS pitty that this car didn't have Michelins fitted.

[@HubNut]

Actually, the DS does not have powered self-centering. That came with the SM and was also used on the CX and some XMs (left-hand drive only)

[@jfv65]

@@HubNuti was convinced it had. I stand corrected.

[@GarJaMi]

@@jfv65 It does kind of. There's a sprung roller that acts on a cam on the steering to find the straight ahead position (the steering geometry is a bit lacking in castor action). The power steering assists the roller's action just the same as it assists input from the steering wheel.

[@markbrown6188]

If I won the lottery I would track down an original RHD DS19. This is the pinnacle of graceful engineering, Beautiful!

[@RichieRouge206]

This really is a brilliant video Ian! I've always wanted to see how this works! Great to see and what clever, thoughtful design. Awesome 👌

[@antoineduplessy6009]

Bring back memories of when I was young,my grandpa had a second hand one that used to belong to the French ambassador of Haiti.At 61 years old I still love that car and we had a lot of fun in that car.Thank you for bringing back memories of a true Goddess in car from.🔥🔥🦁❤️❤️❤️

[@niklaswejedal463]

Both very smart and very beautiful - how could anyone not fall in love with this goddess? ;)

[@malasyu]

During a drive , London to Liverpool , in my GS I had a blowout when a sheet of metal was blown across the road and slashed my real near-side tyre. Low and behold I did not feel any change in the direction of the car. I just drove straight on using the three remaining wheels till I came to a safe stop. Changed the wheel as shown in the video re the DS and drove. What a marvelous piece of engineering.

[@moochincrawdad]

Citroen DS - someday all cars will be made this way! 😃

[@team3383]

Unfortunately not. Robots, computers and accountants have taken over. I owned one when it was still a novelty in the UK (new) and it was such a nice car to drive. It really was years ahead of its time. Garages were scared stiff of it though as none of them knew what hydraulics were.

[@moochincrawdad]

@@team3383 Lawyers and accountants - the enemies of true innovation! 🙁

Let's hope not!

[@svetko05]

@@moochincrawdad sorry but there's a reason why citroen stopped making cars with that suspension - it adds complexity and cost and it's not that much better than standard spring suspension. Sure it can do some impressive tricks, but few are the people who would like the idea of changing the hydtmroaccumulators every 60k miles along with the fluid.

[@Slartyfartblarst]

Decades ago I met an owner of one of these and he told me that the ride was superb. He then told me that on one occasion, he was driving on an autoroute in France and he had no idea that he had a puncture, until he was flagged down because one of his rear tyres was on fire.

[@HubNut]

Plausible. Though I've had two flat tyres in my 2CV and both times, the only clue was a slight noise.

[@terabyte1695]

quirkiness beyond quirkiness , and you gotta love the French for there very Frenchiness style of automobile,Magnifique .... farewell Ian and take care... 5 stars

[@DoubleDeckerAnton]

I've seen one of these DS's from the late 1960s, driving around East Dulwich in London. A thing of beauty it is and even though it looks knackered, it makes it look classic, in a natural organic way!

[@philhealey449]

Hah, I was searching the web already for Day of The Jackel, fresh from the Rover 3 thousand five hundred comparison; this is now telling us stuff we never knew about the DS!

[@dieselfan7406]

Saved De Gaulle's life!

[@chrisskelhorn5727]

I knew they'd drive on three wheels, but the only times I'd seen them, the wheel that was removed was the rear wheel furthest away from the driver! And I knew about the swivelling headlamps too, but never seen them in action! :-) I'd not even heard about the braking distance markings! Thank you Ian! Informative AND fun! :-)

[@emjayay]

Me too.

[@GarJaMi]

I didn't know about the braking distance markings & I used to own a DS !

[@chrisskelhorn5727]

@@GarJaMi I was never lucky enough to own one! :-O

[@georgegeorgiou5229]

I love this car! Its my dream classic car . I am still trying to find a cheap one to fix it!

[@mikejones-go8vz]

George Georgiou try and find one that has been restored or doesn’t need much work, I know they won’t be cheap but start saving. I had two, wish I still had them.

[@MarkieC1990]

Great video Ian! Really opened my eyes on the DS to see these features in practice rather than someone just telling you about them.

[@SuperBullyone]

of course it can drive on 3 wheels, its French.

[@seancooke4127]

My 2009 Audi A8 swivels the headlights but nowhere near to the degree that that DS does marvellous. Don't know who is the bravest, you for driving her on 3 wheels, or the owner for letting you. Fantastically hospitable folks Down Under. Keep safe Ian

[@rickbee53]

Beautiful car, avec quirks and features !

[@alphabeta123100]

Old good days never come back unfortunately , I got nostalgic moments when seeing this beautiful masterpiece ! I was a boy that time …

[@coopdivi]

Apparently French rally drivers disabled the swivelling headlights because when they were drifting around corners at high speed with the steering wheel on opposite lock, the swivelling lights illuminated the wrong direction!

[@schizy]

Wrong-O! They would be in the correct orientation.

[@eknaap8800]

That's easy: the lights were mechanicly connected with a simple rod.

[@CaptainDangeax]

coopdivi Drifting with a Citroën DS ? A front wheel drive Citroën DS ? You don't know what you're talking about.

[@eknaap8800]

@@CaptainDangeax Actually they did and he is...

[@CaptainDangeax]

@@eknaap8800 Think twice : to drift you need extra torque on the rear axle to make the car drift. Citroën DS is a front wheel drive. The only result you can get with extra torque is loosing traction and going strait. And the Citroën DS does not provide a hand brake on the rear wheels, the handbrake is a footpedal in the left wing, actually braking the front wheels. Why am I talking with newbies not having their driving licence ? The only reason for removing the connecting rod is because of north american DOT regulation, not allowing moveable high beams. Nothing else.

[@MeDicen_Rocha]

7 million quirks and features, that are useful too! That little test of the turning headlights reminded me of the advertisement showcasing them. Cool stuff, specially for the 70s.

[@Ad0akes]

There was one driving up the freeway in an episode of CHiPS back in the 80's

[@philipgligorov5848]

Great job keeping the car in such shape! My dad has Citroen XM. It's very weird car but it is cool and I love it. He keeps it in a garage and drive it from time to time.

[@lindsaybrown7357]

Now if you linked those headlights to a satnav, they could turn before you turned the steering wheel.

[@aussiebloke609]

And eventually, the GPS would probably tell you to turn into the nearest river.

[@lindsaybrown7357]

@ Sounds like a typical drive for me - never know where I'm going :)

[@mikem1186]

Thank you for this video,this brings some memories back from my childhood.those cars are still so advanced even after all these years.as a child I remember standing in front of the grille of my father's ds and i was scared because headlights made it look so mean.beautiful video Mr hub nut.my father survived an accident in one of his ds .

[@julienbee3467]

Was it in the 60s 70s ?

[@mikem1186]

@@julienbee3467 no it was mid eighties.

[@darrenchantler2562]

“You’ve got to love a Citron”...another T-Shirt tag line😊 ok missed the “e” Citroen even😆

[@shanekneeshaw3483]

I love anythings Citroën old and new i would definitely love that t-shirt

[@eknaap8800]

You're actually not far off: the Citroën company was founded by a Dutchman called Citroen, which translates to 'lemon' (French: Citron). He put the diaeresis on the 'e' to make it sound more French.

[@tomf3150]

Even frenchs sometimes call citroen cars, citron.

[@eknaap8800]

@@tomf3150 That's because the French language doesn't use a diaeresis on the e.

[@ΓιώργοςΨευτινάκος]

During 1980 to 1990 my father owned a Ds. During a trip on the highway the front left tyre exploded! 120km per hour and the car stayed on the road. Great car!

[@notrut]

Fascinating ... was Charles de Gaulle in the back seat?

[@thomasalbrecht5914]

When de Gaulle was in the back seat, the DS had single fixed headlights. When he was shown the swivel headlights at the 1967 Paris Salon de l’Automobile, apparently he said “If that’s a good idea, why didn’t you come up with it earlier?”

[@stevehead365]

He nipped out pour un Gauloise.

[@notrut]

@@thomasalbrecht5914 I think if Gaulle was alive today, he'd make Macron look competent ... He tried his best to undermine the UK, despite receiving safe exile in London.

[@arrangrant6037]

Was that the one with the big hooter ?

[@thomasalbrecht5914]

@@notrut looking at the UK government today, Macron looks competent in comparison because he is... And De Gaulle showed some good judgement.

[@reallynotpc]

Father had one in the 1960s. The ride was out of this world.

[@drd6416]

Back when Citroën were bonkers bit also very clever. You'd never see this today.... To remove the wing (if it wasn't welded on) would require removal of 47 different types of screws, 21 types of clip, half the wiring loom, week arch lining a d then you'd realise it's all a bad job so better forget it! Made back when owning a car was a hobby rather than a chore....

[@goatlps]

LOL having to remove a panel to change a wheel is a stupid idea anyway. That's why these Citroën piles of junk are the last cars to require it.

[@dwayneharris3874]

I applaud Citroen for daring to be different. I used to hear, long ago, the this model could drive on three wheels. Thanks for finally confirming that, yes it can.

[@nygelmiller5293]

Dwayne Harris, from Nygel Miller. Although what you say IS true, it's amazing that this Citroen CAN drive on only THREE wheels, people always praise anything FOREIGN! Don't people realise that our very own Reliants could do that from the start!

[@nevermore891]

See mine driving around Manchester area by August 💪

[@claudedjawoye6345]

Afraid of rust mate😄

[@nevermore891]

Claude Djawoye Yeah 😁 I’ve spent two years cutting rust out.

[@claudedjawoye6345]

@@nevermore891 Good job you did Nice evening to you

[@brianfd622]

I can’t believe how much enjoyment you’ve given me with the last three vids Ian. Cheers

[@terabyte1695]

Hubnut you need to get a DS, i can see a epic journey [when the virus has gone],Starring Hubnut and the citroen DS, i think i like it more than the 2 cv or the Gsa, just my view...

[@claudedjawoye6345]

Mad cow frim uk😁

[@benjaminmarriott1746]

Well executed demonstrations of the aforementioned marvel. I've fallen slightly more in love with the shape, it must've been a spaceship with wheels when released, an intriguing harmony of design and engineering

[@cliffwood4610]

Try holding the brace and spinning the wheel,inertia will come to the rescue...

[@Mortimer50145]

I was about to suggest that, too. Super Heroes would use five braces, all held in one hand, and unscrew all five nuts at the same time. One question that I've always wondered about: what factor led to most (all?) car manufacturers changing at about the same time from studs on the hub and nuts to hold the wheel on, to holes in the hub and bolts to hold the wheel on. I much prefer the latter, as long as there is a central boss to "hang" the wheel on while you rotate it until the holes line up.

[@kurtherman4418]

That is the best engineering ever. I wanted the v8 cortina, but I’ve changed my mind now. I really, really, really want a Citroen DS. If I get one, I will need an Inspector Clouseau hat and Macintosh to complete the ensemble.

[@philipgeorge5708]

Never use your hand as a Hammer! Unless you want problems in later life.

[@emjayay]

Or your head. Actually a line from a play, possibly by Lanford Wilson.

[@moyadapne968]

Yep, a double carpal tunnel operation after doing that for 30 years, so it makes my skin crawl to see him doing it. He should be pulling up on that handle. Arms are made for pulling, not pushing.

[@petersmith6423]

@@moyadapne968 Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, you get to 50 and it just hurts to do that now!!

[@Mortimer50145]

With a double-cranked starting handle type wheelbrace, the best way is to stand facing the front of the car, just behind the wheel. Hold the end of the brace in your right hand (as a "bearing") and pull up on it as you press down on the cranked part with your left foot. Same in reverse (but facing the back of the car) to tighten. And always do the final tightening on every other nut (eg order 1 3 5 2 4) to avoid cyclic stress if you do them in sequence, which can make the wheel not seat quite true on the hub. Another of my grandpa's pearls of wisdom on "how to change a wheel", along with "loosen the nuts slightly while the wheel is on the ground and can cannot spin freely", as Hubnut mentions.

[@alro2434]

The long hex rod used to hand crank is a long lever for the wrench! Also, USE YOUR WEIGHT, just push down if you don't believe in leverage!

[@Hawkemoon1]

Back in the 60's to 80's, my father was a Citroen fan. He had the light 15, big 15, an ID19, DS21, a Safari. I got to tell you, they were the most comfortable car to ride in. The suspension was just brilliant. The cars still hold more tricks that you haven't touched on yet. Like turning it into a convertible with only four bolts. Enjoy the car a we did. You'll learn to love it as well.

[@jarthurs]

Whatever happened to this level of innovation? Much of it killed by accountants and balance sheets methinks.

[@mfbfreak]

It's still there. High end cars have amazing feats of technology these days, from engines that can run both in two stroke and four stroke cycle (Koenigsegg), to engines that can run both a diesel and an otto cycle on the same fuel (Mazda), to cars that can almost-but-not-completely drive themselves (Tesla). The issue with car companies is that competition is intense, and the average buyer is totally fine with conventional suspension and boring cars, so if one company makes boring, acceptable cars, the others will have to follow that company with only a small niche available for the very rich buyers who can afford high tech stuff.

[@olik136]

but today we get a bottle of slime and a mini compressor because it is 24 cent less than a spare tire :) and it works at least 20% of the time!

[@mfbfreak]

@@olik136 Yes, but also because people demand more and more a flat floor in their boot/trunk. Spare tires take up a lot of space. I also get the impression that people aren't very likely anymore to change their own wheels, and that modern tyres don't blow out as much as they used to, but i have no factual support for that.

[@barrywebber100]

What a brilliant quintessentially French classic car! Thanks for posting.

[@tasospappas6627]

I have my grandfather's 1977 CX 2000 and sometimes I trust that car more than newer ones. It makes you feel safe. I wish I had a DS just for the swivellling headlamps. Every Citroen is such a safe and comfortable car to drive. Even the little 2CV!

[@Idylla-le-schnouck]

What a great succes! So many views! This video got me into the Hubnut channel and also gave a little push towards finally buying my own d-type.

[@SuperFIFTHGEAR]

Fantastic video Ian. I've read about all these for years, the DS is one of my favourite cars but I've never actually seen all the things it can do. What a car, the French were right when they called it the DS, as in Déesse.

[@richardbaron7106]

Très fantastique! That's clever engineering right there. When I was a mechanic, we called the adjustable crescent / spanner / wrench a 'nut-farker' coz the jaws tend to slip open and round off the heads. I guess that's why vise-grips were invented :)

[@Pede711]

Thanks for actually showing the whole process (unbolting fender, placing car on jackstand and so on) AND filming af night to visualize instead of just saying "take my word for it" :-)

[@moviebod]

That is a fantastic video Ian. So interesting and so detailed. The car is an absolute gem and a credit to its owner. Love the lights especially.

[@Oregon-Classics]

I own a 74 DS20 Pallas. I don't think I'd have the courage to drive it on 3 wheels. You did it for me! Thanks!

[@stephenward3468]

My dad's DS was such a lovely car and so advanced for it's time.VIVA LA FRANCE.

[@The-Rectifier]

A car that been far ahead of his time and indeed a engineering marvel...but untill now...also the only car I get " seasick " in regrettably. My uncle still own a dark brown Goddess 23 Pallas from 1973 ( he bought it brand new in July 1973) and use it still as a daily driver. It been fully restored in 2003.

[@deezynar]

My dad had one when I was a little kid. He really loved that car. He eventually sold it when it got too hard to keep it going. Citroen had pulled out of the U.S. and getting parts, and qualified mechanics was very difficult. My dad's had the older hub design, which had only one fastener holding the wheels on. We did drive it on 3 wheels once, when we didn't have a spare. The video shows the best wheel to have removed for 3 wheel operation because the driver's weight counter balances the side without a wheel. There were 3 of us in the car that day, and we all slid as far over to the driver's side as we could get. It got us home, and my dad took our other car to buy another tire. If I ever fell into a fortune, I'd buy one that's been fully restored and see what my dad enjoyed about it so much.