1973 Citroen DS21ie Pallas - Test Drive

POV driving video done for an Opposite Lock article. The car is on its way to Japan and will undergo a full restoration in the beginning of 2016.

[@Charles06051969]

Magnificent trip! First video that I see where the ds's engine is squeezed a lot. Congratulations !

[@smhorse]

That's the thing about the DS21: it's deceptively fast. And the semi-auto shift makes it all so easy.

[@tasospappas6627]

What a nice feeling driving a hydropneumatic Citroen... That reminds me the CX 2000 that I have...

[@saxbruce]

I have one exactly the same (sable metallisee in colour, with a 'tabac' leather interior. I love driving it.

[@mdnis]

Just a great car. Sounds a little noisy. Is a window down or did you have a hole in the muffler?

[@ianrichardson6125]

My dream car except colour unfortunately I can never have one as in the country of Georgia we can not bring cars in under 2005 ,I have been a fan of them for years

[@chrisbarlow2131]

Mate, a fish eye lens view of a DS doesn't do it any favours. Its long and sleek not round like a Beetle.

[@granskare]

I like the way you could start it....push the gear change lever to the extreme left and voila! I used to call this car the car with bullets because of the position of the rear lights - ok, a dumb thing...we had a 74 Peugeot 504 which was a grand car...comfort to rival your ds..I am happy to know it will be fully restored in Japan - I have come to prefer the TA from following the videos of a guy in Brittany... best wishes, chuck

[@stephanestephane4291]

No way your 504 could even rival a DS comfortwise

[@minutepapillon5060]

​@@stephanestephane4291 exactement , ni même en tenue de route..

[@conradgaarder2789]

One of the commenters says this is a 1971. Anyone have an opinion about that?

[@danoprea3066]

4:45 what is the proper way to downshift with this transmission? I see the car shuddered at that time. Do you have to let the gas pedal completely and be under a certain speed for each gear? The upshifts seem very good, fast yet smooth.

[@MrTheMiguelox]

If you lift the gas the shifts are smoother and slower, you can shift under full throttle, because the transmission automatically disables power during the shift, the shift is faster but less smooth.

[@danoprea3066]

@@MrTheMiguelox Thanks. Does this work for downshifts as well? Is it sufficient to take the foot off the gas before the downshift to make it smooth or you have to lift foot off the gas and wait for the speed to drop below a certain threshold for each gear before making the downshift?

[@stephanestephane4291]

It won't shift until you lift foot. Downshifts were obviously too brutal here

[@blackpool321]

Amazing

[@cleversqoda6671]

Ta, to prawda, jest niesamowite.

[@stephanestephane4291]

1971 not 1973

[@martinparker6536]

fish eye lens does'nt do these cars justice

[@bobdocteurvelo7535]

il a un problème de biellettes jamais conduit comme ça une DS

[@traxnada]

Bob docteur vélo un injecteur était mort, elle tournait sur 3 cylindres en gros...

[@jybe75013]

un mega souci dans la direction oui :)

[@bobdocteurvelo7535]

marche très bien ce moteur ! mais la direction, craignos ! peut être pression pneus ! mais a mon avis c'est plus grave !

[@traxnada]

Non il tournait sur 3 cylindre avec un injecteur bouché... Gros manque de puissance egalement. La direction n'avait aucun probleme, la voiture est maintenant entierement restaurée et utilisée presque au quotidien ici au Japon. Les pneus avaient par contre au moins 25 ans si ce n'est plus (des Kleber super vieux) et avait du etre changés...

[@jybe75013]

Si c 'est les pneus change les vite..., tu as des mouvements d'une amplitude démentielle pour tenir la voiture en ligne droite. J'ai 2 DS dont une IE si je les conduis comme ca je sors de la route direct au bout de 100m :)

[@jeanmariepinault294]

Conduite beaucoup trop saccadée la DS n’apprecie pad😮

[@jourwalis-8875]

Rather boring with just one camera position/angle all the time.... Otherwise a nice car!

[@traxnada]

lol It's not meant to be interesting, it was only done to go with this article: oppositelock.kinja.com/1973-citroen-ds21-ie-the-oppo-review-1749757529 And I'd happily have more than one camera, but at the time I had only one so...