As you may or may not know, I have been somewhat absent here at Hooniverse because I have been in a five way brawl trying to capture the Head Writers Position at (Redacted). So while trolling around for some newsworthy items from around the web, I came across this little gem from a site I spent a few months writing for, Car Throttle. They have a very European slant, and long story made short, I stopped writing for them for personal reasons. However, the writers are great, and they find great stories that usually don’t make it across the pond, like this one.
It seems that a rare Citroën went up for auction this past week in Paris at the 35th Rétromobile exhibition at Porte de Versailles from the January 22-31. On January 23rd Bonhams offered 99 cars and 50 exceptional items of automobilia. A prestigious 28-car collection belonging to an Andalusian industrialist is the centerpiece of the sale. It includes five Hispano-Suiza cars with elegant coach-built bodies, several Bentleys, a Lagonda, a Hor, a Cadillac V16 Double Phaeton
convertible and a 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza estimated at more than a million euros. Among all these beautiful cars is the subject of this post, one that is both beautiful and technically fascinating, the 1971 Citroën DS21 Décapotable with coachwork by Henri Chapron.
The sale price is estimated to be somewhere in the neighborhood of €130,000 – €150,000. This particular car underwent an extensive restoration, including a bare metal repaint in the original Jet Black color, re-plating or replacing of all stainless brightwork. and a complete re-do of the stunning cognac leather interior and black canvas top. The work was performed to a concours standard, of course. Mechanically the Citroën Décapotable has a new steering rack, hydraulic pump, accumulator, suspension spheres, voltage regulator, alternator, starter switch and cables, and a new exhaust system.
So is this car worth the auction estimates? You tell me. Wouldn’t you really have this car rather than, oh let’s say a Ferrari, or a Porsche? I would, but what about you?
1971 Citroën Décapotable – Yes, its very French, so its very Hooniversalustworthy!
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It's a very nice Citroen rag top, if you like that sort of thing. The styling of these cars just never appealed to me, but that's just me. Mechanically they're very cool.
Given my druthers, I'll take a Porsche RSR, thank you very much. -
This is a stunningly gorgeous car. It's a shame that in all likelihood, it will be seldom, if ever, driven.
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Here is a video that has one that not only gets driven a crazy distance to attend a car show, but is a far more rare and desirable DS ragtop.
If you don't want to watch the whole thing (but I can't imagine why you wouldn't), the car in question is the metallic red one that is at the 4:58-5:20 portion of the vid. It is literally the nicest one I will probably ever see in the flesh.
[youtube d7pf7iwm8Ho http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7pf7iwm8Ho youtube]
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So, 150K Euros is currently about 207 thousand Dollars. Think about that. Think about the lovelies you could add to your garage for that pile of cabbage. Hell, think about the GARAGE you could add to your garage for that price.
Also, it looks like a lap dog. My dog eats lap dogs for brekkies. -
If I get a hydropnuematically suspended Citroen, it will be to play with the suspension to give it racecar handling. In other words, a far from concours example.
That said, 5-speed Déesse, *swoon*.
And Gattaca, how could we forget Gattaca talking about the versatility of French cars at Murilopnik yesterday? Dress from the 40s, cars from the 70s, that's dystopia.-
Ms Thurman, please get out of the way. You are stopping me from further appreciating the DS. The whole aesthetic of Gattaca was great – especially the cars.
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This is not a question of "rather than", people who spent these kind amounts on cars are more the type of "and". If my cash would permit I would love to see the Décapotable in my garage.
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I've got to admit, it's a gorgeous car. Like a big black trout. Since the hydraulics have been gone through, it shouldn't give you much grief. At that price it better not. It's a trailer queen anyway, for that kind of money, so that's not an issue.
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If you can afford one of these, you probably have enough for one (or several) of each.
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For anyone who wants to see one of these things that is not a trailer queen…here is one doing a pseudo barrel race at the Citroen Rendezvous.[youtube avhZsg0ve9k http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avhZsg0ve9k youtube]
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Sex on wheels.
If they made shoes that looked like this, women would buy them. Complete with little headlights to illuminate. -
I'd take that over almost any classic car.
Funny thing about that other site, UDMan: Nobody ever comments anymore. Only us writers. It feels real lonely. What's up with that?-
Take it from someone that knows … nothing's changed. At least when the writers comment they're generally positive. The same can't be said for other commenters. I'd put it out of your head.
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Yeah. But it would just be more FUN if people actually, you know, interacted with us. Just sayin'.
I guess I'm just jealous of Hooniverse, which has the best commenters of any auto blog I read.
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Dustin, I'm not really going to think about it any more. So many people said that I should have never tried out to be the lead over there. But I did keep it interesting, at least that's what I thought.
BTW, were you running for the same position?-
Naw, just writing freelance. I have a lot of other freelance marketing writing work that I can't drop. Plus, when I take a full-time gig, it'll be with other people. I've been working alone for far too long. It's not good for you, you know.
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That blasted thing has been bugging me since I first read this post this morning! I keep thinking I've seen a similar car, somewhere. Not a Citroen of course. But yet it looks familiar somehow, and I just can't place it. Arrgh, I hate when this happens.
At any rate it's a fantastic machine. Such beautiful yet understated, graceful curves.
I also like the subtle illusion which is a chance result of the first photo's shooting angle: The fender skirt brightwork blends perfectly into the hubcap, and lends the illusion of distortion from movement. The "forward look" applied low. Sneaky little frogs! -
What else can be said of this magnificent automobile? Just stunning.
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So, I was catching up on Chuck this weekend. I had Tivo'd all the new episodes, but haven't had a chance to watch it. Anyway, in the first episode of the season, Chuck is in training in Prague. Mrs. engineerd laughed at me because I was naming all the cars in the backgrounds. According to the Chuck producers, Prague is chock full of pre-80s European steel. Including a Citroen DS, a Merc 600(?), an old Skoda and some other tasty little morsels of automotive love.
Thank you, UDMan, for bringing this fine specimen of automotive love to my attention. I may need a moment.-
Dustin, just clean up after yourself, OK?
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The line "It's very French, so it's very Hooniversalustworthy!" just reminded me of why I love this site.
Honestly, though, I simply can't work up much enthusiasm for the DS Decapotable. It's not that I'm not strange enough– I am, I assure you. It's just that they lack the DS sedan's impeccable aerodynamic lines, and that their rarity makes them sell for obscene amounts of money. For the price of this Decapotable, I could get a nice DS sedan for tooling around town, an SM for classic rallies and tours (an SM with a Merak SS's 3-liter motor would be pretty goddamn awesome in my book) and have plenty of money left over for a yard full of rusty old Peugeots and Sunbeams.-
You could transform that SM into an SM Breadvan:
<img src="http://www.ridelust.com/wp-content/uploads/Citroen-SM-Shortened-Prototype-Rear-And-Side-1024×768.jpg">
I would drive it everywhere.
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Were I looking for a "statement car", this would be at the top of the list. I can only imagine the double-take induced whiplash this beauty would generate everywhere from car events to just pulling up for valet parking at el Gaucho.
Good luck in the writer cage match UDMan, I hope to see you contributing to the car-diction of us hoons soon.-
Got news this morning… they would rather have a guy that writes WTF, "Holy __________ Batman", and other very opinionated postings, rather that historic, thought provoking, and retrospective posts. My problem seems to be that I didn't appeal to the target audience, which is exactly the same problem I have at CarDomain.
Good News? well, now I have more free time to contribute here.-
Personally, I am glad you will be here instead!
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"However, the writers are great, and they find great stories that usually don’t make it across the pond, like this one."
Gee thanks! -
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by James Brennan and Bastiaan de Vries, Hooniverse. Hooniverse said: From the Hooniverse:: 1971 Citroën Décapotable – Yes, its very French, so its very Hooniversalustworthy! http://bit.ly/bCIL99 […]
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You absolutely outdid yourself this time. Great work
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I agree totally with this
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