By Antti Kautonen
I’m not going to lie, this banana yellow Citroën DS Safari (or Break, or Wagon, or Estate) was one of my favourite sightings in Amsterdam. Thanks to the colour, it was easily spotted on the canal side, as we were walking in the fairly freezing wind towards the Hermitage. The Hermitage houses the van Gogh collection at the moment as the actual Vincent van Gogh museum is under repair.
We missed the collection by some 10 minutes that day, as the museum was already closing, but at least we saw the Citroën on the way, right?
Since I can’t run the plates, I have only a vague idea of the car’s production year. The Safari was produced from 1958 on, but the redesigned nose with the extra headlights would mean it’s a 1962-onwards car. This nose was made until 1967, when the actual facelift occurred.
In comparison to yesterday’s beaten CX:s, this DS is exceptionally well kept and only has a minimum amount of cosmetic damage. Also, I see no rust anywhere apart from the wheels.
Wacky twin rear registration plate is probably due to the fact that the vertical plate is so deeply embedded you couldn’t see it from a taller vehicle, so a horizontal one is needed. Or whatever.
This is my favorite angle of the car. This shows you all the wackiness with the car, from the roofline’s drooping curvature (steel roof on the estate version) to the weird, weird detailing. Also, you can see the body colour detailing inside the car.
[Images: Copyright 2013 Hooniverse/Antti Kautonen]
Jeff Glucker
Nicest find yet DOTAS.
The second rear plate could be for running with the tailgate down, like the hinged rear plate on early Minis to allow you to drive legally with the trunk open for extra luggage capacity.
Or it may just be a handy spot to keep the third license plate (for somebody who pulls a lot of different trailers trailer) without losing it…
Yes and apparently it is quite sturdy!
<img src="http://farm1.staticflickr.com/45/128930298_d80d6b6c8f_z.jpg" width="650/">
You're absolutely right! You can find the proof in the positioning of the license-plate lighting.
Looks like a banana slug.
If you want to check Dutch plates: https://ovi.rdw.nl/
Citroën ID 19F. First registration: 10-1966. The current owner bought it less than a year ago.
That is really handy, and I'll need to use it. Thanks.
While I can and do appreciate Citroen's older styling, I've never had that "Oh man that needs to be in my garage" reaction to one before. But this one, I don't know why, it checks all the right boxes. That last shot- the rear 3/4 view- perfect.
It's hideous. I love it. Road trip to the max. Pack it up and find a destination after you've left.
Does it look like it has too many doors to anybody else? I count the standard 4 passenger doors, but when I dont look straight at it, I think there are 6 or 8 doors there. Like some sort of Gallic optical illusion.
That is a tremendous car! I love the little bugeyed driving lights. And that nose! This car is an automotive platypus.
Franco-DOTS FTW!
The nose of this car is really unique!! Love it! <img src="http://2.s05.flagcounter.com/count/1Jx/bg=FFFFFF/txt=FCFCFC/border=FFFFFF/columns=1/maxflags=1/viewers=3/labels=0/";;;; alt="Free counters!" width="1" height="1" border="0" /> <img src="http://2.s03.flagcounter.com/count/tcRC/bg=FFFFFF/txt=FCFCFC/border=FFFFFF/columns=1/maxflags=1/viewers=Visitors/labels=1/";;;; width="1" height="1" border="0" />
I love the DS, but definitely not the DS Safari. Brrr…..
<img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yoNOTXrfFAs/T1jkaxw4k-I/AAAAAAAAGqk/QPwWLs3wKKQ/s1600/CITROEN DS-SAFARI.jpg" width="670/">
EDIT: I got a thumbs down, because I said I didn't like the DS Safari???
I'm with you: I love the DS sedan (and convertible), I love wagons in general (I owned three in a row), but the Safari just doesn't do it for me. The CX wagon, on the other hand…
I very much prefer the DS and XM wagons to the CX. The CX is too close to the Loadrunners/Tissiers to float my boat.
No, you're wrong, thumbs down for you too! 😉
Yep, EXACTLY the same here!
Thank you very much. <3