Goddess Among Men: 1975 Citroen DS23 Pallas
From its inception in 1955 to the end of the line in 1975, the DS was always ahead of its time. From the oleopneumatic suspension to the semi-automatic gearbox it was truly revolutionary. However, in post-war France, development costs had to be cut, so the engine was always a bit pedestrian for the DS; it had its origins in the pre-war Traction Avant. By 1970 however, the engine got its chance in the form of electronic Bosch fuel injection, becoming an early adopter of injection. Find this 1975 Citroen DS23 Pallas for sale in Brunswick East, Victoria, Australia for $8,500 AUD ($6,300 USD at the time of writing).
This example isn’t fitted with the semi-automatic; instead, it’s got a traditional 5 speed manual on the column. The Pallas was a more luxurious version of the DS, but, notably, this car doesn’t have the optional leather seats: somewhat of a plus if it’s going to spend any time parked outside in Australia. The interior itself still looks classy, and is only let down by the tatty single-spoke steering wheel.
Fuel injection and the largest displacement offered make this the most powerful DS available, with 140hp on tap. Buying this car for its speed is a bit like buying a Swiss Army knife for the nail clippers, though: you’d be completely missing the point. Big French cars have always been for cruising, and with the legendary suspension, this car epitomises that.
The DS is a true classic, but prices have remained low enough to be featured on this website. Sure, this one’s a tad rough, there’s paint missing on the door and rust bubbles around the car. The only issue that needs attention desperately is a fuel leak. Once that’s fixed, and the registration is renewed, this should be a reasonable driver or perhaps rolling restoration.
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Michael is a teenager who’s been obsessed with cars since he was able to talk, but has no ability in mechanics whatsoever. His daily driver is a manual transmission Nissan Maxima – the Australian Infiniti I30.
That could be a very good deal. It all depends what "some rust" means in Australian. Certainly the best of the equipment for these: 2.3L FI engine and the 5-speed manual. The Semi-auto is a source of much misery on these cars, including the fact that they are undriveable in the case of a hydraulic problem. At least with the manual box, you can creep home, in the ultimate low-rider.
Wee Wee Pee Pee color….