|
|
|
Review by Blair
Anderson in Canada
When someone becomes interested, fascinated,
and intrigued with any subject, be it music,
cooking, trains, cars, or anything else, you
tend to seek out information on that subject to
deepen and enhance your knowledge.
I acquired my first Citroën, a 1978 G Spécial
for a number of reasons: I was fascinated by
Citroën automobiles, they are rare where I live,
and the technology was intriguing and attractive
to me. Since I live in Canada, the availability
of Citroën cars was relatively short-lived and
restricted largely to the D series.
Occasionally, I would spot an SM locally, and,
when travelling, a 2CV or H van.
When I spotted a GS on the cover of a local
vehicle “buy and sell” periodical, I made some
phone calls, test drove the car, and bought it
on the spot. It was brought to Canada by a
German soldier who was stationed for two years
in a Manitoba army base where foreign soldiers
trained on heavy military tanks and other
vehicles. Importation was relatively simple and
I began a long term involvement with things
Citroën.
When my good friend, Julian Marsh, told me that
he was editing an English version of the Dutch
language “Citroën GS & GSA - Citroën’s
avant-garde mid-range cars”, I was intrigued and
said that if he needed anything from me, I would
be happy to oblige. Some photos taken when the
car was in regular use were sent along with a
few anecdotes that I felt were informative
regarding my particular experience in Canada.
A copy of the book was received and I
immediately sat and read through it, revelling
in the photos and details provided.
Now, I’m far from an “expert” when it comes to
the G series, but I can’t help but admire the
Dutch author, Marc Stabèl’s range of knowledge
and his sharing this information in a book
devoted to the series.
The book is substantial - some 276 pages - with
many photographs, drawings, and tables that are
almost overwhelming in detail. Reading it I was
reminded of the venerable tome “Original Citroën
DS” by John Reynolds and Jan de Lange. It is
divided into appropriate chapters giving a
detailed telling of the history, origins,
introduction, variations, production, and
particulars about the cars outside France.
Of special importance is the year-by-year
chapters that illustrate the subtle and
not-so-subtle changes introduced throughout the
15-year run of the model.
First impressions are good - the cover of the
hardcover book shows a GS in three-quarter front
view in rouge geranium in a field with scenery
and lighting that compliments and sets off the
car to good effect. The pages have a good weight
and texture and the photos are all crisp,
colourful, and sharp. Many of the photos are
unique to this book and the technical details
are impressive. The layout by Thijs van Der
Zanden is in a simple, modern three-column
format that is designed to draw the reader in,
befitting of the car itself.
Of particular interest is the opening chapter
that details the development and origins of the
series. It is always intriguing to read through
exactly how the series came to be what it
ultimately became - the compromises and
triumphs. As you may be aware, Citroën during
the time of the development of the G series was
in turmoil. In fact, the “Project F”, the
development model designation, was designed to
fill the significant gap in the model lineup
between the 2CV and the D series - a tough
challenge, to be sure. The Ami 6, 8, the Dyane,
and the Mehari fitted in the lineup but were all
closer to the 2CV than the D.
The details in the book, in particular regarding
the choice of suspension, is gripping and
underlines Citroën’s commitment to technical
excellence, ever mindful of the bottom line and
customers’ preferences.
Being not able to read Dutch in which the first
edition of this book was written doesn’t allow
me to comment on the differences that may or may
not be present in this English translation. In
that regard, I must compliment both Marc Stabèl,
the author, and Julian Marsh’s English
translation. It is not easy to change the
language of technical text with all the
subtleties and nuances expressed in the original
Dutch.
Overall, I give this book a solid thumbs up. For
anyone even slightly interested in the G series
from Citroën, it contains intrigue, has depth,
is very pleasant on the eye, technically rich,
and is, in my humble opinion, the “non plus
ultra” on the subject of the remarkable Citroën
GS and GSA.
|
|
|
Review
by James Walshe in the UK
Every now and then, you buy a book you think
looks good on the shelf – but it turns out to be
better than you ever expected. Marc Stabel’s new
publication is a case in point. ‘Citroen GS
& GSA – Citroen’s Avant-Garde Mid-Range
Cars’ is a delight throughout every one of its
276 pages and is packed with images as beautiful
as they are intriguing and informative. With
words expertly translated by Citroenist and
creator of Citroenet.org Julian Marsh, the book
engages from start to finish, appealing to
already well-informed enthusiasts and those new
to the marque.
The book delivers anything from design sketches
to photos which have never been previously
published and is an absolute must for the
Citroen fan – let alone the GS/A owner. On a
personal note, as a CX owner and having read
this book twice already, it feels even more
absurd to me now that I have never owned a G. I
fear that reading the book again will lead me
down that path!
|
|
James Walshe is Deputy Editor for Britain’s
biggest selling classic car magazine, Practical Classics - a
hands-on monthly publication which features car
restorations and classic vehicles of all eras
and types. James grew up in a Citroen family,
among Visas, Dyanes, CXs and XMs, and currently
owns two Citroen CXs, and a Dyane.
|
|
|
Review
by Richard Bonfond in the USA as published in Citroënvie
and Pacific Citroën News
Although we never officially saw the Citroën
GS in North America, I feel that if this vehicle
had been available in Canada and the United
States it could have changed the future of
Citroën on the North American continent. 1970
saw two new vehicles to the Citroën line-up, and
not a minute too soon, as by the late sixties
the only thing available, as far as passenger
vehicles, were the 2-cylinder (A-Series)
vehicles and on the other end of the spectrum
the D-Series vehicles. The Citroën SM, which was
the result of the Citroën-Maserati accord, was
presented to the public in March, 1970 at the
Geneva Motor Show, the second was the
much-needed Citroën GS which would fill the void
of the mid-range vehicle that Citroën did not
have at the time. The GS was presented to the
public at the Paris Motor Show in October, 1970.
Very few books about the Citroën GS and GSA
have ever been written but Marc Stabèl has truly
done justice to the model. This new and revised
version is the second release of the book which
should prove to be of interest to a much wider
audience as this version is in English. For the
second version, Marc Stabèl collaborated with
well know British webmaster and Citroën
enthusiast Julian Marsh, as well as Thijs van
der Zanden from Citrovisie in the Netherlands
for the design and publishing of the book. This
276-page hardback color book covers every aspect
of the GS and GSA from research and development,
introduction and presentation, to production and
assembly. Every model year is covered in detail
from the model’s infancy to its eventual demise.
Other topics mentioned are such vehicles as the
GS Birotor and Coupé, the GS abroad,
accessories, publicity, miniatures, color
variations as well as production figures.
Having started my apprenticeship with Citroën
in 1971 shortly after the GS was introduced, I
found the book hard to put down as it kept me
engaged with every chapter and brought back
memories of my early days with Citroën. The book
is well laid-out with countless, never before
published pictures and a must read, not only for
the GS owner but for any Citroën enthusiast as
well. At €37.50 the book is available online
from Citrovisie and is the
perfect gift for that special Citroën enthusiast
in your life! Be sure to check out the other
selection of books available at Citrovisie.
|
|
Consider being
around one solitary subject your whole life,
well that is the case with Richard Bonfond who
grew up with Citroën from the day he was born.
After the Second
World War, Richard’s father, Albert Bonfond,
opened an independent repair shop in Brussels
where he repaired anything that rolled in the
door but he had a strong penchant for Citroën
that would follow both Albert, and his son,
Richard, throughout their lives. After
immigrating to the United States in 1956, Albert
Bonfond went to work for Citroën Cars
Corporation in Beverly Hills, (Los Angeles)
California, soon after the company had opened
its west coast headquarters. He remained with
the company throughout his professional life
until retirement.
Growing up around
the Traction-Avant and the birth of the DS it
probably comes as no surprise that by the time
Richard was an adolescent, he was well and truly
bitten by the Double Chevron to the point that
he followed in his father’s footsteps and
eventually, worked for Citroën on two continents
first, in the United States and then in France,
Belgium, and the United Kingdom.
When Richard first
moved to Paris for his initial training in 1971,
he arrived shortly after the introduction of the
SM and the GS, a pair of much-needed
arrivals into the lineup of vehicles for
Automobiles Citroën at the time. As important
and avant-garde as the SM was, the introduction
of the GS was just as important if not more, as
this vehicle filled a void that the company was
in dire need of, in an attempt to stay ahead of
the competition.
Having worked for
Citroën shortly after the introduction of the
GS, Richard Bonfond reflects on Marc Stabèl’s
book, Citroën GS & GSA – Citroën’s
avant-garde mid-range cars, which brought back
fond memories of what he considers, one of the
best periods and fortunate times of being
involved with Automobiles Citroën.
|
|
|
Review
by Dan Rubinstein in the UK as published in Flat
Four Forum in the Citroenian, the magazine of
the Citroën Car Club
Christmas came early for me on 30th November
when a knock on the door brought my copy of the
new English translation copy of "Citroën GS and
GSA" from the Dutch publisher Citrovisie and
translated courtesy of our own Julian Marsh. A
detailed study of the G Series is long overdue
in whatever language, and this book is nothing,
if not a detailed study! It would take pages and
pages in itself to expound upon the wealth of
new photographs, information and some
revelations contained in those glossy pages,
which approaches the encyclopaedic . For
instance, I was unaware that the initial engine
size proposed for the G was 947c c, but
that management (wisely) felt that the
public would baulk at any engine size
under 1000cc. Or that poor Monsieur Opron
received no company car for his efforts... (they
could have lent the guy an SM at
least!)
To take an overview of G history, what emerges
(slightly sadly), is that numerous fascinating
and striking design proposals, put forward
around the G mechanicals, never saw the
light of day outside a studio, arguably, due to
the financial constraints imposed by
Peugeot. Myself and many were already
aware of the stillborn coupe
proposals, but I was unaware of the other
"might-have - beens", which included a ex-style
new front end and wheel-arch flares, a
cabriolet, a "Rancho" style faux-offroader
estate called the "Bivouac", a Haynes
remodel of the Birotor with striking sci-fi
seats, and (frankly absurdly) a decidedly porky
beach buggy (watch those sills disappear)!
Perhaps contrary to myth, readers learn that a
pick-up version was never proposed or made by
the factory, although a number of quality
conversions were offered. Amongst the design
detailing we can find a "Head Up Display "
dashboard proposed in 1976, a full
30 years before that on the C6.
Instead, as you know, we only got the brave,
but doomed, Birotor and the one - off show car
Camargue by Bertone. And that's it. (Unless you
also count the distinctive 3 - door
"long-window "version of the Commerciale van,
only produced until 1976.)
Incidentally, the book digresses slightly to
refer to an anticipated Birotor decapotable
project following a Chapron design, started way
back in the 1970s, and which may be completed
next year by its present owner.
More prosaically, the book also details the
year-on-year design changes to the production
cars- it is interesting, how the early cars in
particular underwent numerous mechanical and
design changes, best described as tackling
"teething troubles". However, the
essential "rightness" of the design was such
that, in a group comparison of 1978, the G still
came out on top for aerodynamic efficiency eight
years after its launch. Its numerous Rally
successes are also detailed.
Basically, if you are a fan of the G Series,
this book is vital, though not cheap (and
perhaps Santa - on his hydro-pneumatic sleigh -
has heard your plea by now). But more than
that, it fills a massive gap in the literature
regarding Citroen’s design and engineering
history in its magnificently distinctive era of
the DS, 2CV, Ami and CX . The book is written in
an informal and accessible style. If I have one
(trivial) criticism, the unique driving
experience of the G itself could have received
some more coverage in the book. All that
technology and ingenuity is very well described,
but the way it directly affected the perceptions
of the driver is somewhat under-represented. I'd
be very interested to hear other peoples '
impressions of the book.
|
|
