Citroen GS

The GS replaced Citroen's ugly-duckling Ami range, and was an object of beauty by comparison. Neatly proportioned and well-packaged, it was one of the finest family saloons of its day. And in true Citroen style, it completely defied convention. Underneath, it used a similar hydropneumatic suspension set-up to the bigger DS, while engines were all air-cooled and horizontally opposed. Four-wheel disc brakes, an adjustable ride height and a stiff monocoque shell made for excellent roadholding. Estate versions debuted in1972, followed by a hatchback in 1980. But by far the quirkiest variant of the GS was the1973-75 Birotor, which used a twin rotary engine similar to those used by NSU and Mazda. They were exceptionally smooth to drive, but reliability was poor and Citroen ended up buying back most examples and destroying them to avoid expensive warranty claims!

Citroen GS Specifications