This August will mark the 50th anniversary of the Citroën GS, the quirky yet stylish French sedan that won the hearts of Europeans for more than 15 years of production. At the Retromobile Show in Paris in January, Citroën marked the occasion by unveiling the (deep breath) ‘Citroën GS by Tristan Auer for Les Bains’, a restored and slightly restyled GS led by the aforementioned interior designer (a name you may also remember from THIS news piece). And now, the car company has released a line of clothing and accessories based on Auer’s reimagining.
Not that the GS ever needed any big changes, considering its success. It debuted at the 1970 Paris Auto Show and went on to earn the title of European Car of the Year in 1971. It was built to fill the gap under the larger and more expensive DS sedan, and sold around 2.5 million cars from 1970 to the end of its production in 1987.
Power came from an air-cooled flat-four-cylinder engine, producing a woeful 55hp before being improved, slightly, to 60hp. But it was lauded for its technological advancements, especially the hydropneumatic suspension Citroën had become famous for, giving the GS a smooth, settled ride. It was incredibly roomy for five passengers and also featured four-wheel disc brakes, somewhat of a novelty back then.
Over the years, the GS was built in sedan, hatchback, station wagon and even delivery van versions, and in 1979, it was renamed the GSA, for some reason. This Tristan Auer version is a 1972 GS 1015 Comfort model, with a revised interior, and will remain ‘in residence’ at the luxurious Les Bains hotel for the next three years to ferry guests around Paris. If you can’t make it there, the clothing lineup – which is intended for ‘beach, pool and spa’, apparently – can be found on the car company’s lifestyle website.
*Images courtesy of Citroën
