Citroen - Citroen DS
The successor to what was called the Traction Avant, the Citroen DS19 was shown at the end of 1955 at the Paris Show where it created a sensation, and throughout the duration of the show some 80,000 deposits for the DS19 were taken. The futuristic looking Citroen DS19 redefined what the French way of doing things was! The new DS19 could glide over rough roads with its power steering (as standard) and hydropneumatic suspension in place of conventional springing, developed in house at Citroen to keep the car level. For all its modernity, the engine came from the 1911cc Traction with an upgraded cylinder head that served well for 10 years, until a replacement 1985 cc engine was built in 1969 for the DS 19 and later renamed DS20. Meanwhile a DS21 had been built for 1965 with a larger 2175cc engine, which was later fuel injected for 1970. The final DS model was the DS23 available from 1973 which had the largest engine capacity at 2347cc, the fuel injection version of which was the most powerful of all the DS models, quoted at 141 hp. But throughout it's production the Citroen DS was an expensive car to buy, but it was also an expensive machine to produce. Production of the Citroen DS continued to 1975.
Tyre size for Citroen DS models:
- The original Citroen DS19 had the millimetric wheel size fitted with the 165R400 tyre size. Blockley produces the best 165HR400 tyre that is made.
- Tyre size for Citroen models DS20, DS21, DS23 (including DS20, DS21 and DS23 Pallas) was originally specified with 180x380 front tyres and 155x380 rear tyres, and as time went on these changed to front tyres 180x380 with rear tyres 165x380. The 380mm dimension means it is a 15 inch tyre, but by specifying a millimetric size on the Michelin tyres, the idea may have been that when reordering, a customer would ask for the same 180x380, 155x380 or 165x380, which only Michelin listed, yet every other tyre manufacturer also made! And this would help with tyre sales. So these sizes translate to 180R15 front and for the rear 155R15 or 165R15, yet today most people fit a 185R15 all round, and this is what Blockley would recommend which also keeps the choice of spare wheel size less complicated - although we also produce the 155R15 and 165R15 tyre sizes also) . There is a lot of supposedly technical talk from people who sell Classic car tyres who are not as qualified on technical matters as they purport, insisting that the asymmetric Michelin pattern of the time is somehow essential for roadholding on any Citroen, but this opinion is pure salesman hot air. If asymmetric tread patterns of the Michelin XAS were so essential, then tyres would never have needed to change from this pattern! Blockley tyres offer huge savings for these Citroen owners, with our 185VR15 (and 165HR400 tyres for the earlier cars) and we guarantee if these are not the best tyres you've ever driven on we will refund! Also remember that after 1972 all Citroen DS were recommended this same 185R15 size in any case, and Blockley makes this superb high speed rated period correct 185VR15. See full details of these Citroen DS tyre sizes below:
