Citroen - Citroen DS

The successor to the Traction Avant Citroen, the DS19 was introduced 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 DS 19 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 1911 cc with an upgraded cylinder head which served well for 10 years, until a replacement 1985 cc engine was built in 1969 for the DS 19 called the DS19, renamed DS 20. Meanwhile a DS 21 had been introduced in 1965 with a 2175cc engine which was later fuel injected for 1970. The final DS was the DS23 introduced in 1973 which had the largest engine capacity at 2347 cc, 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 DS was an expensive car to buy, but was also and expensive machine to produce. Production of the Citroen DS continued to 1975.

Tyre size for Citroen DS models:

- The original DS19 had the millimetric wheel size taking the 165R400 tyre size. Blockley produces the best 165HR400 tyre that is made.

Tyre size for DS20, DS21, DS23 (including DS20, DS21 and DS23 Pallas) was originally specified 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 is 15 inches, or 14.96 1 inches, 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! And this would help with tyre sales. So these sizes translate to 180R15 front and 165R15 rear, yet today most people fit a 185R15 all round, and this is what Blockley would recommend, and it keeps the choice of spare wheel size less complicated. There is a lot of supposedly technical talk from people who sell tyres who are not as qualified on technical matters as they think, insisting that the asymetric Michelin pattern is somehow essential for roadholding on any Citroen, but this is pure salesman hot air. If asymetric tread patterns of the XAS were so essential 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 the 185R15 size in any case, which Blockley makes a V rated 185VR15.

Blockley Products for Citroen Citroen DS

165VR15

Blockley Radial

£122.00 (£146.40 inc. VAT)

185VR15

Blockley Radial

£155.00 (£186.00 inc. VAT)

15/16 inch Rim Band (45mm wide)

Blockley Rim Band

£3.30 (£3.96 inc. VAT)

175/185x16 Thickened Inner Tube

Blockley Thickened Inner Tube

£21.00 (£25.20 inc. VAT)

165HR400

Blockley Radial

£139.00 (£166.80 inc. VAT)

Set of 4 165VR15

Blockley Radials

£488.00 (£585.60 inc. VAT)