citroen gsa

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My GS/GSA Connection

"Why is someone so enthousiast to sit for hours and hours behind the screen of a computer, to build a homepage, about a car who was taken out of production over ten years ago, and did not exactly had a very good reputation...?"
People have asked me this question hundred's of times... Well, let me try to explain....

At first there is me, I was born 22 years ago, in a small town called Delfzijl, located in the very North of The Netherlands. My father, a devoted Citroënist, drove an old Citroën GS at the time. From the very beginning I was fascinated by cars. I really can't remember why. What I do recall is that I was asthonished, seeing my father's GS start. If you start a GS, you don't start it and drive away... A GS starts, lifts itself and then drives away. In those early years this was surely a sign to me that a GS was not an ordinary car, but much more than that.

My father's 1972 GS Club Service The car my father drove at the time was a 1972 GS Club Service (photo). It's colour was white. He bought it in 1974 and drove it untill 1978. When he sold it, it had only driven 80.000 kilometers. This type GS was one of the types only a few where sold off (Break Service Vitree). Although the car was technically in a good shape, it was heavily rusting, due to continious exposure to seawater. At the time my father was Captain on a coaster and he took the car with him on his journeys.

In 1981 my father bought his GSA. It was a brand new Club Break, colour beige. The car was extremely well maintained and we drove only 62.200 kilometers with it. In 1988 my father decided it was better to buy a diesel, due to the increase of kilometers he drove. So the GSA was traded on a 1985 BX 19 Diesel. My father's 1981 GSA Club  Break

Although I grew up, and got my driving license about three years ago, I regret to say that I don't own a GS/GSA myself. The reason is that I am a student and therefor money is tight. I now drive an old Citroën BX a GS/GSA would just cost too much. In a couple of years I hope to buy my own GSA. A nice GSA Club Break, a GSA Pallas or a GSA X1 is my dream, although I would also fancy A GSX/X2 or X3. For my father; he drives a Xantia Diesel nowadays. A very nice car to drive with good looks and very reliable too, but it is not a GS/GSA.

The BX is my first car and although I am quite happy with it, I like the GS/GSA more. The years have gone by since I started my GS/GSA hobby and it became more than a hobby, sometimes it is a passion. Citroën Enthousiasts know what I am talking about, it's a feeling that can't be described. For me the Citroën GS/GSA is the most beautifull car in the world, despite it's problems. Personally I would never buy any other car than a Citroën.

Today the Citroën GS and GSA have become semi-classical cars. Not many cars are left. In The Netherlands, for example there are less then thousand running, of originally more than hundred-and-tenthousand sold. This is exactly the reason why I made this homepage. The GS and GSA are undervalued by a lot of people. Nowadays most of the attention of citroën enthousiasts goes out to the ID/DS, 2CV, Traction Avant and CX types, who of course are special cars. But, this is not completely fair to the GS/GSA. The car also was a car who was ahead of it's time, when it was made. Luckely more and more people start to realize that. As clubs evolve in France, Germany and England. The Dutch GS/GSA Club was already founded in 1988. Therefor this homepage, the GS/GSA deserve to be remembered as extraordinary cars, who where not like any other car that was produced at the time. Concluding; an original Citroën!

Mattijs Kemmink, 1998-2000

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© W.M.Kemmink
1995-2000

I like to receive e-mail, therefor you are welcome to send me any message for any comments, ideas, questions or additions! I also welcome any contribution! mattysk@dds.nl