1970 - 1979

GS : 1970-1981 (Here in the Paris Motor Show)
production : 1.874.754

The Company in 1970

The Dalat factory comes into operation in Saigon (South Vietnam), assembling a vehicle derived from the Babybrousse, itself developed from the Méhari.
A facility for the assembly of the Babybrousse comes into operation in Abidjan (Ivory Coast).
A new department opens in the Nanterre factory (Paris region) to assemble engines for the GS.
In the Moroccan Rally, five DS21s are among only seven cars to reach the finish.
In the Citroën tradition of great automotive explorations, THE COMPANY organizes a Paris-Kabul-Paris long-distance rally. The 1,300 participants, are all less than 30 years old, and all are driving 2 CVs, Dyanes or Méharis.
Annual production : 535 660 vehicles.

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SM : 1970-1975
production : 12.920

The Paris Motor Show unveils the GS: 1,015 cm³ air-cooled flat-4 cylinder engine developing 55.5 bhp at 6,500 rpm, 6 bhp, 149 km/h, 9.68 litres/100 km. The GS is equipped with a 4-speed gearbox, four power-operated disc brakes with double circuits, and an all-independent hydropneumatic suspension system. Built as 5-seat 4-door saloon or 5-door estate, the GS is produced in 1,896,742 examples between September 1970 and July 1981.
March sees the launch of the SM, a luxury coupé born of the 1968 agreement with Maserati. The Maserati 2,670 cm³ engine develops 179 bhp DIN at 5,500 rpm. Rated 15 bhp, the SM consumes 12.5 litres/100 km. It has a 5-speed gearbox, hydropneumatic suspension with automatic height correction and 4 power-operated disc brakes with independent front and rear circuits. Brake power is adjusted automatically according to vehicle load and distribution, while the power steering works on an entirely new principle: automatic centering of wheels - even when parking - and power proportional to speed. The six headlamps offer automatic levelling.

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M 35 rotary piston engine
In January, Citroën intrigues technical enthusiasts with the M35 prototype, powered by a rotary piston engine, the result of studies carried out with Comobil. The 995 cm³ single-rotor engine develops 49 bhp at 5,500 rpm. Rated 6 bhp, the M35 has a 4-speed gearbox, travels at 144 km/h and consumes 9.7 litres/100 km.

In the news in 1970

General de Gaulle dies.
The French government signs agreements on vocational training for adults and introduces a new minimum wage: the SMIC.
Salvador Allende is elected President of the Republic of Chile.
Conceptual art is born in the USA. Robert Altman makes MASH.