VA VA VROOM!

2019 marked the marque's 100th birthday. How did you celebrate?

We organized a trip to France and attended the Centenary Celebration Meeting in La Ferté-Vidame in a brand-new C5 Aircross we rented from Citro?n. We visited André Citro?n's tomb and the old Javel factory. We were driven in a DS Cabriolet and toured around Paris at night. We visited a lot of Citro?n-related locations and also drove a Traction Avant Familiale on a test circuit at Cité de l'Automobile in Mulhouse.

Any especially fond memories at La Ferté-Vidame?

We were overwhelmed by the sea of Citro?ns, not to mention some of the rarest models, including a large number of DS Cabriolets and Chaprons, an SM Opéra and an official collection of concept cars. It was simply heaven for us. We also had the pleasure to meet Henri-Jacques Citro?n, the grandson of André Citro?n and Linda Jackson, at the time the marque's CEO. We also met a lot of new friends from all over the world who share the same passion for Citro?n.

This year, Citro?n will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the GS and the SM. What do you think about these models?

I never get tired of the side profile of an SM. It's so elegant and timeless, but it still looks so futuristic today. As for the G series, my favourite is the later GSA model, because it has the funkiest dashboard of all-time!

Are you going to organise any special events to celebrate these birthdays?

Unfortunately, I don't believe there are any surviving GS in Hong Kong, but I managed to find some old adverts and photos to prove the existence of the GS here back in the mid-'70s. As far as I know, there's at least one SM in Hong Kong, but it's under restoration at the moment. We would like to display it as soon as possible, so stay tuned …