I DON’T usually like “converted” cars! We have tested and recommended a few good ones, but most of them tend to be rough and noisy compared with standard models. Increased performance is all very well, but an improved car should surely be quieter and more flexible, as well as being faster. All of which brings me to a car which is much smoother and very much quieter than the production job and, incidentally, which goes quite a bit more quickly.

The Citroëns of the 19 series are endowed with marvellous roadholding and brakes. Thus, they are ideal machines for the engine tuner to tackle. The Connaught G.T. Citroën, however, is much more than just a hotted-up car. The new vehicle is supplied complete and is based on the ID. It has cream coachwork with stainless body side strips and black interior trim. Fully reclining individual bucket seats are fitted, with a Stirling Moss wood-rimmed steering wheel and Brooks safety belts.

The DS-type instrument panel is used,with power steering and power brakes, operated by the well-known “button” pedal. Elaborate sound-proofing is applied to the body, and a Kenlowe electric fan saves the noise and power loss of a belt-driven rotor in permanent engagement. The manual gearchange of the ID is retained, the latest pattern having a synchronized first speed.

The engine is suitably modified for increased performance with improved flexibility. The light alloy cylinder head is machined to increase the compression ratio and the individual inlet ports, carefully balanced, are led out of the casting separately instead of merging inside.

The external manifold carries twin Solex carburetters, of which one was originally on the engine. The exhaust ports are also streamlined and the flywheel is considerably lightened.  

The complete car, which includes all the most desirable features of the ID and the DS, costs little more than the latter model in spite of its much more attractive interior appointments. At £1,597 19s. 7d. it is quite an appealing proposition.

I recently spent a memorable week in France with a Connaught G.T. Citroën. This included covering the Le Mans race as well as visiting Paris and competing in the permanent Grand Prix which is staged there. My French friends were unanimous in their approval of the car, being particularly impressed with the seats and the interior treatment.

One is immediately entranced with the smoothness and silence of the car, which is quite phenomenal for a four-cylinder. Very high revs. can be attained, and I was guilty of touching 70 m.p.h. and 95 m.p.h. in second and third speeds respectively. The acceleration, particularly from a standstill to 80 m.p.h., is much more vivid than that of the standard car.

Above 90 m.p.h. the speed increases relatively slowly, but a timed 104 m.p.h. was recorded and may be held effortlessly as long as road conditions permit. As this speed is only equivalent to a bare 4,500 r.p.m., and the unit now peaks at 5,800 r.p.m., running easily past 6,500 r.p.m. on the lower gears, it is reasonable to regard top as an overdrive.

This results in the most effortless high-speed cruising imaginable and praise- worthy fuel economy, 30 m.p.g. being possible, falling to 24 m.p.g. during hard driving. For ultimate performance, the final drive could be changed to give the ratio used for rallies, though economy would suffer to some extent.

Even with this tuned engine, the roadholding and brakes cannot be tried to their limit. It would be difficult to imagine a better car for the rapid negotiation of the roads of Northern France without exertion. I passed potentially faster cars which were wallowing along at 60 m.p.h. with their rear axles leaping, while I sat back and enjoyed the radio at 90 to 100 m.p.h. My only complaint was that I misjudged the fuel consumption and bought too many petrol coupons in France!