The French are insane. And, no, not because of anything that has to do with the Paris Olympics. Read another blog site for that commentary. I’m talking about a particular Frenchman, actually. His name is Pascal Dragotto, and he’s a professional stunt driver who crash-tests cars in the name of road safety. That’s his profession, but he also does it for shits and giggles—like using a classic Citroën DS as target practice.
Now, this YouTube video is entirely in French. But thanks to Google Translate, my Quebecois bestie, and 19 camera angles, I got the gist. What Dragotto does is drive a new Citroën into an old one at 68 miles per hour (110 kph). Why? Because it is his son’s dream.
I told you the French were crazy, right?
Dragotto’s day job is working for the Delegation for Road Safety and Traffic (DSCR) in France. The government agency is similar to the NHTSA in the U.S. in developing reports, recommendations, and research that affect public policy regarding roads and vehicle safety. Dragotto’s wife Laurence also works in automobile risk. It’s no surprise that their son Kevin joined the family business of crash testing and stunt performing.
As for what triggered the Citroën head-to-head? When Kevin was 10 years old, he witnessed a similar crash at a stunt show he attended with his dad. The vision and appeal have stayed with him since (he’s now 18).
The father-son duo had been planning this stunt for a year. But with a safe and secure location set and the cars obtained, they were finally ready to go. The cars aren’t necessarily cheap, either. A vintage 1968 Citroën DS can go for a pretty penny, and so can a 2010 Citroën DS3, which is a sporty luxury subcompact. However, the former was found in rustbucket shape and purchased for 800 Euros; the latter was a generous donation.
Other than being a kid’s dream come true, is there a point to this? Well, the Dragotto family does work in the safety sector so if anything, the entire stunt showcases how far modern cars have come in relation to impacts and crash absorption. At least if you buy a Citroën.
Short of a “You won’t believe what happens next!” headline, the DS3 drives right through the DS. It literally slices the classic car down the middle like a bread knife to a French baguette. Okay, some qualifiers: the Citroën DS was already in a falling-apart state, which is why it was delivered on a flatbed to the location, and the seats and steering wheel were either removed or not there when the car was bought.
This isn’t to say there was no risk involved—there was plenty of that. The Citroën DS3 was stripped of extraneous seats and fixtures. A roll bar and cage were installed. Recaro racing seats with safety harnesses were also added, as was what looks to be a safety net behind the windshield. Pascal and Kevin also wear full-coverage masks and racing suits while emergency responders are positioned nearby. Spectators are above and away from the action, viewing the show from a rooftop. This is not some backyard debauchery.
In the end, father and son walk away in much better shape than the DS. Kevin admits to being a bit shaken but in an all-smiles, adrenaline-filled way. And what an awesome feat to do with your dad. As for the DS3, uh, anybody need spare parts? Disassembly is free.