How could it be otherwise, everything has its explanation and the key is in the initials PLR. Mean Poids-Lourd Rapide, meaning fast truck in French. And it is that, in the case of Citroen DS PLR Estate Mille Pattes, as important is what is seen -the five axles and their corresponding ten wheels-, as what is not.
What is not seen is the truck wheel that it integrates inside and that is the reason for the creation of this bizarre "centipede" -Spanish translation by Mille Pattes- that you can see in the photos.
ANSWER TO A NEED
In the early 70s, Michelin, then a Citroën shareholder, needed a vehicle to test its truck and bus tires at high speed.. Doing it with standard vehicles entailed dangers that the French brand did not want to run, so it was decided to build a specific one, hence the birth of our protagonist with a kilometric name: Citroen DS PLR Estate Mille Pattes.
A name in keeping with the rest of the figures of a car that, in any case, It's not even a Citroen DS. From the "Shark", specifically from the Safari version, they borrowed several body panels and part of the front. The rest of the car is built from scratch, though elements of the Citroën H van were used, such as the 16-inch wheels, while the three rear axles come from the Peugeot 504.
The interior is also taken from the DS, although logically Abundant instrumentation was installed to collect all test data and offer information to test pilots. He had a Halda Tripmaster to measure distances traveled.
Two were the passengers of the Mille Pates, the driver and a companion who was in charge of the different tests that were being carried out.
The resulting platform It had five axles, two directional in front and three behind., which were responsible for traction. Between them a system was assembled in which the wheel to be tested was attached and could be lowered or raised at will. Was This sixth axis allowed all kinds of tests to be donesuch as increasing wheel ground pressure to mimic different load levels on a truck.
TWO CORVETTE ENGINES!
The Citroën DS PLR Break Mille Pattes measured - and measures, as it is preserved in the Michelin museum - no less than 7,2 meters long and 2,45 wide.
To move said mole, two Chevrolet Corvette engines were mounted on its rear. Specifically, it is about V8 small block from 5.735 cm3 and 350 CV of power, associated with an automatic gearbox of General Motors origin. The first of them acted on the three rear axles of the Mille Pates, while the second transmitted its power to the central wheel that was being tested.
Therefore, we can say that it is an 11×7 vehicle, the only one in history with such a configuration. The toll to pay is also a weight out of orbit, because although it does not reach the Berliet T100, hit the scale more than nine tons, specifically 9.150 kilograms.
Nevertheless, Its top speed was 180 km/h. and allowed testing at 150 km/h in a sustained manner. These tests were carried out in the Ladoux Test and Research Center by Michelin, located next to Clermont-Ferrand and which was inaugurated in 1965.
TRIGGERED CONSUMPTION
Another issue was consumption during testing. As you can imagine, the two American V8 engines were not exactly frugal, quite the contrary, which made it necessary to install two gasoline tanks of 90 liters each. People say that consumption was close to 100 l/100 km, which allowed testing for about an hour straight.
By the way, access to the engines was done from the rear, where the theoretical trunk would go in a standard DS. In this case, it retains the double door system of the DS Break and the pilots, although the greater width imposes the presence of a triple window. Once open, we found the two V8 engines perfectly accessible.
Another curious detail is the huge air inlets along the body in the holes that would correspond to the windows. And it is that both the mechanics and the wheel that was being tested had to be cooled.
NOWADAYS
Our protagonist is preserved in The Michelin Adventure, the museum that the tire manufacturer has in Clermont-Ferrand (France). In addition, on selected occasions he leaves the exhibition for an exhibition.
Finally, here is a video of the Citroen DS PLR Estate Mille Pattes in action. To say that it impresses is an understatement.
ALL THE IMAGES OF THE CITROËN DS PLR BREAK MILLE PATTES
Photographs: Michelin