DS specialists, since 2006
Rad and Paul's journeys to forming Pallas Auto, a workshop that specialises almost exclusively in the Citroën DS, are both steeped in a love of all things automotive.
From childhood, Rad was obsessed with everything mechanical. Fixing things and working out how they worked was his happy place. Luckily for him, his father owned a car workshop and his brothers were just as enthusiastic about cars. Over the years they restored cars, raced go-karts, modified and repaired motorcycles, and took on all kinds of projects that broadened Rad's experience. Formal training then sharpened his skills further.
The Citroën DS has always fascinated him because of its importance to modern car development, from its styling to the technical advances and engineering solutions it introduced. While working in a car garage and running a motorcycle workshop with friends, he was offered the chance to work for a well-known DS specialist in London.
For Paul, it began with the Ladybird book of cars, then Scalextric. At 16 he bought his first car, a Riley Kestrel, and dozens more followed.
In 2006 the owner of a London-based DS specialist brought them together to run his business. A few years later they branched out to form Pallas Auto, building on everything they'd learned about the model.
Since then they have worked with many hundreds of DS owners on everything from basic maintenance to full restorations. Their enthusiasm and dedication were recently recognised when Bangers and Cash chose them to rejuvenate a DS21 for its restoration spin-off series.