1955 Citroën DS
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That may be true. The letter combination on the name pronunciation of the Citroën DS equates to the French word déesse, meaning “goddess”. Whatever your take on the design, the DS brought hydropneumatic suspension to the masses; and further innovations in braking, handling, and overall ride quality.
The DS is a synergistic expression of Italian sculptor Flaminio Bertoni and French engineer André Lefèbvre. 1,455,746 were built over a 20 year production run from 1955 to 1975. In 2009, the 1955 Citroën DS was named the most beautiful car of all time by Classic & Sports Car magazine. We report, you decide - on that one.
FUN FACT:
French President Charles de Gaulle was riding in a DS when he survived an assassination attempt in 1962. He later credited his survival to the DS. He was able to escape despite the vehicle being riddled with bullets and having all four tires shot out.
The assassination attempt was accurately depicted in the opening scenes of the 1973 film Day of the Jackal. The opening scenes are a smorgasbord of Citroën DS’.
BUY ONE:
There’s a 1969 Citroën DS currently up for action on Bring A Trailer. The car was a European delivery now residing in California. It has service records from the current owner, spare parts, and a clean California title.
WATCH:
WIRED’s Jack Stewart explains why the1955 Citroën DS was ahead of its time.
