Istorie
After 18 years of secret development as the successor to the Traction Avant, the DS 19 was introduced on 5th October 1955, at the Paris Motor Show. In the first 15 minutes of the show, 743 orders were taken. During the 10 days of the show, the DS took in 80,000 deposits. A record that has stood for over 60 years. Built in 1964, this DS 19 Decapotable Chapron has the original-style front end pre-dating the revised version introduced in 1967.
Full description
After 18 years of secret development as the successor to the Traction Avant, the DS 19 was introduced on 5th October 1955, at the Paris Motor Show. In the first 15 minutes of the show, 743 orders were taken, and orders for the first day totalled 12,000. During the 10 days of the show, the DS took in 80,000 deposits. A record that has stood for over 60 years.
For a France still deep in reconstruction after the devastation of World War II, that was also building its identity in the post-colonial world, the DS was a symbol of French ingenuity.
Because they were owned by the technologically aggressive tire manufacturer Michelin, Citroen had designed their cars around the technically superior radial tire since 1948, and the DS was no exception. The car featured a ingenious hydropneumatic suspension including an automatic leveling system and variable ground clearance, developed in-house by Paul Mages. This suspension allowed the DS to travel quickly on the poor road surfaces common in France.
In addition, the vehicle had power steering and a semi-automatic transmission and a fibreglass roof which lowered the centre of gravity and so reduced weight transfer. Different front and rear track widths and tyre sizes reduced the unequal tyre loading, which is well known to promote understeer, typical of front-engined and front-wheel drive cars.
The DS ranked third in the 1999 Car of the Century poll which included the world's most influential auto designs and was named the most beautiful car of all times by Classic & Sports Car magazine.
Amongst the most desirable versions of the famed Citroen DS was the factory-authorised Decapotable, or Cabriolet Usine, produced by Parisian coachbuilder Henri Chapron. Chapron took up what the factory had not had the time or resources to do, and he produced his first two-door convertible version of the ‘Goddess’ in 1958. For 10 years, from 1961 to 1971, Chapron produced 1,365 Decapotables to individual customer order. After official production ended, a handful of cars continued to be produced on a custom basis until 1978.
Built in 1964, this DS 19 Decapotable has the original-style front end pre-dating the revised version introduced in 1967. A semi-automatic transmission model, the car was delivered new in Lyon, France, and remained with its original owner until 1971. The second owner, a resident of the Loire region in France, kept the DS until 1999 when it passed to the third owner in Holland. Between 1999 and 2002, the car was completely restored in Holland, including an interior re-trim and renewal of the electrics, with complete overhauls of the engine and transmission being carried out in 2015.
