1963 Citroen DS19

Citroen introduced the DS in 1955 and came with an aerodynamically efficient, low-drag bodyshell with an all-independent, self-levelling, hydro-pneumatic suspension. They had power-operated brakes, clutch and steering.

The project began in the 1930s by the company's managing director, Pierre-Jules Boulanger, and would be brought to fruition by designers Andre Lefebvre, previously with Renault and Voisin, and Flaminio Bertoni, who had worked on the styling of the pre-war Traction Avant. Boulanger goal was that the proposed 'VGD' (Voiture de Grand Diffusion or Mass Market Car) be comfortable over sub-standard rural roads while remaining stable at sustained high speeds on the Autoroutes. These goals were obtained with the hydro-pneumatic suspension, suggested by Citroën engineer Paul Mages.

The original 1,911cc overhead-valve, long-stroke engine sourced from the Traction Avant, was replaced in September of 1965 by a short-stroke 1,985cc unit, also available in 2,175cc and 2,347cc versions. Other DS developments included swiveling headlights, fuel injection, and a five-speed gearbox. An alternative to the DS was the ID, which was a simplified and cheaper version, and the Safari estate and the two-door Décapotable (convertible), the latter boasting coachwork by Henri Chapron.

Chapron had originally produced the first convertibles independently of Citroën but the factory eventually gave the project its blessing and bought the rights to his design. The Usine (factory) convertible were built on the longer, stronger chassis of the ID Break (Estate) and were sold via the Citroen dealer network. It is believed that around 1,700 examples of the Usine convertible were built between 1960 and 1975, while Chapron built a further 389 of his own, the last in 1973.

by Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2019