1965 Citroen DS19

As 1955 was coming to a close, Citroen unveiled its DS model, which was endowed with avant-garde styling and cutting-edge technology. The former was courtesy of stylist Flaminio Bertoni, who penned an aerodynamic and low-drag shape with a shark-like nose and curvaceous body lines. Mechanical sophistication came in the form of an all-independent suspension with self-leveling and hydro-pneumatic technology. Additionally, there were power-operated brakes, clutch, and steering.

The front-wheel drive Citroen DS was introduced on October 6, 1955, at the Paris Motor Show and remained in production through 1975. A total of 1,455,746 examples were built worldwide, including 1,330,755 at the company's main production plant, Paris Quai de Javel. The name 'DS' is pronounced déesse which translates to goddess. It became a symbol of French ingenuity, with its unique persona and technology that was in vibe with the Space Age of the era.

The popularity of the DS was immediate, with over 740 orders placed during the first 15 minutes of its unveiling. The total orders received during its first day was 12,000, and by the time the show came to a close ten days later, 80,000 customers had placed deposits for the DS. It would take six decades before this record was broken, eclipsed in March 2016 by the Tesla Model 3 which received 180,000 first-day deposits.

The Genesis and Mechanical Specification
Citroen was owned by the tire manufacturer Michelin, a company that favored technology and, naturally, featured its radial tire. The DS was given a 123-inch wheelbase size and a width of 70.5 inches. The saloon stood 57.6 inches tall, and the estate had a height of 60.5 inches. Throughout its production lifespan, the size and shape of the DS remained constant, but design changes occurred. It shared its removable, unstressed body panels with the ID, which was a less powerful and luxurious alternative.

Citroen's in-house engineer, Paul Mages, developed the car's automatic self-leveling system and driver-adjustable ride height. Leading arms were used at the front and trailing-arms at the rear, with hydropneumatic spring and damper units. Hydraulics were used for the suspension, clutch, transmission, power steering, and brakes.

Shifting of the semi-automatic transmission did not require a clutch pedal or mechanical linkage; shifting was controlled by a lever that operated a powered hydraulic shift mechanism. Power steering was standard, and the use of disc brakes made the Citroen DS the first mass-produced car to be so equipped. The front brakes were positioned inboard to help reduce unsprung weight.

The center-lock wheels used an Allen bolt as the central fastener, whilst a hexagonal protrusion transferred the drive to a matching recess in the wheel. This arrangement accommodated quick tire changes.

The engine was mounted at the front, with the gearbox positioned at the front of the engine, and the differential in between.

Engines
During the Citroen DS's lengthy two-decade production lifespan, its engine would continue to evolve, addressing mechanical issues and its lack of power. While the rest of the car was very advanced, the engine was rather antiquated. Initially, the Citroen DS was intended to receive an air-cooled flat-six cylinder engine based on the design of the 2-cylinder engine of the 2CV. Instead, the original DS 19 would use an overhead valve four-cylinder engine derived from the engine of the 11CV Traction Avant (models 11B and 11C). It had wet liners, three main bearings, a 78mm (3.1 inches) bore, and a stroke of 100 mm (3.9 inches), giving a volumetric displacement of 1911 cc. Unlike the 11C which had a reverse-flow cast iron cylinder head, the DS 19 had an aluminum cross-flow head with hemispherical combustion chambers and generated 75 horsepower at 4,500 RPM.

In 1965, the 1,911cc engine was replaced with a 1,985cc five-bearing wet-cylinder unit. With this change, the DS became the DS 19a (dubbed the DS 20 from September 1969). For model year 1965, a 2,175cc, five main bearing engine with 106 horsepower (DIN) was installed, bringing about the DS 21. Bosch's electronic fuel injection for 1970 increased the engine's output, and it made the DS one of the first mass-market cars to use electronic fuel injection.

A 2,347cc, 115 horsepower engine arrived in 1973 and was offered in both carbureted and fuel-injected forms. With the latter installed, the DS 23 produced 141 (SAE) horsepower. This engine nor fuel injection was used ID saloon models, although the Break/Familiale versions received the carburetted version of the DS 23 engine when it was introduced.

Styling
Most of the styling updates to the DS were to its front end, specifically its nose design. The updates applied in September 1962 made the DS more aerodynamic with improved ventilation. It continued to use the open two-headlamp appearance but could now be purchased with an optional set of driving lights mounted on the front fenders.

Robert Opron once again restyled the DS for the 1968 model year, giving it a more streamlined (directional) headlamp design with four headlights under a glass canopy and the inner set swiveled with the steering wheel. Linked to the wheels by cable, the inboard high-beam headlamp could swivel up to 80 degrees. The outboard low-beam headlights were self-leveling, reacting to heavy braking or acceleration. The cars destined for the United States market were not allowed to get this feature, so instead, they were given four exposed headlights that did not swivel.

The directional headlight was another 'first' for Citroen, and despite its use on the 1948 Tuker 48 'Torpedo,' Citroen was the first to mass-market the technology.

Body Styles
The Citroen DS was a front mid-engined, front-wheel drive executive car offered as a sedan (fastback), an estate (wagon), and a convertible across three series of one generation. The nose redesign in 1962 brought about the Series 2, and the Series 3 arrived in 1967 following another redesign.

Convertible
The factory convertible, known as the Décapotable Cabriolet d'Usine (factory convertible) was produced from summer 1960 until summer 1971. It wore styling penned by
Flaminio Bertoni and built by French carrossier Henri Chapron, and due to its high price tag, just 1,365 ('usine'/factory) examples were built. The expense was justified by its custom coachwork and its need for a special frame that was reinforced on the side members and rear suspension swingarm bearing box.

Along with the factory convertibles, Chapron built his own custom version. His first convertibles had been produced independently of Citroen, but the factory eventually gave the project its blessing. When official production ended in August 1971, Chapron continued to build small numbers of the works designed for individual customers until 1977.

Pallas
The DS Pallas (named after the Greek goddess Pallas Athena) was a more luxurious version that had better upholstery, more noise insulation, and additional trim and accouterments. Beginning in 1966, the Pallas model received a driver's seat with height adjustment.

Station Wagon
The station wagon body style was introduced to the DS line in 1958, and it wore different names depending on the market. In France, it was known as the Break, the Estate in the UK, and the Wagon in the US. It also went by the names Safari and Station Wagon. The standard Break had two side-facing seats in the main load area at the back, and the Familiales had a rear seat mounted further back in the cabin, with three folding seats between the front and rear squabs.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2024