1970 Citroen DS

Citroen introduced its DS model in October of 1955 at the Paris Motor Show with Avant grade styling courtesy of Flaminio Bertoni and endowed with cutting-edge technology, particularly its self-leveling hydropneumatic suspension. The well-received and popular DS remained in production through 1975 across three series in wagon/estate, convertible, and sedan/fastback configurations. Over 1,455,700 examples were built in six countries, of which 1,330,755 were manufactured at Citroen's main Paris Quai de Javel production facility.

Along with its less expensive variant, the Citroen ID, the DS wore an aerodynamic and non-conventional body design influenced by the Space Age era. While the world was often reluctant to embrace the non-traditional option (i.e. the Chrysler / DeSoto Airflow of the 1930s), the Citroen DS proved very popular with over 12,000 orders placed during the first day of the Paris Salon. By the time the Grand Palais closed its doors a week later, that number had risen to 80,000. To many, the DS symbolized French ingenuity during a time when the country was still wrestling with the devastation caused by World War II.

Its unusual design was complemented by its adoption of non-traditional configurations and technology, including front-engine layout, disc brakes, a semi-automatic transmission, and centerlock wheels. A US manufacturer named Crosley had produced vehicles with disc brakes, but it was the Citroen DS that was the first successful application of this technology on a mass-produced production automobile. Shifting of the semi-automatic (Hydraulique four-speed semi-automatic) transmission was still done by hand, but it required no clutch pedal. In place of a mechanical linkage, the shift lever was controlled by a powered hydraulic shift mechanism. The center-lock wheels allowed for rapid wheel changes in the event of a puncture, as they were affixed via an Allen bolt acting as the central fastener and a hexagonal protrusion transferred drive to a recess in the wheel.

Hydraulic power was used for the brakes, power steering, clutch, transmission, and self-leveling suspension system. The less-expensive ID19 had manual steering and a less complicated power braking system. The hydropneumatic suspension system connected each wheel independently with a hydraulic accumulator sphere containing pressurized nitrogen, a cylinder containing hydraulic fluid, a piston inside the cylinder, and a damper valve between the sphere and piston. The cylinder was attached to the suspension sphere and the piston was connected by levers to the suspension. A valved controlled by the mid-position of the anti-roll bar connected to the axle fed the hydraulic cylinder with hydraulic fluid. Fluid was either added or released depending on suspension height, thus maintaining a constant ride height. The driver was able to select one of five heights from a control in the cabin, raising or lowering the vehicle. Thus, the vehicle was suitable for a variety of road conditions, terrains, and even flat tires, and had no need for a jack to raise the car off the ground. To remove the flat tire, the suspension would be raised to its highest setting, a stand would be inserted into a special peg near the flat tire, then adjust the suspension to its lowest setting. The flat tire would remain above the ground while the rest of the wheels lowered.

Nearly every aspect of the DS was advanced and futuristic, but under the bonnet was an overhead-valve four-cylinder unit derived from the 11CV Traction Avant.

An air-cooled flat-six based on the design of the 2-cylinder engine of the 2CV was initially considered but abandoned due to technical and monetary issues. The four-cylinder engine had three main bearings, wet liners, a bore and stroke of 3.1- and 3.9-inches respectively, an aluminum cross-flow head with hemispherical combustion chambers, and a displacement of 1,911cc. While the 11C had developed 60 horsepower, the DS 19 offered 75 hp at 4,500 RPM. Both the Traction Avant and the DS had the transmission at the front, followed by the differential, and then the engine. This allowed the engine to be positioned far back in the engine bay, resulting in a 'mid-front' configuration. Smaller engines were encouraged by the tax horsepower system imposed on French cars, and although it was underpowered, its lower costs aided in its popularity.

In 1965, the 1911cc three main bearing engine was replaced with a 1985cc five-bearing wet-cylinder unit, resulting in a name change to the DS 19a (from September of 1969 forward, they were called the DS 20). The DS 21 arrived in 1976 with a 2,175cc, five main bearing engine that offered 109 horsepower. In 1970, horsepower increased further with the introduction of Bosch electronic fuel injection. Larger inlet valves allowed the carbureted versions to increase slightly in power as well.

A three-speed fully-automatic Borg-Warner 35 transmission became available in September of 1971 on the DS 21 and forthcoming DS 23 models. This fully automatic transmission was never sold on DS models destined for the U.S.

The final increase in displacement arrived in 1973, now measuring 2,347cc in the DS 23 offered in both fuel-injected and carbureted configuration. The electronic fuel injection DS 23 was capable of producing 141 horsepower, the most powerful production variant of the DS.

The DS was joined in 1970 by an entirely new vehicle named the SM which was essentially a modernized version of the DS. The narrow-cabin shortcomings of the DS were displaced by the greater width of the SM, and many of the DS components were either retained or modified. Mounted beneath the bonnet was an exotic (and costly) Maserati engine that helped propel the SM into the luxury car segment. The higher price of the SM meant it was more exclusive than the DS. A more affordable, and smaller version dubbed the CX seized the mantle from the DS and remained in production from 1974 to 1991.

by Dan Vaughan

Sedan

The Citroen 'D' models, introduced at the October 1955 Paris Auto Show, were produced in France from 1955 to 1975. They were sold in the United States from 1956 to 1974. 800 orders were placed in the first hour and 12,000 orders by the end of the first day.

The name 'DS' in French is pronounced 'day-es' which is the pronunciation for the world Deesse, which in French means Goddess. The 'D' series is commonly called 'The Goddess.'

The DS was an innovative vehicle and was the world's first mass-produced car to be fitted with disc brakes, crash zones, covered headlights, turning headlights, and a true aerodynamic design. The covered headlights and turning headlights were not allowed in the United States.

The DS came with a Citromatic transmission - a 4-speed transmission with an automatic hydraulically activated clutch. There was no clutch pedal; the operator moved the shift lever located between the steering wheel and dash and the clutch operated automatically.

The DS featured an Oleo-Pneumatic suspension system. It was a self-leveling system with an adjustable height. This feature was unique to Citroen but was also licensed by Rolls-Royce and Mercedes for some of their models. The Citroen suspension had no springs or shock absorbers. They had a shaft in the middle of the suspension arms with a piston that goes into a sphere with special mineral oil in the bottom; a special rubber membrane in between and nitrogen gas in the top (nitrogen gas has six times the shock absorption capabilities of steel).

The Oleo-pneumatic suspension, power brakes, power steering, and automatically operated clutch were all powered by the same hydraulic system containing LHM (Liquide Hydraulique Mineral oil).

Décapotable by Henri Chapron
Chassis number: 00FA0662
Engine number: 458000706

The Citroën DS was launched at the 42nd Paris auto show in 1955, where - during its first day took 12,000 orders. By the time the Grand Palais closed its doors a week later, more than 80,000 orders had been taken.

In 1958, French coachbuilder Henri Chapron created a cabriolet on the DS platform, which was followed by various hand-built coupes and convertible models, all manufactured in limited numbers due to their very high cost. In 1961, Citroen contracted Chapron to build a luxurious DS cabriolet to be distributed via the Citroën dealer network. The tooling, which was installed in the Chapron works, was paid by Citroen and Chapron agreed to supply DS 19 and DS 21 platforms in greater quantity. A total of 1,365 examples were built from 1961 to 1974.

This particular example is a fuel-injected model. It was shipped by Citroën to Chapron on October 14, 1969. Chapron clothed it with a cabriolet d'usine body, order number 9346, and was finished in Swan White with red leather. After completion, the car was exported to Canada, before leaving the factory it was fitted with a heating system.

The car was acquired new at Carrier Motors in Montreal in 1971. Its original owner used it regularly before putting it in storage for a number of years. In 1988, Arnold Korne of the province of Ontario acquired the car from its original owner. A partial restoration soon followed. In 2011, a six-year rotisserie restoration to original specifications began. The livery was changed to Metallic Red offset by tasteful tan leather, and the top was replaced. Original Citroen factory parts were used, and the mechanicals was refurbished. Since the work was completed, the car has been driven sparingly.

The car is powered by a 2,175cc overhead-valve four-cylinder engine fitted with a Bosch Electronic Fuel injection system offering 125 horsepower. There is a four-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel hydraulic brakes with discs in the front and drums at the rear.

by Dan Vaughan

Andre Citroen founded the Citroen Company in 1919 and by the late 1920s, it had become Europe's largest car manufacturer. They earned a reputation for their build quality, revolutionary engineering, and innovation. The Citroen Traction Avant of the mid-1930s pioneered mass production, unitary body construction with no separate chassis, front-wheel drive, and a four-wheel independent suspension setup.

The new DS 19 was introduced in 1955 at the Paris Auto Salon. The car's popularity was immediate with over 80,000 cars being ordered before the show came to an end. They had a 1911cc engine with a 3-bearing crankshaft, hydraulic brake system, and a high-pressure oil-filled self-leveling suspension. They were aerodynamically efficient with a low-drag body and a front-engine, front-wheel-drive setup. They were also the first production car equipped with disc brakes.

The DS would be a competitive and popular vehicle during its production lifespan, with its peak production year being 1970. It was built from 1955 through 1975 with a total of 1,455,746 examples being built worldwide. It was sold in North America from 1956 to 1972, however, it didn't experience the same popularity in the United States as it did in France. Sales were slightly better in Canada. Slower sales in the U.S. are often attributed to its lack of an automatic transmission, no power windows, no air conditioning, and an underwhelming engine. Another drawback was the price and the lack of supplies and parts for the vehicle in the U.S. Approximately 38,000 units were sold in the North American market during the years it was offered.

The hydropneumatic suspension was developed in Citroen's Paul Mages. It included an automatic leveling and variable ground clearance system that allowed the DS to travel quickly on multiple road surfaces and in various road conditions. The Citroen DS was also equipped with power steering, inboard front brakes, and a semi-automatic transmission that required no clutch pedal, although the gears still had to be shifted by hand. The shift lever controlled a powered hydraulic shift mechanism. The roof was made of fiberglass.

French cars were affected by the tax horsepower system, which effectively kept the engines rather small. Despite this, the DS was rather successful in motorsports. Their reliability and ability to traverse poor road surfaces helped them win the Monte Carlo Rally in 1959. In 1962, Pauli Toivonen drove a DS19 to victory in the 1000 Lakes Rally. A DS won the 1966 Monte Carlo Rally again after the BMC Mini-Cooper team was disqualified due to rule infractions. In 1974, a DS won over 70 other cars in the London-Sahara-Munich World Cup Rally. Just 5 vehicles were able to finish the event.

The DS19 would continue to be built in its original guise until 1965. The four-door saloon was the work of Italian industrial designer and sculptor Flaminio Bertoni and French aeronautical engineer Andre Lefebvre. In 1960, a new convertible model was introduced called the 'Cabriolet de Serie', more commonly known as 'Cabriolet d'Usine'. Its coachwork was the work of Henri Chapron for the Citroen dealer network. Mostly due to their expensive price tag, just 1,365 examples were sold. They received the same engine and chassis arrangement as the saloon but required a special frame that was reinforced with side-members and a stronger rear suspension setup. Chapron also created other exclusive body styles on the DS platform, such as the Le Caddy and Le Dandy. Chapron also built the two-door Concorde Coupe with just 38 of these cars eventually being built. The Citroen Company offered its own high-end models, such as the Pallas and the Prestige.

In 1958, a station wagon version was introduced. It had a steel roof allowing a roof rack to be installed. The standard Break (as it was known in France) had two side-facing seats in the cargo area at the back. The Familiales had a rear seat positioned farther back in the cabin, with three folding seats between the front and rear squabs. The DS Pallas, named after the Greek goddess, was introduced in 1965 as a luxury upgrade. It was given optional leather upholstery, additional trim, and better noise insulation. Hector Bossaert offered a coupe version on a shortened DS chassis from 1959 through 1964. The front design remained unchanged but the back was given notchback styling.

The DS 21 was built between 1965 and 1972, before being superseded in 1973 by the DS 23. The DS 21 was powered by an enlarged 2175cc 109 horsepower engine. The Citroen factory offered a variety of body options for the DS 21, including a 2-door convertible, an estate car called the Safari, the luxury 'Pallas' model, and a 4-door saloon. Henri Chapron also offered his own versions using the DS 21.

by Dan Vaughan

An executive vehicle, the Citroen DS was also called the 'Goddess' or 'Déesse' and was introduced by the French Manufacturer Citroen. Unveiled in 1955, the Citroen DS was produced until 1975. More than 1.5 million D-series were produced during its 20 year long production run. The D-series was incredibly futuristic and cutting-edge with an aerodynamic body design that was designed by Flaminio Bertoni. The DS featured intense roadholding, braking and handling, and hydropneumatic self-leving suspension system.

The DS 19 was introduced on October 5, 1955 at the Paris Motor Show following more than 18 years of covert development as the replacement to the Traction Avant. The DS 19 stunned the public with its appearance and avant-garde engineering and 743 orders were placed in the first 15 minutes, with the total amount of orders totaling 12,000 for the first day. The DS-19 'defied virtually every automotive design convention of that era', and was a symbol of French ingenuity.

Unfortunately the price was too high and this affected sales in a country that was still struggling following WWII 10 years earlier. A cheaper submodel, the ID, was unveiled in 1957, and shared the same body with the DS but came with more traditional features under the hood.

The Citroen DS managed to remain on top of its game and ahead of its time throughout its lifetime. Featuring such features as power disc brakes, variable ground clearance, hydropneumatic suspension that included an automatic leveling system, power steering and a semi-automatic transmission and a fiberglass roof that reduced weight transfer. Many other features were also included. Unfortunately the DS design was affected by the tax horsepower system which effectively mandated small engines. The Citroen DS had a very illustrious past on the motorsport circuit and won the Monte Carlo Rally in both 1959 and 1966. in 2005 the DS placed fifth on Automobile Magazine's '100 Coolest Cars' listing. The DS was also famous for being the first production vehicle to ever have front disc brakes.

In 1965 the DS 21 was launched with a 2175 cc, 5 main bearing engine. In 1970, Bosch electronic fuel injection was introduced and was a substantial increase of power to the engine. The DS was one of the first mass-market vehicles to use electronic fuel injection.

The DS 21 was a true luxury car that featured large, broad leather seats up front, along with plush seats in the back. The 21 was a front wheel drive, with no tunnel to accommodate the drive shaft, but the engine was mounted longitudinally and aft of the transmission. The weight distribution was excellent due to half-shafts extended out to the front wheels. With a European dashboard, the driver doesn't turn over the engine with a regular key, but by pushing the gear shift lever into a particular position towards the left. The exterior of the DS 21 was a work of art that featured flowing lines and aerodynamic body with smooth angles.

The 21 engine only had 4 cylinders, but it gave decent displacement and featured hemispherical combustion chambers that achieved more than adequate power. The entire vehicle operates off a master hydraulic system with a hydraulic pump located up front with the alternator. The high-pressure hydraulic power was available whenever the engine was running. There are no springs or torsion bars used to suspend the vehicle and each wheel featured an independently controlled hydraulic 'shock' powered off the high-pressure system, which was basically self-leveling suspension.

Both the clutch and the gear change in the DS 21 were controlled by the master hydraulic system, and no clutch pedal was found on the floor. The clutch was engaged by accelerating the engine.

Staying quite popular in the public's eye, the DS peaked in 1970 before being surpassed by the more modern, wider SM. In 1976 the Citroen DM was finally phased out after a production run of 1,455,746 units being produced and was replaced in the model range by the CX.

DS models were constructed in Paris, France, the UK, former Yugoslavia, Australia and South Africa. Today DS sedans are still used mainstream as taxicabs in various parts of the former Yugoslavia. DS's were sold in the U.S. from 1956 through 1972 with a total of 38,000 units being sold.

by Jessican Donaldson