The legendary Citroën DS (also known by its French nickname Déesse, or ‘Goddess’) is an iconic automobile that was produced by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1955 to 1975, selling nearly 1.5 million units over its 20 year lifespan. The DS is renowned for its bold, aerodynamic design and remarkably innovative technology, such as its self-leveling suspension system. The car set a new standard for ride quality, roadholding, handling, and braking, leaving competitors far behind for years to come.
Unveiled at the Paris Motor Show on October 5, 1955, the DS 19 immediately made an impression with its futuristic body lines - while it seemed unfamiliar at first, its design eventually established itself in the post-Ford Taurus/Audi 100 world. Within the first 15 minutes of its debut, 743 orders had been accepted with 12,000 by the end of the day.
Model history
The Traction Avant had been in production for 18 years when the DS 19 was released, and the car's groundbreaking attributes soon made it a must-have. However, the higher than average price tag made the model somewhat unattainable for many car owners in post-WWII France, prompting Citroën to introduce a more affordable version, the ID (short for Idée, or ‘Idea’), in 1957. While it featured all the same body elements of the DS, this sub-model had conventional transmission and clutch features and no power steering.
The DS was further expanded in 1958 with the introduction of the ID Break station wagon variant. To this day, the DS remains an ambitious design masterpiece and the car that continues to raise the bar in terms of automotive excellence.
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