1974 Citroen DS23 Pallas Sedan

Description

After 10 years of development in secret as the successor to the venerable Citroën Traction Avant, the DS 19 (or Diesse, meaning goddess) was introduced on October 5, 1955 at the Paris Salon: no car has ever so rocked a motor show! The Diesse’s appearance and innovative engineering immediately captured the imagination of the public and the automobile industry. In the first 15 minutes it was on public display, this car-come spaceship accounted for 743 orders; the total order count for the show was 12,000. In September 1962, the DS was restyled with a more aerodynamically efficient nose, better ventilation and other improvements. In 1965 a more luxurious Pallas (after the Greek goddess) version was introduced. In 1967 the model line was again facelifted; the new streamlined headlight mount conferred a notably shark-like frontal appearance. The DS21 succeeded the DS19 for model year 1965 with a more powerful five-bearing 2175cc engine. In 1970 electronic fuel-injection became available. The final iteration of the 1955 DS came in 1973 with the DS23, a truly fast saloon that could consume entire European countries in a day’s comfortable drive. Throughout a two-decade production run the DS managed to remain well ahead of its time. With power disc brakes, Citroën’s brilliant hydro-pneumatic suspension (licensed to Rolls-Royce) including an automatic levelling system, power steering and extraordinary interior room, this most elegant of French cars had no peer and is now highly collectible as aficionados recognise it as one the greatest designs of the twentieth century.