vLane Blog

Spotlight: Citroën DS

From Derek Kreindler, Featured Contributor
Posted on May 12, 2009

Filed under Citroen

This year, the Citroën DS was voted by a panel of car designers as the most beautiful automobile of all time. The DS isn't voluptuous like a Ferrari, or chiseled like a Mustang; even though it was released in 1955, it looks like it could have come from the year 2155.

The DS came with features that would be considered advanced in 2009: a hydropneumatic suspension, headlights that swiveled around a turn, a semi-automatic gearbox, a front-midship layout (for better weight distribution) and a streamlined, aerodynamic body.

While the DS was a smash hit in the rest of the world, Americans found it bizarre and unpalatable

Want to know more? Click for the rest.

Four-wheel disc brakes and power steering were also standard; at the time, these were groundbreaking features, and they resulted in a superlative driving experience. The suspension, which could level itself automatically, absorbed all manner of bumps and imperfections to give unparalleled ride quality; the brakes were particularly strong, but were operated with a pressure-sensitive button rather than a traditional pedal. Rear-end collisions were common as owners got used to the powerful brakes (at the expense of other drivers). Despite this, the DS was incredibly safe. It was the first car to come with crumple zones, and the engine was designed to fall underneath the passenger compartment in a crash. Considering how horrific car crashes once were, this was a significant leap forward for passenger safety.

While the DS was a smash hit in the rest of the world, Americans found it bizarre and unpalatable. It cost more than a contemporary Cadillac, yet it lacked a V8, wasn't very large and had little prestige compared to American luxury brands. In America, the DS found its way into the hands of a few wealthy non-conformists, but the car didn't achieve the same success as it did in the rest of the world.

Citroën produced the DS for 20 years, from 1955-1975, but their supply is steadily dwindling. While they are much more common in Europe than North America, finding one in proper running order is becoming more difficult. Restoring a DS is not a job for a weekend mechanic either; the hydraulic systems are an absolute nightmare and control nearly every function; the stock four-cylinder is brutally underpowered, and the car would probably lose a drag race to a Vespa. But nothing is as unique, sophisticated and downright timeless as a DS. I will own one before I die.

Read More:

• Classic movie cars
• The classic-turned-hybrid LincVolt
• The first muscle car: Pontiac Tempest GTO

Derek Kreindler is a featured contributor for vLane.