1965 | Citroën DS 19 Usine

Citroën DS – the goddess (la déesse)

When the DS was first unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 1955, experts were overwhelmed with enthusiasm. It literally floats like a goddess. Over 80,000 orders were placed within the first week.

Henri Chapron recognized its special design as a suitable basis for individual modifications. The open-top version of the DS, introduced in 1958, was essentially based on Henri Chapron's conceptual work.

Chapron then produced 1,253 standardized DS convertibles in the 1960s on behalf of the factory.

Initially, Citroën delivered sedans to Henri, who then cut them up and welded the rear fenders to the rear doors. Later, Citroën delivered finished convertible bodies to Chapron. Today, these are referred to as factory convertibles.

This DS with chassis number DS19M4426029 in the beautiful color “AC411 blanc carrara” is one of these factory convertibles.

In September 1986, the current seller bought this convertible in parts from a barn.

With eyes glazed over with enthusiasm, he tells us the story of how he came closer to his childhood dream. Having been chauffeured around in his parents' DS as a child, it was clear which automotive home he would choose. While the owner explains the “fascination of the DS” to us like a little boy, we sit on a couch assembled from DS parts, surrounded by his numerous other DS variants, and listen with awe to the story of his first DS convertible.

The restoration ultimately took about eight years, during which time absolutely everything was restored. This DS, registered on August 11, 1965, was also converted to modern, reliable “green” (LHM) hydraulic fluid during the restoration.

Unfortunately, the front seats were so worn that they could not be saved, while the rear seat bench could be salvaged. Two years ago, after 30 years, the hydropneumatic system, HD pump, pressure accumulator, lines, and return sleeves, as well as the steering, were overhauled again. We cannot detect any malfunctions. Neither in the electrical system, nor in the engine or chassis. A little fluid leaks from the steering.

During the test drive, we literally float over the roads.

With every bend in the Allgäu, a spectacle of lightness unfolds. Where other vehicles from that era groan and pant, the DS glides uphill as if the mountain itself had smoothed the way for it. The hairpin bends lose their sharpness, the inclines their weight – because this car dances – elegantly.

The Allgäu, with its ancient hills, suddenly no longer seems like an obstacle, but like a stage. And there, in the midst of the interplay of asphalt and panorama, the DS plays its role: with confidence!

Despite all the fascination, we note that this DS has been beautifully restored technically, but still with late 1980s standards. The paintwork is beautiful, the gap dimensions are okay. Of course, this is open to debate, but everyone should answer for themselves the question of whether today's pedantic restorations rob a vehicle of its soul.

Far removed from today's pedantic perfection, which forces every emotion into sterile lines, this DS rises – not as a cold machine, but as a reborn goddess. It has been restored with love, not according to the standards of sober dogmas of originality, but with an eye for the essentials: beauty, soul, suitability for everyday use.

It glides along as only a DS can glide – floating, serene, almost ethereal – and yet it is ready for everyday use, for every journey, for every adventure. It combines the past with the present, elegance with utility, art with life.

This goddess is not meant to gather dust in a quiet shrine. It belongs on the road – where people can enjoy the sight of it, where its driving experience touches hearts. A goddess that is not distant and ethereal, but approachable, tangible, a daily gift.