Citroën

In October 1955 the DS 19 was introduced at the Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris. With its aerodynamic, futuristic body design and unorthodox and innovative technology, it was an outright sensation. During the 10 days of the show, Citroën took in 80,000 orders, a record that stood for over 60 years. Italian sculptor and industrial designer Flaminio Bertoni and French aeronautical engineer André Lefèbvre styled and engineered the car, the hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension was developed by technician Paul Magès. The legacy of the DS can hardly be overstated. The DS became a symbol of French ingenuity and is regarded as one of the world's most influential car designs. 

The DS 19 was much more expensive than the car it replaced, the Citroën Traction Avant. This affected potential sales in a country still recovering economically from World War II, so a cheaper, less powerful and luxurious variant, the Citroën ID, was introduced in 1957. A station wagon and cabriolet followed in 1958.

1957

In September 1962, the DS was restyled with a more streamlined bumper and underpanel arrangement, plus air intakes under the headlights. It retained the open two headlamp appearance, but was available with an optional set of driving lights mounted on the front fenders. In 1965 the DS 21 was introduced, with a bigger 2,175 cc engine.

1962

1963

1964

1965

In late 1967, the DS was restyled by Robert Opron, who would later style the 1970 SM and 1974 CX. This version had a more streamlined headlamp design with four headlights under a smooth glass canopy. They were adaptive, directional headlights, linked to the wheels by cable.

1967

1968

1969