Citroën DS

The DS is a between autumn 1955 and spring 1975 (last ambulance to early 1976) produced by Citroën automobile. The fitted exclusively with four-cylinder in-line engines with its cars were streamlined body and the hydro-pneumatic suspension for the first time used in the time series for all four wheels ahead of their time.

In the spring of 1957, a simpler version came equipped additionally been named ID.

Of 4 October 1955 to 24 April 1975 a total of 1,456,115 vehicles in the D series were built.

• 6.1 Cabriolets 6.1.1 Cabriolet Usine
• 6.1.2 Spezialkarosserien by Chapron
• 6.1.3 Other convertibles

La Déesse - The Goddess

The Citroën DS replaced the 23 years outwardly changed little models in the range Traction Avant. The design and technology of the new car featured a lot of progress in comparison with its predecessors, but also in comparison with contemporary competitors dar.

The designation DS was a derivative or a play on words of the prototype designation as " D " models. The internal name was originally VGD, " voiture à grande diffusion", literally " vehicle with a large distribution / number ". From the various versions VGD, internally as D with the same number behind it: D1, D2, etc. referred to, in time became the Ds. Eventually one is at Citroën then probably the linguistic consonance of (la) déesse ( = the goddess ) with the abbreviation become aware; this pun was then taken over for the model name. Even with the model designations from other Citroën models similar word games were possible, in French as in English about the low-end model associated ID the word idea ( = idée ), the letters of the DS successor CX is in French for the drag coefficient.

In French, the word root auto is classified feminine ( " la voiture "); in the German language, the DS was almost exclusively referred to during the production period as the " DS". Today, the feminine is in francophone connoisseurs usual, " the DS / Déesse ".

As with the previous model, the designer André Lefebvre and the designer Flaminio Bertoni were conducting involved in the development in this model. Paul Mages developed the hydro- pneumatic system.

Over the long construction period, there were the models DS 19, DS 20, DS 21, DS 21ie, DS 23, DS 23ie, ID 19, ID 20, DSpécial, DSuper and DSuper5. The two-digit number code in the model name are (approximately) the corresponding displacement of the engine in 100 cm ³ (the DS 19 had so eg 1.9 liters displacement). The abbreviation ie at the DS 21 and DS 23 ie he refers to the use of electronic Bosch fuel injection (D - Jetronic).

There was the DS from the factory as a four-door sedan ( Berline ) and in several five-door estate versions: Break Familiale and Commerciale differ in the number and arrangement of the rear seats. The wagons have an upper and a lower tailgate portion and two rear plate, so that also in folded-down lower portion of the tailgate, the vehicle was identified. In small numbers, there was the two-door factory convertible, were joined by over the course of time a number of special versions. The saloons of the DS models were available in 1964 as a luxury version of "Pallas". The first DS had 1911 cc, 75 hp ( about 55 kW), reaching a top speed of 140 km / h This was a great value for the time of their appearance for a normal sedan. Later top models reach over 185 km / h

At the launch at the Paris Motor Show on October 5, 1955 to have been counted on the evening of the first day just over 12,000 orders. Assuming an opening duration of the salon of eight hours per day, so the necessary intake of 1,500 orders per hour, however, appears questionable. Insiders suspect a skillful marketing coup here.

Citroën DS (1967-1975)

Heck, the DS with roof -mounted turn signals

Dashboard of an ID 19 B (1969 ) with the typical Einspeichenlenkrad and ribbon speedometer

Top model: DS 23 Pallas

Citroën DS Break (1967-1975)

Rear view

DS Break with drained hydropneumatics

Technology

Unique for its time was the hydropneumatic suspension. New were the inboard front disc brakes, dual circuit braking system with load-dependent high-pressure servo assistance, which was supplied by the central hydraulic system with pressure and the semi-automatic gearbox. As one of the first production car equipped with the DS developed by Michelin radial tires. The front suspension was designed to be a scrub radius of the product is 0 ( Mittenachslenkung ), which were not exposed to disturbing forces on the steering. Characteristic was the einspeichige steering wheel, steering column which the driver could not impale upon impact. In 1967, the front was redesigned since the D models had twin headlights behind a glass front. In the more expensive models with cornering light, the beam headlight swung in sync with the steering angle and lit the road curve.

Hydro pneumatic made ​​it possible to vary the ground clearance of the vehicle. Parked to the DS, so they fell by the declining pressure in the hydro- pneumatic slowly. Launched to the car, so he lifted several centimeters in height. The hydro- pneumatic level control automatically works as keeping the ground clearance at different loading constant. Rolls- Royce and Mercedes -Benz acquired a license for the Citroën patent. Rolls- Royce was also associated items directly from Citroën.

The structure of the body differed from almost all other cars of that time. The D models were built as a load-bearing structure is welded to the body skeleton platform frame as a chassis, similar were the bodies of the Renault 16, the Trabant and the Rover P6. Non-structural parts such as fenders, hoods, doors and roof were bolted to the frame. To change wheels, rear fenders had after releasing a screw to be removed with the starting handle.

André Lefebvre was an advocate of the use of plastic and aluminum for weight reduction. The roof of the DS fiber reinforced plastic, and consists ( at factory-fitted sunroof ) made of aluminum. It 100 kg of aluminum were used (as in the hood, the largest time series- aluminum body part ), bumpers and moldings were made of stainless steel.

Other gauges

Besides the already discussed technical innovations there have been some refinements:

• The wheel with a large allen central screw allowed a quick wheel change. As a wrench used was a 80 cm long rod at the ends of an axially and a right angle ( correct: slightly less than 90 °, so as not to touch the front fender detail) arranged Allen head is welded and so with her on long lever arm a comfortable wheel change possible. This rod can be unscrewed the wheel by means of central screw captive conveniently roll over to the workshop. With this rod and a crank attached to but also let the engine by hand crank. The mounting with only one screw was from September 1965 abandoned because it was not grown with increasing power of the transmission, particularly in cornering and braking.
• Instead of jacking a prop came with einsetzbarem pen. For wheel change the hydraulics were used: boot, mount bracket, insert the pin, shutdown hydraulics. The transverse stabilizers ensure that lift on the supported side the wheels off the ground. At the rear changing the respective rear fender (no wheel well ) had to be removed. Therefore, the fenders were inside ( visible head, chrome outer hexagon, SW19 or SW14 to September 1965 ) at their front ends (not visible ) socket pins on the C- pillar, at its rear side with a single bolt attached. The crank handle had therefore to solve this screw a corresponding socket wrench head ( colloquially "nut "). Was the Unscrewed, the entire wing could be peeled back.
• Horn with two levels, the first gentle for pedestrians and cyclists in the city, the second stage, however, operated on the highway, a three-tone horn with compressor drive, both operated by a lever with two switching stages.
• The ignition timing could be adjusted on the dashboard. This means that the car with the starting handle was fire up easier.
• In some models, there were in addition to the horizontal and vertical headlights movement to compensate for the pitching motion of the vehicle when bumps or when accelerating and braking.
• The front-wheel drive needed an elaborate construction of the drive shafts. Instead of the usual universal joints used Citroën constant velocity joints, which keep a constant angular speed even in heavy steering and vertical deflection.

Classification in the model program

The D- models replaced several vehicles of different size and engine, namely the large equipped with six-cylinder 15CV and the normal and lightweight (smaller) with four-cylinder 11CV. In the development of the engine for the VGD there had been problems, was not as planned, equipped as a consequence of the car with a six - but with the modified small four-cylinder from the 11CV. The wide graduation of the previous models now had to be carried on by a single basic model, now served to different equipment and engines ( DS, ID). Between the Ds and the small car 2CV ( in the German vernacular " duck " ) gaped a significant gap that was in 1961 reduced the based on the 2CV Citroën Ami 6 and even with the Ami 6 Break something, until 1970 with the appearance of GS ( Série Grande ) was a complete model range.

A unique selling had the Ds hold until the appearance of GS also because of the hydro pneumatic, which is very complex and time overwhelmed many accustomed only to conventional designs workshops.

Technically, the conventional economy version fell out of ID, they had the same body as the DS, but differed in many details from her. The Einheitskarossierung for two arranged in different segments of vehicles the time was not uncommon for it since 1954 she gave for example, Mercedes- Benz and later at Opel.

Model history

Survey

Details

Details DS 19 and DS 20

Details DS 21 and DS 23

Details ID, DSpecial and DSuper

The distinguishing each ID, DSpecial or DSuper is the presence of a normally shaped brake pedal. Contrast, all DS models have a " braking mushroom", a rubber button for brake actuation. The ID and DSuper models are simpler as compared to the DS equipped models. This applies to the exterior of the car, the interior and the technology used.

The first base model ID 19 Normal was compared with the ID 19 Luxe in engine performance even further to 58 hp ( 63 hp SAE ) reduced - here the unaltered motor with parallel-flow cylinder head from the previous 11CV was used.

The other ID as the DS had the modernized engine, but with simpler carburetor and lower compression on first 66 hp SAE (ID 19) throttled.

Sonderkarosserien

Based on the Citroen DS - and more rarely of ID - a number of different special structures was realized. They include convertibles, coupes, sedans and special truck bodies, such as health insurance or van.

Cabriolets

The most famous and sought-after on the vintage market most special versions are the convertibles, of which there are different versions. In principle between the work Convertible ( Cabriolet Usine ) on the one hand and particular to distinguish convertibles produced on behalf of customers.

Cabriolet Usine

The Cabriolet Usine was created 1960-1971 on behalf of Citroens in the studios of Henri Chapron. It was based on the chassis of the DS Break. The design of the factory convertibles followed a design by Flaminio Bertoni. The cars were designed as a four-seat convertible. The fabric soft enough when closed side right up to the window of the front door; so there was - unlike some customers Chaprons versions - no rear side windows. The rear fenders were designed from the outset as one piece; Thus, they did not weld in front of the rear wheels. Thus the work of some early Cabriolet, manufactured at customer Chapron Cabriolet differed. The rear end of the sedan version corresponded to unchanged. The front end made ​​over the years by the same development as the sedan.

Citroen finished the order to produce the Cabriolet Usine in the summer of 1971. Till then Chapron built for Citroen in 1219 convertibles based on the Citroen DS and 106 additional copies with ID Technology. By 1974, originated at the customer some more convertibles, stylistically corresponded to the plant model. We are talking about seven copies.

Spezialkarosserien by Chapron

In addition to these factory convertibles that have little changed over the years, Chapron created a number of other convertibles, which partially differ significantly from the factory models. Unlike the factory Cabriolet Chapron used for its own models usually have a lower six inches windshield; in some specimens, however, the standard high windshield was used on the customer. Between 1958 and 1970, about 120 pure Chapron Cabriolet, which were available in different versions emerged in five series. Among them were the four -seater convertible La Croisette ( 1958-1962, 52 copies) and Palm Beach ( 1963-1970, 30 copies), the 2 2- seater model Le Caddy ( from 1960 to 1968, 34 copies), the scarcer a cut top decreed.

More Cabriolets

In addition to the factory convertibles and Chaprons customer versions made ​​numerous other coachbuilders more convertibles based on the Citroen DS, which were, however, produces only a few copies or remained single pieces. To them, the Stuttgart-based company Reutter, which was later renamed RECARO belonged. Reutter developed in 1960 by order of the German Citroen branch a four-door convertible on DS basis, which had a complex roof mechanism and has been implemented in seven copies. A few convertibles delivered in 1959 and 1960, the brothers Beutler in Thun, and Autenrieth in Darmstadt created a design for a DS- Cabriolet. Its implementation is, however, not been established.

Coupes

Parallel to the convertibles offered Henri Chapron also a number of different coupes based on the DS, which - apart from the fixed roof - stylistically suited to his convertible. The Le Paris (1958-1960; nine copies) and Concorde (1960-1965, 38 copies) were closed versions of the four -seater convertible Croisette and the Palm Beach; The same was true for the Le Léman (1965-1972, 25 copies), who possessed but a flat Asked C-pillar. The Le Dandy ( 1960-1968, 49 copies), however, was the coupe version of the 2 2- seater convertible Le Caddy. He had - unlike the four-seat coupe - no rear side windows, but had a very broad B-pillar.

More coupes have been developed also in Barbero in Italy and at Pichon - Europe in France. They were based, unlike the Chapron - coupe on a shortened chassis DS.

Limousine

Chapron finally built 1965-1974 four-door sedans more based on the DS, which each had separate lines. To them, the DS Présidentielle produced in 1968, a 6.40 -meter-long prestige vehicle with heavily distorted lines and a notchback, which was occasionally visited by Charles de Gaulle on official occasions belonged. The Présidentielle was sold in 1976. More sedans were the Majesty (25 copies) and Lorraine ( four copies).

Commercial Vehicles

The combi break had the same wheelbase as the sedan, the greater length was achieved by a longer rear overhang. With a loading of about two meters in folded down or removed back seat, this model is suitable even without bodywork conversions for use as ambulance.

Individual body building firms in France, of which Tissier is the most famous, built the cluster models to jumbo vans around with two rear axles, as well as increased and extended cargo space. This ran between Paris and the Ruhr and Frankfurt or to transport newspapers between Germany and France in the express service.

Other special structures and individual pieces

The DS has been widely used as the basis for some curious individual productions, including a DS Cabrio converted to amphibious vehicle. An ID 19 sedan Schwimmwagen circled Helgoland. In addition to the conversion into a four-axle towing vehicle Millepattes, a five-axle tire test vehicle from Michelin is one of the most well-known special vehicles.

Social significance

French President Charles de Gaulle used on all official occasions DS. On August 22, 1962 DS made ​​a significant help to save his life, as the assassination of Petit- Clamart was made ​​on his life. The car was able to compensate and continue the damage of a shattered rear tire. The attack that the Jackal was played in the film, contributed in the myth of DS.

The DS was known in her time because of the design and revolutionary technology, especially in export markets as a car for nonconformists.

DS played in many films, for example, in sharp curves for Madame with Louis de Funès, where the car almost drove along in a scene even on the Seine as amphibious vehicle, and Fantômas, also with de Funès, where a used by the villains DS in an airplane transformed, or in French Connection - Brooklyn focal point and the successor French Connection II in some French films of the film - noir genre a black DS is typically driven by criminals. As the ice cold angel Alain Delon steals only the luxury variant DS Pallas. In the movie The Japanese and the Goddess ( original English Title: The Goddess of 1967) in 2000, the DS, the title motif dar. In Crossing Jordan Miguel Ferrer continues his role as Dr. Garret Macy, a Citroën DS. In The Mentalist lead actor Simon Baker will also move to a DS in the role of Patrick Jane. In the television series Dr. Stefan Frank - The doctor, the women trust (1995-2001) Sigmar Solbach rode a DS with folding roof as Dr. Frank. In the multiple Oscar-nominated film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) drives the cuteness of Gary Oldman character George Smiley exclusively with a DS 21 Pallas.

How timeless the design of the car is still seen in the fact that the DS has also been used in several recent science fiction productions as a prop. To be seen in a setting of Back to the Future II as a floating taxi without wheels a slightly modified DS, as in the opening credits to the TV show EUReKA. In an episode of the second season in 2005 produced the series Battlestar Galactica, a DS can be seen in an underground garage. In Gattaca a DS Cabrio serves as a means of transportation.

The structuralist philosopher Roland Barthes wrote in 1957 in an essay about the car, that it is " obviously fallen from the sky " is ( Mythologies ).

In October 2005, owner of numerous countries met for the 50th anniversary of the D- model with approximately 1600 " goddesses " in Paris.

Although neither the elaborate hydropneumatics still have the design ( at least outside of the house Citroën) found a greater degree imitators, the DS is a milestone in automotive history.