Citroën's unveiling of the DS was a risky move, as they hoped to revolutionize the auto industry. Citroën introduced the DS at the 1955 Paris Auto Salon, following the success of their Traction Avant model in the 1930s. Citroën's front-wheel-drive sedan, with hydro-pneumatic suspension, hydraulic brakes, semi-automatic transmission, and unibody design, set a new standard for family automobiles at the time. Its low fiberglass roof and space-age style gave it the appearance of having descended from the heavens—an idea shared by French scholar Roland Barthes, who famously compared it to having "fallen from the sky.
Citroën received 12,000 orders on the first day of the presentation, indicating that the DS was ready for mass manufacturing, despite its avant-garde design and cutting-edge technology. Over a 20-year production period, more than 1.4 million DS vehicles were made, with different versions including the basic ID, the capacious Safari wagon, and various bespoke bodies created by renowned coachbuilders such as Henri Chapron. Chapron's designs included beautiful limousines, coupes, and cabriolets, none more iconic than the factory-approved DS Decapotable.
Chapron's handiwork included converting the four-door sedan into a two-door cabriolet, strengthening the chassis, and reshaping body panels for a more refined appearance. The resulting DS21 Chapron Decapotable preserved all of the original design's grace and drama while adding an element of exclusivity that made it highly sought after by collectors.
We are delighted to present a stunning 1970 DS21 Pallas Decapotable by Chapron, one of only 40 factory-built models from that year. Chassis number 00FA0662 was delivered to Citroën in November 1969 and shipped to Canada shortly after. It spent years in Montreal before being meticulously restored over six years by its second owner, Arnold Korne. To maintain originality, the car's livery was upgraded to Metallic Red, and the interior was upholstered in tan leather, with a new brown Haartz cloth convertible roof. The engine is a 2,175cc inline-four with Bosch D-Jetronic fuel injection, producing 139 horsepower and combined with Citroën's revolutionary Citromatic transmission.
The DS is regarded as one of the most significant cars of the twentieth century, with its futuristic design and innovative engineering altering expectations of automotive comfort and beauty. Henri Chapron's superb craftsmanship elevates that history, giving the DS21 Decapotable an exceptional blend of creativity and innovation.
