2,175cc OHV Inline 4-Cylinder Engine
Single Carburetor
100bhp at 5,500rpm
4-Speed Semi-Automatic Transmission
Independent Pneumatic Suspension

*One of just 35 examples to feature this sophisticated design from Henri Chapron
*Presented in original colors and specification
*Sophisticated chassis with elegant coachwork
*Recently freshened after long-term ownership in France

THE CITROËN DS21

Citroën's magnificent, space-age DS turned the motoring world on its head when it launched at the 1955 Paris Auto Salon. Onlookers at the show were stacked ten-deep, gendarmes were called in to control the crowds and visitors began waving their Francs at Citroën representatives to get their deposits down on this most remarkable machine. With such a scene unfolding, it would be easy to assume the DS was an exotic sports car or highly exclusive limousine for the elite. But in fact, Citroën's stunning new creation was a mid-priced family sedan, taking and more than 12,000 deposits on the first day of the show! Despite the humble purpose, the DS was a technological tour de force, featuring hydraulic suspension (pioneered on the Traction Avant's self-leveling rear end), high-pressure self-centering steering, semi-automatic gearbox, radial tires, and four-wheel disc brakes. It was wrapped in a gorgeous, futuristic body penned by Italian sculptor Flaminio Bertoni and French aeronautical engineer Andre Lefebvre. The great French theorist and aesthete Roland Barthes described it as having "fallen from the sky." The DS would go on to become an enduring symbol of French ingenuity, creativity, and Avant Garde style. More than a million were built over 20 years, with everyone from middle-class families to heads of state counted among the proud owners.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

This car is one of approximately 35 examples build by Chapron, and it is one of just six from the second series, distinguished by the "finned" rear wing treatment. Build records supplied by the coachbuilder show that chassis number 4.350.009 arrived at Chapron in October 1965 and was assigned the commission number 7550. It was completed and invoiced on the 10th of December 1965.

According to the documentation, Chapron built this Concorde to special order for Monsieur Jean Lavail, who listed his address as the architectural firm CETAB. This elegant Citroën is no doubt a fittingly sophisticated motor car for a French architect. Appropriately for a coachbuilt car, this example included a host of luxury options. The high specification as listed on the build sheet includes power windows, leather trim, optional Jaeger instrument cluster, Radiomatic FM radio with automatic Hirschmann antenna, Marchal fog lamps, and Robergel wire wheels. The handsome Midnight Blue and Shell Gray livery it wears today is the original color scheme as specified on the build sheet. All-in, Mr. Lavail's invoice totaled nearly FF 41,000, which would have been the equivalent of over $8,000 US Dollars. By comparison, a new Cadillac DeVille cost less than $6,000, and the exclusive Citroën would have been on par with the cost of a new Cadillac Series 75 Limousine.

While it is not clear how long Monsieur Lavail owned his DS Concorde, it appears that it spent the majority of its life in France, with French registration papers showing it changed hands in 1985. The new owner, a professional Citroën mechanic, bought the car as a complete and original example, although it was not running at the time. He gradually refurbished it, treating it to a light restoration in 2000, and is said to have rebuilt the engine during his ownership, although records are not available. For the next 33 years, the owner enjoyed and cared for this very special Citroën, maintaining it in excellent condition and using it regularly on the road.

Today, this beautiful and rare DS21 Concorde benefits from a recent cosmetic freshening of the restoration. It presents in its original colors of Midnight Blue with a Shell Gray roof, which highlights the crisp and elegant Henri Chapron design. The bespoke exterior trim, unique to the Concorde model, was polished and detailed. Likewise, the beautiful interior is freshened with new plush carpeting and rejuvenated leather upholstery. The seats have an appealing character, with light creasing accrued through gentle use, while the panels, dash and headlining are in original condition. It runs and drives with the road feel of a car that has seen consistent use and careful maintenance. This lovely example is ready for continued enjoyment at the hands of its next enthusiastic caretaker.