1966 Citroën DS21 Cabriolet

• Highly sought-after 1967 model year
• Displayed at the 1966 Salon de l'Automobile de Paris
• The 5th DS Cabriolet produced with green hydraulic fluid
• Restored in Switzerland during the 2010s
• Chapron certificate on file
• Registered in France

"Never before in automotive history had a mass-produced car achieved such levels of safety, comfort and performance all at once." – Sparrow & Kessel, Citroën DS, Osprey, 1994.

As it had done 21 years earlier with the revolutionary "Traction", Citroën once again astonished the world in October 1955 with the launch of the highly spectacular DS 19. Beneath its refined, low-drag aerodynamic bodywork, reminiscent of a shark, the newcomer featured four-wheel independent hydropneumatic suspension with self-levelling, along with braking, automatic clutch, gearbox controls and power steering all assisted by a very high-pressure hydraulic system. For years, no European car could match the DS's dynamic performance.

The original long-stroke 1,911 cc overhead-valve engine was replaced in 1966 by a short-stroke 1,985 cc unit, also available in 2,175 cc and 2,347 cc versions. The DS subsequently received various improvements, including swivelling headlights, fuel injection and a five-speed gearbox.

Alongside the DS, other models were offered, such as the ID (a simplified and more affordable version), the large Safari estate, and the two-door convertible known as the Cabriolet, the latter clothed in bodywork produced by Henri Chapron. The first DS Cabriolet was presented on 6 October 1958 at the Paris Motor Show on Chapron's stand. This version quickly attracted Citroën's management, leading to orders for cabriolets that would be sold through Citroën dealerships. A close collaboration was thus born between the Chevrons and Chapron.

The first cabriolet was ordered by Citroën in early October 1960, based on a 1961 DS 19. This Citroën/Chapron agreement would last nearly ten years, with Citroën directly supplying rolling platforms to the coachbuilder at 107–109 rue Aristide Briand in Levallois-Perret.

In total, 1,365 factory Cabriolets were produced with DS 19 or DS 21 engines between 1960 and 1971, while Chapron also built 389 examples of its own version, the last delivered in 1973.

This chassis 4376059 refers to the Citroën DS 21 Henri Chapron "De Série" Cabriolet no. 9044, built in 1966 and the 5th cabriolet of the 1967 model year. It is the 1,044th cabriolet built by Henri Chapron on Citroën DS 19 / ID 19 and DS 21 platforms. It is referred to as a Citroën DS 21 "Décapotable" by the chassis manufacturer Citroën, which marketed all cabriolets produced by Chapron between 1960 and 1970 under this designation. It is known as a "De Série" cabriolet by Henri Chapron, who produced a small series of approximately 1,400 cabriolets between October 1960 and 1974, initially on DS 19 / ID 19 chassis and, from the 1966 model year onwards, on DS 21 chassis.

The Citroën DS 21 factory cabriolet, chassis no. 4,376,059, with hydraulic gearbox type DXD no. 011, 1967 model year, body no. 00.32.000.209, was ordered by Citroën from Henri Chapron in mid-July 1966 based on the DS 21.

This corresponds to order "C 25.645" for a DS 21 Cabriolet, "De Série" model.

The platform was delivered to Carrosserie Chapron, 114–116 rue Aristide Briand, Levallois-Perret, France, on 22 July 1966. The DS 21 Cabriolet was built by Henri Chapron under production number 9044 in the annex workshops at 107–109 rue Aristide Briand, where all Chapron cabriolets marketed by Citroën between 1960 and 1970 were produced.

The cabriolet was finished in "Gris nacré" (AC 113) with black leather interior and a black cotton hood. The car is also equipped with an adjustable-height driver's seat.

Upon completion, final inspection was carried out by Chapron's master craftsmen. Cabriolet no. 9044 was delivered to the Citroën Javel works on 22 September 1966 for final technical inspection, fitting of chassis plates and stamping of the chassis number in the engine bay.

It was the second 1967-series cabriolet delivered to Citroën for sale in France.

The first 1967 Citroën factory cabriolet delivered was displayed at the Citroën showroom on the Champs-Élysées.

Our cabriolet no. 9044 was exhibited at the Paris Motor Show from 6 to 16 October 1966 on the Citroën stand, where it was photographed alongside General Charles de Gaulle.

Following the show, the DS was sold by Citroën and later surfaced in Switzerland in 2006. It was then entrusted to the Othello workshop for an extensive restoration. Following the restoration, it participated in various Citroën-themed events, including the Bob Neyret Meeting in Grenoble in 2007.

In 2013, this wonderful Citroën was sold to another Swiss owner. He retained the car for nearly five years before selling it in 2018 via Garage Claude Frésard to its most recent custodian. The cabriolet then returned to France, where it was registered as a historic vehicle.

The car subsequently joined a diverse collection assembled by its late enthusiast owner, who regularly exercised his vehicles. Stored in a heated garage and kept under cover, this DS Cabriolet still presents as though it had not been restored some twenty years ago.

Today, the cabriolet remains in restored condition and retains several of its Chapron identification numbers in various locations. Its engine, type DX2 from the 1969 model year, along with all mechanical components, has been regularly maintained by marque specialist Jean-Louis Publier.

Offered with its Chapron certificate, French registration document and a copy of its former Swiss registration, this Citroën DS21 Cabriolet is a highly desirable example, whose presence at the 1966 Paris Motor Show under the Citroën banner is a significant asset for enthusiasts of the model.