Description
The Citroën DS 23 Pallas ..... National origin, delivered in May 1974 .... produced between 1973 and 1975, was the most advanced and powerful version of the legendary DS line, which had revolutionized the automotive world since 1955 with its futuristic design and technical solutions that were completely out of the ordinary for the time. Equipped with a 2. 3-liter engine, available in carburetor or Bosch D-Jetronic electronic injection versions — the latter with around 140 hp — the DS 23 offered superior performance and extraordinarily smooth driving, supported by the famous hydropneumatic suspension that kept the car level and absorbed irregularities like no other vehicle. This technology, combined with hydraulic power steering and brakes, gave it impressive precision and lightness, characteristics inspired by aeronautical principles. On the outside, Flaminio Bertoni's aerodynamic design maintained the fluid, futuristic lines that made the DS a global icon, including details such as partially covered rear wheels. In dual-optic versions, the directional headlights turned with the steering wheel, an innovation that would only become commonplace in the industry decades later. The interior, especially in the Pallas version, offered a level of comfort and finish well above average, often considered the most comfortable car of its time. The DS is also known for its legendary resilience, symbolized by the 1962 episode in which a DS saved Charles de Gaulle by remaining controllable after an attack that destroyed its tires. The name “DS” is also a pun on “Déesse,” which means “goddess” in French. As the culmination of the model's evolution, the DS 23 marked the end of an era and remains to this day one of the most innovative and iconic cars ever built.
