1970 Citroën DS Décapotable – Auction Car of the Week

7

Dale Vinten

We absolutely love the Citroën DS here at Car & Classic. To us it’s one of those milestone cars, along with the likes of the VW Beetle and Ford Mustang, that will forever be revered as one of the true greats in the grand scheme of the automotive landscape. With its innovative design and spaceship like aesthetic not only was it a landmark for Citroën but it was also a turning point for car design in general.

Citroën, DS, Citroën DS, convertible, Citroën DS Décapotable, car and classic, car and classic auctions, carandclassic.co.uk, motoring, automotive, French car, auction, vintage, motoring, automotive, classic, retro, 70s car

Arriving straight out of left field in 1955 the front-engined, front wheel-drive DS not only looked spectacular but it also raised the bar as far as handling and ride quality were concerned thanks to its automatically levelling hydropneumatic suspension. Try saying that three times fast. Lavished with ground breaking, but more importantly usable tech the beautifully styled DS (thanks to Italian designer Flaminio Bertoni and French aeronautical engineer André Lefèbvre) was a cut above anything else on the roads at the time. A side-by-side comparison with the equivalent Fords and Vauxhalls of the era makes one realise just how forward thinking Citroën was back then.

And if you didn’t think that the DS could get any more stylish a convertible version was released in 1958. Built by renowned French coach-builder Henri Chapron, the Décapotable Cabriolet d’Usine was a two-door variant that utilised a reinforced frame to cope with the reduced rigidity of having no fixed roof. And boy does it look magnificent. Quality, grace and refinement come at a price though and the Décapotable was prohibitively expensive meaning that less than 1400 were ever produced. What that does guarantee though is a rarity factor that is difficult to put a price on nowadays.

Citroën, DS, Citroën DS, convertible, Citroën DS Décapotable, car and classic, car and classic auctions, carandclassic.co.uk, motoring, automotive, French car, auction, vintage, motoring, automotive, classic, retro, 70s car

It just so happens, however, that Car & Classic is able to offer one such example via our auctions platform. This 1970 Citroën DS Décapotable was originally supplied by Citroën Deutschland in June 1970 to a Dr. T. Burckhart and remained in Germany with recorded history until 2005 whereby it was then imported into the UK where it currently resides. With the original Citroën Deutschland paperwork, alongside a comprehensive German service history from 1970-2005, the car certainly has been cherished.

Externally the hand-crafted, coach-built bodywork presents incredibly well and the deep metallic blue paintwork retains a deep lustre. All of the panel gaps are arrow straight and the doors have not dropped at all over the years. All of the chrome trim pieces are present and correct and have not succumbed to any weathering or pitting. The all-important roof is in fine fettle and functions exactly as it did when the car left the factory in 1970. A matching tonneau cover is also present and fits the car perfectly. The original wheels and hubcaps are in great condition and the car has recently been treated to a full set of period-correct Michelin XVS tyres.

Sliding behind the wheel of any DS is always an occasion to savour and this particular example is no different. The tan leather upholstery is supple and sumptuous and the carpets are clean and dry indicating no issues with any water ingress. With that iconic single spoke steering wheel taking pride of place in front of a damage-free dashboard and fully functioning gauges the cabin of this DS is a wonderful place to be, whether driving or not!

It’s not just the interior and bodywork that make this car so special, however. The oily bits have also been impeccably preserved and the 21-spec fuel-injected engine is as smooth as ever. Being this particular variant lends an even higher level of exclusivity to proceedings as a mere 483 convertibles were built to this spec. The pièce de résistance – the hydropneumatic suspension – works impeccably in all modes and the car drives exactly how any good DS should.

Citroën, DS, Citroën DS, convertible, Citroën DS Décapotable, car and classic, car and classic auctions, carandclassic.co.uk, motoring, automotive, French car, auction, vintage, motoring, automotive, classic, retro, 70s car

The Citroën DS is special but a Décapotable is just something else. It’s difficult to put a finger on the je ne sais quoi of cars like this – the combination of high tech, innovative engineering and avant-garde, drop dead looks elevate the DS to a higher plane of existence. All we can do is extol its virtues and lament the fact that we’ll probably never get to own one. You can though, all it takes is the winning bid and you could be waking up to this beauty every day. Just imagine.

Enjoyed this article?

Sign up to our weekly newsletter to receive the latest articles, news, classic cars, auctions and events every Thursday - compiled expertly by the Car & Classic team