Fifteen minutes after the covers were lifted from the Citroën DS on its debut at the 1955 Paris Motor Show, 743 orders for the car had been placed. By the time the show closed nine days later, those orders totalled more than 80,000. It was a design years ahead of its time, not just for its elegant lines but also for the technology inside: the hydro-pneumatic, self-levelling suspension; the power steering; the semi-automatic gearbox; the inboard-mounted front brakes. 

The DS remained in the Citroën range for an amazing twenty years until production ceased in 1975, with nearly one-and-a-half million examples produced, across six countries, in that time. A Classic & Sports Car magazine poll of car designers saw the car crowned the most beautiful car of all time.  

JYY 377 J is a DS Spécial, the model which replaced the earlier ID variant in 1970. It has been recently restored, having been bought by the vendor as a project in 2020.  

Our photo shoot took place at a specialist storage facility where the car is kept, and there was no paperwork on-site. The vendor has provided pictures of the V5 document and some of the numerous invoices for parts and restoration work. The V5 suggests that the car was first UK-registered in 1995, although the vendor believes it came to this country in 1978. 

Originally white, the car was subject to a full body-off restoration in 2020, and the vendor will supply with the car a memory stick containing 200 images documenting the restoration.

As an historic vehicle, the car is MoT- and tax-exempt.   

Top Gear magazine described the DS as ‘one of the most comfortable cars ever made’. Sit in this example, on the generous front seats, and it’s easy to see why. There’s a truly panoramic view through the windscreen, too. The fabric upholstery, refurbished as part of the 2020 restoration, is generally in good, clean condition, while the carpets were also replaced (at a cost of £800) and look great. 

The rear bench seat is also clean and tidy, with only one small patch of discoloration.

The dashboard has been modified to accept concessions to modern motoring: a pop-up sat nav, a screen to show the images from the offside-mounted cameras (to assist with driving on the left in a LHD car), LCD fuel, temperature and oil-pressure gauges, Bluetooth, and MP3 sockets. Sadly, the dashboard has been rather crudely restyled to incorporate these changes, and the finish on the burr walnut isn’t great, although the dials are all in smart original condition. The screens all appear to work as they should. The car now has four speakers, with two mounted on wooden plinths in the front footwells in addition to the two on the rear parcel shelf. The distinctive single-spoke steering wheel is in great condition.  

All four door cards and handles look very good, while the underside of the lightweight glass-fibre roof is unpainted. At the time of our visit, the rear-view mirror had become detached from the windscreen but this is easily reattached. 

The boot is impressively spacious (thanks to the spare wheel being ingeniously stowed under the bonnet), and the liner was also replaced as part of the carpet replacement, so is in very good condition.    

The DS’s stylish ‘teardrop’ shape has been a key part of its iconic status. It’s amazing to think that this design emerged just ten years after the end of the Second World War; it’s guaranteed to turn heads to this day. 

The car arrived with the vendor in need of extensive restoration, and while the photographs document that the corrosion issues have been thoroughly addressed, the final finish on the bodywork isn’t great. The panel gaps are variable, there are numerous bumps and blemishes visible in the paint and the bonnet has a distinct ‘orange peel’ appearance. This is something a new owner will wish to address. 

All four wheels have been refurbished and look good, while all the tyres (including the spare) were replaced at the time of the restoration. The lights, badges and brightwork are all generally good, although there are some dents in the front bumper.   

Our photo shoot was carried out in the grounds of the storage facility, which precluded a proper test-drive, but the car starts on first turn of the key, idles beautifully, and gearchanges through the column-shift engage smoothly and quietly. The car pulls away as it should. 

The footwell-mounted suspension control works well, raising and lowering the car’s ride height smoothly and efficiently. The wiring loom was all replaced as part of the restoration, and as far as we could tell the electrics all work as they should.

Under the bonnet, all looks to be in good order, and there’s a spare wheel (with new tyre) mounted in front of the engine, complete with new toolkit. Underneath the car, there are no apparent issues, and the exhaust appears to be a recent item.   

The Citroën DS is a true motoring icon, so much so that Top Gear magazine declared: “if humans one day leave Earth and decide to ship only ten automobiles from history to our new home in the stars, a Citroën DS will have to be there…”

JYY 377 J has been subject to an extensive restoration, and while there are some issues to be addressed the car is essentially ready to be driven and enjoyed. 

This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only*.** Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.*

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