Innovative Cars: Citroen DS
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The Citroen DS is a true icon of the automotive world. It may not be the quickest of cars but its innovations moved the industry in a way that hadn’t been seen before.
Citroen was struggling financially as a company in the mid-1930s. It had just produced the Traction Avant (translates literally into front-wheel drive), which showed off front-wheel drive in mass production for the first time, amongst other innovations. However, any progress made was disrupted by the Second World War.
(Citroen Traction Avant)
A decade after the war, in a rebuilding France, the new Citroen DS (DS being a play on the French word déesse, meaning goddess) wowed crowds who watched on at the 1955 Paris Auto Show.
France was met with a car that could do things no one had seen before. It impressed so much in Paris, that nearly 20,000 orders were made in the first day alone. It became a symbol of French innovation.
The futuristic silky shape of that DS with its flowing lines, fibreglass roof and concealed rear wheels made this vehicle look ahead of its time.
One of the biggest innovations Citroen delivered with this car was the hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension. The suspension could be raised high or lowered right down to the ground.
The comfortable drive it could provide was so good that it even helped save the life of French President, Charles de Gaulle in 1962. 140 bullets were unleashed on his DS, puncturing all four tyres. The excellent suspension system allowed for de Gaulle’s chauffer to accelerate away to safety despite the punctures.
Another innovation was the headlights that turned with the steering wheel, allowing drivers to see around corners whilst driving at night. Disc brakes were included too - which was a first for a mass-production car - along with power steering and a semi-automatic gearbox that was a rarity in Europe at the time.
The DS was a staple of popular culture too. The first man in space, Yuri Gagarin, famously drove one, and it also appeared as a flying taxi in Back To The Future Part 2.
Almost 1.5 million were manufactured during its 20-year run. The DS set sales records that have only since been beaten by the Tesla Model 3.
If you're interested in these innovations click here to see more of what Citroen has to offer.