Seventy years of the DS to be celebrated at the 2025 Salon Rétromobile

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What is the most beautiful production car ever made? A lot of people would say it's the Citroën DS. Agree with that or not, there is no denying that the DS was an outstandingly beautiful car, not to mention very intelligent, with its aerodynamic styling, disc brakes and hydropneumatic suspension. The first of those helped very much to establish the chic image France enjoyed during the '50s and '60s, while the last of those was credited with saving the life of Charles de Gaulle during an assassination attempt, when his DS was able to be driven away even after its tyres had been shot flat.

The DS had a deservedly long production run from 1955 to 1975, with 1,455,746 produced, and it's very much worth celebrating as it turns 70. That's exactly what Salon Rétromobile means to do, with a curated exhibition highlighting landmark models produced during its illustrious production life. Expect to see one of the earliest examples of the model, representing the type which dazzled visitors to the 1955 Paris Salon d'Automobile, where Flaminio Bertoni's graceful design made its world début. Three DS19s were arrayed on the Citroën stand, each one finished in a different, very attractive colour scheme: Champagne yellow with an aubergine roof, apple green with a Champagne roof, and all-black.

One of the most famous DSs has already made an appearance on the 2025 Rétromobile poster: the 1959 Ballon car. This was the result of an idea for an advertising stunt conceived by Claude Puech, a sale clerk who had a sudden stroke of inspiration. This peach-coloured car had its wheels removed and the empty arches covered over, emphasising its streamlined shape. It was then placed on top of four orange orbs "floating" on a lake, where it looked for all the world like a time-travelling object from a sophisticated and exciting future. The reality was a little less exciting—it was actually mounted on stilts which the orbs concealed—but it made for a great photoshoot.

Other star exhibits may include some of the coachbuilt DSs offered by Henri Chapron. Chapron was known as one of France's most accomplished coachbuilders, especially for his work with Delahayes during the 1940s, and the DS was a godsend to him: he took the already beautiful basic form and worked it into even more spectacular shapes. In total, nine different models and body styles emerged from the Chapron atelier.

The DS celebration is sure to be a feast for the eyes. Salon Rétromobile will take place at Expo Porte de Versailles in Paris from February 5-9th, 2025. For more information and to buy tickets, visit https://www.retromobile.com/en.

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