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One of the Finest Citroen DS Models Still In Existence Heads to Auction

The Citroen DS was introduced in October 1955, which is almost 61 years ago. After 18 years of mostly secret development, the Traction Avant’s successor took the world by storm at the 1955 Paris Motor Show for the reason that it was a tech-savvy thing.
1973 Citroen DS Super 5 11 photos
Photo: Silverstone Auctions
1973 Citroen DS Super 51973 Citroen DS Super 51973 Citroen DS Super 51973 Citroen DS Super 51973 Citroen DS Super 51973 Citroen DS Super 51973 Citroen DS Super 51973 Citroen DS Super 51973 Citroen DS Super 51973 Citroen DS Super 5
Regardless of the fact it looks like a million bucks thanks to Flaminio Bertoni’s design know-how, the Citroen DS is a car of many firsts. Beloved by statesmen and philosophers alike, the highlight of the Deese (~French for goddess) is its soft-as-a-cloud ride quality and the hovercraft-like stance.

Six decades after Citroen brought hydropneumatic self-leveling independent suspension to the masses, the French automaker prepares to phase out this type of suspension in favor of progressive hydraulic cushions. The thing is, Citroen is distancing itself from hydropneumatic suspension technology because when it goes wrong, hydropneumatics are notoriously hard to fix.

The 1973 Citroen DS Super 5 in the adjacent gallery rides true and smooth thanks to an exceptionally high-quality, money-no-object restoration. Slated to go on sale this September at Salon Prive, the peeps at Silverstone Auctions believe that this DS is worth between £75,000 to £90,000. There are a couple of reasons for this estimate. The first is the fact this is a one-owner car.

According to the auction house, “the CEO of the supplying dealership is the first and only registered owner of the car, which is now one of the most decorated examples on the classic Citroen circuit anywhere in the world.”

Secondly, this Citroen DS has been featured on Top Gear and Fifth Gear. It has also been offered a permanent place at the Citroen Museum in France. So yes, the estimate truly reflects the condition, history, and provenance of this DS.

“Words are not adequate to convey the condition of this important piece of motoring history, it simply must be seen to be believed,” explains Nick Whale, the managing director of Silverstone Auctions. “This DS is the kind of car that really gets people excited, and we’re delighted to be offering a car of this staggering quality and reputation in our sale," added Mr. Whale.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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