Citroën DS

On 6 October 1955, at the Paris Motor Show, Citroën unveiled the DS 19. The shock was immense: more than 12,000 orders were taken on the first day. With its flying-saucer lines drawn by Flaminio Bertoni, it seemed to come from another world.

Beneath its streamlined body lay avant-garde engineering. Its hydropneumatic suspension, designed by Paul Magès, delivered unequalled comfort and kept the car at a constant height whatever the load. The same hydraulic circuit operated the brakes, steering and gearbox. It was also one of the first production cars with front disc brakes. The philosopher Roland Barthes compared it to a Gothic cathedral.

In 1962, at Le Petit-Clamart, its suspension allowed General de Gaulle’s DS to escape despite tyres shot out in an assassination attempt. Produced until 1975, with nearly 1.5 million built, the “Goddess” remains one of the masterpieces of car design.