From the Cohort by Bruno Ferlito
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The Goddess Storms The Bastille Of Convention
The Goddess Appears On Two Continents At Almost The Same Time
The Goddess, Topless, With La Lorraine
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Cohort Pic(k) of the Day: Citroen DS
– Posted on May 15, 2020
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Curbside Classics Archives
I learnt recently that the original styling proposal was for as fastback shape, which was subsequently tweaked into a semi-notchback.
Beautiful choice Don. You know, this would have made a fantastic annual report cover for Citroën, back in the day. Or a terrific historical image on their current website. That slightly turned wheel shows action, lending the sense this Goddess is ready to roll.
“That slightly turned wheel shows action”
Was it just the CX that had the Diravi steering system? I know the earliest CXes were available without the Diravi, but that was a big loss to the owner. Diravi is a Citroen designed power steering system, speed depending and one of its virtues was a strong self centering action. So much that when you take your hand off the steering wheel when the engine is running, the front wheels go back to the straight on position. That is why you never see a CX parked with slightly turned wheels (except those rare early models without Diravi). Loved this strange habit.
I thought Diravi also was equipped with the DS but could be wrong.
Not the DS (I had both a DS and a CX), but I believe the SM had it.
That’s a beautiful picture, and as noted above, it would have made a great cover for an annual report. Very much appropriate for the Goddess!
In my little hometown, there were a number of automotive eccentrics. The guy who had the DS was one of the most notable. It wasn’t in great aesthetic shape, but he drove it, probably more than I am aware of. It seemed to lack appeal to the unwashed masses, whereas most everyone appreciated an English or Italian car, even if in rough condition. To the folks in my town it was just a weird guy who drove a weird car. Now I know better, it was a weird guy who drove a great car.
To launch a car with so many innovation in 1955 was really bold. At that time, Citroen had only 2 cars to offer : the 2CV and the DS, both unique in their ways !
The “traction Avant 15H” was offered during its last years of production with a rear hydropneumatic suspension, I guess it was a way to test this solution before introducing it full scale with the DS.
One comment : I am pretty sure the rear brakes are drums, not discs.
Indeed, rear brakes are drums. Here you can find the characteristics of both ID and DS systems (to make things even more complicated, they were different…):
http://www.citroen-ds-id.com/index.html?hc/chapter6.html
I think that the DS is a fascinating car, I also think that it is an ugly car. I’ve always thought that, since I first saw one in the early 1960’s. Being ugly doesn’t mean that it isn’t cool. The car’s inverted boat profile hides an incredible amount of cutting edge technology. That photo displays the DS’ least polarizing viewing angle.