After 18 years of development in secret as the successor to the Traction Avant, the Citroën DS19 caused a sensation on its launch at the Paris Motor Show


Wednesday 5th October 1955

After 18 years of development in secret as the successor to the Traction Avant, the Citroën DS19 caused a sensation on its launch at the Paris Motor Show. Within 45 minutes, 749 orders had been taken, and by the end of the day, 12,000. The DS was revolutionary both in its aerodynamic styling and in its range of new technologies, making all other cars on show look outdated. Hydropneumatics controlled the self-levelling suspension, brakes, clutch and power steering, with the ride height adjustable from inside the car. Only the old 1,911-cc engine was carried over from the Traction Avant, which, while capable, was far from cutting edge. The budget-conscious ID 19 appeared a year after the DS19 and featured conventional brakes and steering.


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