One of my favorite car is heading to auction next week during Bonhams sale Les Grandes Marques du Monde in Paris. This splendid and rare 1971 Citroen DS21 I.E. Convertible is a goddess (DS = Déesse / Goddess in French) since its presentation in 1955...

... and still now, as in September 2009, the DS was named the most beautiful car of all time by Classic & Sports Car magazine.

History of Citroen DS

Twenty one years after the Traction Avant, Citroën presented the DS in 1955, It was immediately a success thanks to its unique design and innovative technologies. The design of the low-drag bodyshell was penned by Flaminio Bertoni, Italian industrial designer and André Lefèbvre, French aeronautical engineer. The main innovative technology on this car was the hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension developed by Paul Magès.

Until 1975, Citroën sold 1,455,746 examples in different models sedan, wagon, cabriolet... This 1971 Citroën DS 21 has a coachwork by Henri Chapron, French automobile coachbuilder who began as upholsterer's apprentice in Paris. Only by direct customer order, Chapron produced only 1,365 decapotables from 1961 to 1971 with 15 paint choices, 13 shades of leather for interior and 3 carpet colours. In total, 1,365 usine convertibles were made with DS19 or DS21 engine between 1960 and 1971, and Henri Chapron built 389 of his own until 1977.

This example is one of the only four semi-automatic convertibles ordered directly to Chapron on the chassis of the DS21 IE (standing for Injection Electronique). It was sold new in 1970 in Nantes (France).