
Episode 16
26minutes.
Design - The Ds 19
Synopsis
The film goes back over the myth surrounding the DS in France during the 'glorious thirties', Citroën's audacious approach and the revolutionary design of the DS that still inspires designers and fascinates collectors.
Introduced at the Paris motor show on October 6th, 1955, the Citroën DS 19 was ten years ahead of other competitors. It straight away became extremely popular as much for its technological innovations (including its hydropneumatic suspension system, hydraulic direction, power disc brakes, automatic clutch, monobranch power steering and integrated dashboard) as its avant-garde aerodynamic look. The DS 19 combined design and innovation and instantly became a legend. On the evening of the first day of the show, Citroën totalled nearly 12.000 orders.
Citroën launched more than twenty different versions of the DS between 1958 and 1974. For twenty years, the DS was an integral part of social and economic life in France. The DS 19 was even Charles de Gaulle's presidential car. Roland Barthes thought that its smooth body lines marked a change in the mythology of cars: 'Until now, the ultimate design in cars belonged rather to the bestiary of power; here it becomes at once more spiritual and more object-like¿' (Mythologies).
The film goes back over the myth surrounding the DS in France during the 'glorious thirties', Citroën's audacious approach and the revolutionary design of the DS that still inspires designers and fascinates collectors.
Available Versions
Audio
French, German, English
Subtitle
French
Transcription
None
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Educational support
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