As the successor to the brilliant, groundbreaking Traction Avant, Citroën’s DS had very big shoes to fill. Fortunately, the resultant family of sedans, wagons, and cabriolets was so beautiful, advanced, and effective that, 70 years later, they are still heralded as some of the most forward-thinking cars of all time.

Introduced in 1955 to a France still reeling from the aftermath of WWII, the DS (a clever play on déesse, or “goddess”) was said to have appeared as though it had “fallen from the sky,” according to prominent intellectual Roland Barthes. Featuring radical oleo-pneumatic suspension, disc front brakes, unibody construction, and myriad innovations, the DS offered the average middle-class French family a driving experience unlike that of any car before or since.

This is a rare, early example that was sold to its first owner in France in 1957. Its second owner purchased it in 1961 and retained it until 2018, when it was purchased by the consignor. The DS is further distinguished by what is believed by the consignor to be its original interior, replete with Bleu Royal (Royal Blue) upholstery and a distinctly space-age dashboard, both unique to the early DS, among many other special early features. Rare original details are present, including its hydraulic fluid drum reservoir. An attractive, driver-quality example with a charming patina, it is likely among the earliest DS examples in North America. Chassis 11562 would be a worthy addition to the collection of any serious connoisseur.