Busch 48021, Citroën DS19 two-tone, red/black

"La belle du jour". Even 60 years after it was presented at the Paris Motor Show, the shape and technology of the DS19, also known as the "goddess", still look just as futuristic as ever. So even today one still has the joy of “gliding like gods”. Retrospective: In 1919 the automobile manufacturer Citroën was founded in Paris. Company founder André Citroën (b. 1878) quickly made a name for himself as an adventurous and innovative entrepreneur. Unfortunately, the consequences of the global economic crisis and the costly development of the Traction Avant presented in 1934 quickly made themselves felt and ultimately led to the financial ruin of the company and thus to the takeover by the main creditor Michelin.The Citroën DS, successor to the legendary Traction Avant, officially began its career under the name VGD (»Voiture de Grande Diffusion«, which means something like a mass model). After a very long development period, directed by André Lefèbvre and Flaminio Bertoni, the Citroën DS was presented on October 6, 1955 at the Paris Motor Show. The first performance was a sensation. Because of his appearance, he was quickly given nicknames such as "hippopotamus", "shark mouth" or the name "The Goddess", which is still used today and is certainly more aptly formulated. The most revolutionary model from Citroën is still known under this honorable name today. Heralded as a masterpiece of aesthetics and engineering, the DS was such a unique concept that it shook the automotive world to its core. Never before in the history of the automobile has a single model combined so many innovations in terms of safety, performance and comfort. The hydropneumatic suspension on all four wheels and the associated level control, which kept the ground clearance the same regardless of road conditions and the load on the car, provided a level of comfort that was unknown up to that point.The DS's front and rear disc brakes, gearshift, clutch and servo-assisted rack and pinion steering were assisted by hydraulic technology. More than 34 meters of lines were laid in the vehicle for the hydraulic system, which adjusted to the speed. But in addition to all the technical improvements, the futuristic design of the DS caused a stir, which, thanks to its streamlined shape, ensured excellent economy for the time.Because of or despite its progressiveness, the DS was crowned with great success. 749 examples were ordered in the first 45 minutes of the Paris Salon alone, and 12,000 by the end of the first day. After a week, the number of orders was 80,000 pieces. A total of 1.5 million DS were sold by the end of the production period. The 1:87 model of this "goddess" with inset and chromed headlights even has a properly working replica of the "hydropneumatics" that can be operated via a lifting mechanism on the underside of the vehicle.