1965 Citroen DS21 Le Dandy Coupe

1965 Citroen DS21 Le Dandy Coupe by Henri Chapron in Regal Red with Black Hide and Black Roof.

Chassis Number:- 4272007

One of only 50 produced

Left hand drive

Time has robbed the Citroen DS of her raison d'Etre. As roads have improved, the extraordinary hydro pneumatic suspension of the DS has less and less opportunity to demonstrate its ability, whilst inferior vehicles are flattered by billiard-table surfaces. Someone driving a DS for the first time could be forgiven for asking what all the fuss was about. And fuss there was.

The sound of the letters Dé and Esse mean Goddess, a brilliantly simple bon mot that caught the imagination of the French public in a way that no advertising slogan could ever hope for. Launched to an incredulous public at The Paris Motor show in 1955, the design was an instant success - by the end of the first day 12,000 orders had been placed and by the end of the show the figure had risen to 80,000, creating a 15-month waiting list.

Recognising the wisdom of sub-contracting what would inevitably be a low-volume product, Citroen finally relented after much badgering from the renowned coachbuilder and designer, Henri Chapron and allowed Chapron to build special Coupe and convertible bodies on the DS.

All of the bodywork from the reinforced screen back was made or modified by Chapron's artisans and built-up on a separate jig before 'mating' with the rest of the car. One of the most refined and elegant designs to evolve from the Chapron design team was a two-door, four-seat, close coupled coupe named "Le Dandy". The car featured a lower more raked windscreen giving the car a more sporty yet elegant look coupled with a long, low rear deck treatment which emphasised the almost "Riva Aquarama" look to the car.

Our car is one of only approximately 50 cars produced between 1960 and 1968 and as such is one of the rarest of all Citroen DS models. It is finished in Regal Red with a contrasting Black painted roof and features the extra Chapron chrome and stainless steel embellishers applied from new which highlight the exquisite lines. The interior is finished in its original, beautifully patinated Black hide and has the desirable Jeager dashboard. Externally the DS has the bullet style driving lights mounted either side of the bonnet and the original Robergel Wire wheel effect stainless wheel trims.

Expertly maintained and cherished, this is an extremely rare opportunity to acquire a motoring design icon which can still be driven with great pleasure and which will make the owner want to keep stopping in front of pavement café's, just to sit outside and enjoy the view the public get of it.

Early viewing is highly recommended in our central London showroom.