Following the First World War, Andr茅 Citro毛n found himself with a large, well-equipped gear-making factory, and no more government contracts. Citro毛n was a brilliant engineer and, before his war work, he had been chief engineer of the French Mors Automobile Co. He left there to establish a gear-making business in Paris in 1913. His timing was good, and he enjoyed much financial success during the war.
After the war and the end of his military contracts, Citro毛n returned to the automobile field to fulfil a dream of building his own car.
He formed SA Andr茅 Citro毛n in 1919, vowing to make it a progressive company. He introduced all-steel bodies in 1925, Chrysler-type 鈥渇loating power鈥� engine mounts in 1932 and pioneered mass production in Europe. Within a decade, Citro毛n joined Renault and Peugeot as one of the continent鈥檚 big three automobile manufacturers.
Citro毛n鈥檚 1934 front-drive Traction Avant model was a breakthrough with such advanced features as unit construction, all-wheel torsion-bar suspension and a low enough stance to dispense with running boards. The design was so sound that the Traction continued basically unchanged for more than 20聽years.
The company introduced another unusual model in 1948, the Citro毛n 2CV, an ingenious but homely little runabout with a heart of gold. It was so loved it was made, incredible as it sounds, until 1990.
Although Tractions began trickling into North America in the late 1940s, it was the futuristic Citro毛n DS19 (Desir茅e Speciale, 1911-cc engine) four-door, unit-construction five-passenger sedan introduced in 1955 that really set Citro毛n apart as a bold futuristic company.
Like the Traction, the DS鈥檚 low profile exemplified Citro毛n鈥檚 quest for aerodynamics and secure handling. The fender line sloped up smoothly from a grille opening integrated with the bumper, and ran unbroken to the rear bumper.
A low beltline, generous frameless windows and thin pillars gave the sedans and wagons an airy feeling and excellent visibility. Front drive and an under-seat fuel tank allowed a large, deep trunk.
Under its low-slung body of steel (doors and fenders), aluminum (hood and trunk lid), and fibreglass (roof), the DS19 was unique. A central hydraulic system pressurized by a belt-driven pump operated the four-wheel independent suspension, power steering, automatic clutch, gearshift and inboard front disc (the first high-production front discs) and rear drum brakes. The hydraulic power assist was a first for rack-and-pinion steering.
Conventional suspension was replaced by grapefruit-sized metal spheres divided horizontally by a flexible diaphragm with air in the top half and oil in the bottom. A wheel-motion-activated linkage moved a piston to pressurize the oil in the bottom of the sphere, compressing the air in the top.
This hydro-pneumatic suspension gave a soft ride, automatic load levelling and manual and automatic height adjustment. Vehicle height could be increased for rutted roads or lowered for freeway cruising.
It also simplified tire changing. Raising the suspension to its full height, blocking one side of the car and moving the suspension to its low setting left two wheels off the ground. Rear wheels were accessible by removing the fenders held on by one bolt. Each wheel was secured by a large central nut.
The clutch disengaged at idle or when the dash-mounted gearshift lever was moved. Brakes were activated by a small, floor-mounted button with very short travel that took some practice. If the central hydraulics failed, an emergency brake pedal operated the front discs through a separate hydraulic line.
The engine was the DS19鈥檚 most prosaic feature: the Traction Avant鈥檚 wet-sleeve, hemispherical-combustion-chamber, overhead-valve, 1.9-litre four.
It drove the front wheels through a four-speed manual transmission, and 75 horsepower motivating a 1,234-kilogram car gave moderate acceleration. Road & Track reported zero to 100 km/h in 18.6聽seconds. Good aerodynamics helped the DS reach a respectable 142-km/h top speed.
The slippery shape, overdrive fourth gear, generous sound insulation and soft foam seats made the DS19 an effortless, comfortable high-speed cruiser.
Citro毛n鈥檚 safety features included a one-spoke steering wheel to deflect the driver away from the deadly steering column. Turn signals were at eye level in the roof鈥檚 rear corners.
A very long (3,124 millimetres) wheelbase for a 4,801-mm car, step-down floor and wheels at the corners gave a spacious interior. A low centre of gravity and Michelin X steel-belted radial tires gave the DS19 tenacious cornering, which contributed to many international rally wins.
The Citro毛n DS19 was a brave venture, one that Road & Track鈥檚 editor John Bond, an engineer, said 鈥渄rives boldly off the beaten path and never feels the bumps.鈥�
Like its predecessor Traction model, the DS in various versions lasted for 20 years until replaced in 1975 by the CX series.
