Lot Ended
Description
Imported from sunny South Africa in 2021 and just one owner
since; factory RHD; 5-speed manual; recent repaint; 123 electronic ignition;
fabulous magic carpet ride; the perfect antidote to our atrocious
roads!
The most radical
machine yet to appear in the 70-year history of the motorcar, the DS caused an
absolute sensation when it was unveiled in 1955, offering a glimpse of a braver,
brighter future in a world still labouring under drab post-war
austerity.
A masterpiece of industrial design, the DS bristled
with startling technical innovations to match its spaceship looks. At the
heart of the experience was Citroen’s hydro-pneumatic
suspension which used nitrogen filled spheres and mineral oil to maintain a
constant ride height regardless of load. It didn’t just absorb bumps, it erased
them, creating a magic carpet ride that has not been bettered to this day.
So right
was the initial concept that it remained in production substantially unaltered
until 1975, being voted ‘Most Beautiful Car Of All Time’ by a panel of 20
world famous designers as recently as 2009.
Built in 1973, this factory
right-hand drive CKD export model was assembled at Citroen’s Port Elizabeth
plant in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, being one of fewer than
1,000 DS23 Pallas models produced there. Powered by the 115bhp 2.3-litre
carburettor engine with 5-speed manual gearbox, it has the
sought-after Pallas spec with the added bonus of sun-proof ‘D-vinyl’
upholstery, much more durable than the materials used on the French-built
cars.
Our vendor acquired the DS from a South African architect who
had been using it as his daily driver, getting it shipped to UK in February 2021
(with all duties paid) to join his impressive collection of classic
Citroens. While the car was fighting
fit mechanically, the paint was somewhat faded so he had it professionally
resprayed to a good standard and also fitted 123 electronic ignition.
Kept garaged alongside the rest of his collection, it wasn’t formally UK
registered until June 2024. Treated to a service and check-over shortly before
the auction, we are told that it drives as well as it looks and it has certainly
been starting promptly and running very nicely indeed as we have moved it around
on site.
As an experiment, we drove it down to the unpaved,
heavily pot-holed section of our large 10-acre site to see if the
much-vaunted suspension lived up to its ‘magic carpet’ reputation. The answer
was an emphatic ‘yes': the ride quality is astonishingly good with the
self-levelling working as it should - ideal for our atrocious roads which
are in a worse state now than at any time in living memory.
On offer
here at a very sensible guide price (the last DS23 we sold made £23,500 in April
last year), this French icon will not only turn heads wherever it goes, it might
also save you from a ruinous repair bill or spine injury on our tragically
terrible tarmac...
Consigned by James Dennison
– 07970 309907 – james.dennison@brightwells.com