Editions ATLAS

Series - Hachette DS Collection

6164-210 CITROEN DS 19

1959 “Le Paris” by Henry Chapron

Die-Cast

1/43 Scale

If purchase along with other French car models or any other model priced over $20.00 from my inventory 15% will be deducted prior your credit card will be charged.

This discount is available for regular customers without any restrictions.  

You will have additional saving with a combine shipment, handling fee charged for the first item only, shipping rates are increasing slowly for additional weight.

Model made by NOREV for Editions Atlas.  Norev is a French based company that produces diecast 1/43 scale models for few decades.  Recently started produce models not only of French cars.  New models are released on the regular basis and high end quality products.

Hachette is a large French media group that recently became multinational.  It consist of three companies.   Recently they started to sale collectibles including  diecast models via its distribution company along with magazines that published by a branch of this company.  Models of Citroen distributed under Atlas brand.  These models sold in France and not exported in other countries by Hachette.  DS Collection has been “Sold Out” – no longer available from the manufacturer.

Inspection of models shows no reduction in quality but only a different brand name and packaging that for Atlas is a typical for 1/43 scale black color plastic base to which a model attached with a screw, no clear top, and very simple blisterpack.   Also noticeable that many street versions are painted in different colors compare to models released under Norev brand, which by the way retails in a range of 30-40 Euro that is approximately $40-54.

From a 1/43 scale die-cast models collectors point of view these models are great deal, unless you collect a specific brand.

CITROEN D (DS & ID / 11D) SERIES In 1937 famous French car manufacturer started the VGD Project (Voiture Grande Diffusion) that was development of a replacement for its very successful Citroen Traction 11.   WW II and post war economic difficulties delayed development and the product of this 18 years long project the Citroen DS has been revealed on October 5, 1955 at the Paris Motor Show.  The success was instant in first 45 minutes of the show 743 orders were taken and by the end of the first day the number reached 12,000.  

Though very popular the car had a high price tag and in countries still recovering from WW II it slows general sales.  In 1957 Citroen introduced simplified and less expensive submodel the ID or 11D.  This variant share the body with DS but under it there was much more traditional and simplified design. 

During the production cycle the DS was constantly improved and upgraded.  It was restyled in 1962 (aerodynamically efficient nose, improved ventilation, optional additional headlights on front fenders and some other changes), in 1965 a luxury upgrade kit become available (DS Pallas with comfort features such improved noise insulation, leather upholstery and external trim); 1967 restyled head lights (two on each side covered under a glass canopy and turned with the steering wheel; technically superior LHM hydraulic fluid was introduced on all markets but the US).

DS were available as a 4-door variant and station wagon in other countries known as ‘Safari’, ‘Break’ and ‘Familiale’ in UK.   Convertible was available in small series with body built by French company Henry Chapron that also built small number of coupes and special sedans.

Though the DS was very successful in Europe, Australia, and many countries all over the world in US it wasn’t a really popular car with approximately 38,000 cars were sold.  Americans at the time were custom for radical yearly model changes, for luxury cars automatic transmission, air conditioning, power windows and a powerful engine.   US legislation banned aerodynamic headlights (1967), which now can bee seeing on most cars on the US market.  Therefore a four not swiveled open headlights variant was produced for the US market.  By the way headlights that turned by the steering were also banned on the US market.  This feature was proudly advertised as new by one of the leading Japanese luxury car manufacturer just a couple years ago, 

The DS considered by many specialists as one of the world most influential car design.  It featured radical changes in car styling and unbelievable long list of innovative engineering.  Just mention a few like powered disc brakes (first production car in the world with front disk brakes), hydropneumatic suspension with automatic leveling system and variable ground clearance.   The DS 19 hydraulic system was a revolution that extended its use beyond brakes and power steering.   It took decades for world car industry to catch up and through its 20 years of model lifetime the DS remain ahead of its time.   With that it must be sad that due to the French tax horsepower system that effectively mandated small engines DS and ID were powered by an old fashioned engine that derived from DS predecessor 11 CV Traction Avant models 11C and 11B powered the DS.   Though improved this OHV four-cylinder 1911 cc produced only 75hp at 4,500rpm.  This engine was replaced with a new 1985 cc engine in 1965 with the model designated as 19A, called from September 1969 as DS20.  Also in 1965 was introduced DS21 with 2,125 cc engine that for 1970 model year received Bosh electronic fuel injection that substantial increase the engine power output.  DS was one of the first mass production car using electronic fuel injection.   The most powerful DS line car was DS 23 that was introduced in 1973 with 2347 cc engine with carbureted and fuel injected variants.  The fuel injected one produced 141 hp.

Engines were also changed on ID but this one never received fuel injection or 2347 cc engine.

Most of DS cars were built in Paris, France but it also was built in Australia, United Kingdom and South Africa, some components were built in former Yugoslavia.  Buy the end of its model lifetime, production stop in 1976, Citroen sold nearly 1.5 millions D-series cars.   Even now many DS cars still be on roads in normal use.

You can like the Citroen D series cars or not but for any serious car model collection a model of Citroen DS is simply a must.  In a car design history probably just a couple of other cars were as much influential as the DS.