Citroën Ds Grand-palais 1972 2019 / Manual / 1,800 km

In 1955, Citroën revolutionised the industry with its DS saloon. Many versions followed, but there was never an official coupé. Gérard Godfroy himself set out to rectify this oversight by designing the Grand-Palais.

Gérard Godfroy, a designer by trade – having worked at Peugeot, Heuliez and then Venturi, which he founded in 1984 with Claude Poiraud – had the idea, the desire, the need to create his own DS: the missing coupé. The model that Citroën never commissioned from Flaminio Bertoni, the designer of the production DS.

Godfroy’s ambition is to invent the coupé that could have, that should have appeared at the same time as the saloon – a tribute to Bertoni as much as a personal project. The Le Mans-based company Automotive has teamed up with the famous designer, and this Citroën DS Grand-Palais is one of six cars produced and the only one to be registered worldwide.

Conceived in 2014 and built in 2019/2020, this car has been type-approved and validated by Stellantis; it bears the red bar and has a “Grand-Palais” registration document (like the other five): it is a Citroën unique in the world and available on the market.

Based on the chassis of an April 1972 Citroën DS 21, this DS is particularly well-equipped and designed:
- DS21 engine with electronic fuel injection,
- hydraulic gearbox,
- Two-tone paintwork: metallic grey bodywork and light grey matt roof,
- Fully bespoke upholstery and carpeting crafted by an upholsterer trained at Hermès
All leatherwork features saddle-stitching.
- Modern car radio,
- Hands-free telephone,
- Air conditioning,
- Michelin tyres with white sidewalls,
- Boot fitted for golf bags with hatches under the rear seat,
- 4 electric windows with no central pillar when lowered,
- Boot lit by LED strip and electric control,
- The entire dashboard has been covered in leather, including the switches,