Citroën DS Sedan 1968

In 1968, the Citroën DS Sedan belonged to the final major phase of DS history, following the facelift introduced for the 1968 model year. The sedan kept the low, streamlined shape that made the DS famous, with four doors and a very long, slender profile. This version sits at a turning point: it follows the original DS 19 era and comes just before the DS 20 replaced the DS 19 in September 1968. Visually, it is identified mainly by the revised nose and the headlamps set beneath a smooth cover. Exact technical details for a 1968 example still need to be checked against its trim level and model-year specification.

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History

The DS project began as a proposal to replace the Traction Avant under the VGD development program. It led to the DS 19, unveiled on 6 October 1955 and put into production in Paris the next day. André Lefèbvre championed front-wheel drive, aerodynamics, lightness, and mass centralization, while Paul Magès developed the hydraulic architecture. Flaminio Bertoni created the car’s low, flowing bodywork, giving it the instantly recognizable shape that defined the model.

The range expanded over time with the ID 19 in 1956, followed by the Break, Familiale, and Commerciale variants in 1958. The DS Pallas arrived in 1964 with a more luxurious presentation, and the DS 21 joined the line in 1965 with a larger 2,175 cm³ engine. In 1967, the front end was redesigned and some versions received directional headlamps. The 1968 DS Sedan belongs to this final phase: it preserves the original character of the model while adopting the updated appearance of the 1968 model year, before the DS 20 replaced the DS 19 in September of that year.

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Anecdotes

The DS made a strong impression from its 1955 debut, and its silhouette became one of the best-known shapes in French automotive history. On 1968 cars, the redesigned nose makes the late phase of the model immediately recognizable, especially when the four headlamps are clearly visible beneath their cover.

Production

DS production began in Paris on 7 October 1955, the day after the DS 19 was unveiled. For 1968, the Sedan belongs to a later stage in the model’s life, just before the DS 19 was replaced by the DS 20 in September 1968. The supplied dossier does not give version-specific production figures or assembly details for the 1968 sedan.

Press reception

The dossier does not provide specific press-reception details for the 1968 DS Sedan.

Evolution

For a 1968 DS Sedan, the most noticeable change is at the front. This model belongs to the model year that introduced a smoother nose and four headlamps under a cover. The inner lamps could follow the steering angle on the versions fitted with that feature, making this phase easy to distinguish from earlier DS cars.

Even so, the sedan kept the DS’s core proportions: a very low stance, a pronounced front overhang, and partially faired rear wheels. As with all DS models, the body style should not be confused with the mechanical specification, since trim and equipment could vary. Restored cars may also combine parts from different periods, so the overall consistency of the car needs to be checked carefully.

1955DS Sedan

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Variants

Within the DS range, the Sedan is the four-door saloon, the model’s main body style. It differs from the Break, which has a longer rear section, by its very low sedan profile and three-box shape. For 1968, this body received the updated front end introduced with the model year, making it one of the easiest ways to identify a late-period DS.

The sedan also needs to be separated from other DS names such as the ID 19, DS Pallas, or DS 21, which refer to different equipment levels or mechanical specifications. Here, Sedan describes the body style, not a unique technical package. On a real car, the exact version, trim, and model year should therefore be confirmed independently.