The first-generation Citroën DS launched at the 1955 Paris Motor Show to immediate public sensation, with thousands of orders placed on the opening day alone. It introduced the hydropneumatic self-leveling suspension system that would define the nameplate, along with power-assisted steering and brakes, all driven by a naturally aspirated inline-four engine sending power to the front wheels. The front mid-engine, front-wheel-drive layout was unconventional for an executive car of the era, and the aerodynamic bodywork, designed with input from sculptor Flaminio Bertone and stylist Robert Opron's predecessor Flaminio Bertoni, remained visually unlike anything else on the road. This opening series established the DS as a benchmark for ride quality and technological ambition in the mainstream automotive market.
