The 50’s

Legendary car
The fathers of the DS
The  50's
DS through the countries and the decades
Still ahead of the pack in the 60’s
Reaching maturity in the 70's
2015, launch of the DS brand
Divine DS lights up the future
The 50’s

The 1955 Motor Show
The second half of the 20th century was made distinct by the introduction of the DS 19. On 6 October 1955, the world swelled over the DS 19, captivated by an avant-garde facade and the technology to match. In a day, 12,000 units were sold – and in ten days, 80,000 orders were taken.

1200x657 Slide 7_1The late 50s, a golden age
From 1956 to 1959, DS took strides towards distinction with two new models, an estate version, four new colours and styling upgrades – and the DS 19 Prestige. Available exclusively in black, the DS 19 Prestige was recognised as a car fit for the exceptional leaders right from the start.

1200x657 Slide 7_2Staying ahead on the bend
True to its heritage, DS outperformed its motorsporting competition, coming in first in several categories and seventh in the overall rankings at the Monte-Carlo Rally in 1956. Then in 1959, DS repeated its victory at the Manufacturers’ Cup – and again in 1966, a main title win with the DS 21.

1200x657 Slide 7_3Several versions of the DS 19 were launched over the course of the 1950s. The first was the ID 19 in October 1956, followed by the estate versions and the DS 19 Prestige in 1958. The DS 19 also broke new ground that year by increasing the body paint choice from four colours to an unheard-of eight colours. The first styling upgrades came in 1959, when the body lines were refined by lengthening the rear wings and adding large, ashtray-style air vents to the front wings.