- As partner to the next Retromobile, DS Automobiles has chosen this special show to mark the 70th anniversary of the DS.
- “The DS, a work of art for 70 years” exhibition and the attendance of the DS clubs enables the public to admire a dozen historic and exclusive DS models, carefully picked by L’Aventure DS.
- On Retromobile’s initiative and supported by the DS Brand and L’Aventure DS, GARAC is reviving the DS Balloons, a creation from 1959 to promote the unrivalled comfort of the DS with its hydropneumatic suspension. This unique display will be at the heart of the exhibition dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the DS.
- A timeless icon, the DS embodies daring and the avant-garde spirit, values that continue to enrich each DS Automobiles creation. Proof of this is N°8, the brand’s new flagship, which will be shown for the first time at Retromobile.
As a partner to Retromobile 2025, DS Automobiles is grasping this incredible opportunity to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the legendary DS.
Retromobile 2024 attracted more than 130,000 visitors, confirming the public’s enthusiasm for this internationally renowned event, both in France and beyond its borders. Enthusiasts from all over the world come to Porte de Versailles in Paris every year to meet collectors and other aficionados.
This year, partner to the 2025 show DS Automobiles has a major surprise in store for visitors: discovering unique examples of ageless automotive icon the DS, sometimes for the very first time.
“There is no setting more symbolic than Retromobile to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the DS. This event is dear to us, and we are delighted to share it with as many people as possible. Today elevated to the status of masterpiece, the 1955 DS is the perfect embodiment of the Art of Travel. We bear this special legacy with great pride, a legacy that inspired the creation of DS Automobiles in 2014. Our Brand is rooted in the richness of French culture, whether that’s its art, its literature or its avant-garde view on mobility. This spirit, which has defined the DS for 70 years, is now at the heart of DS Automobiles’ identity.” Olivier François – DS Automobiles CEO.
The aura of the DS: a global influence
Revealed on 6 October 1955, 1,456,115 examples of the DS were made until 1975. A true symbol of excellence, it was chosen as the presidential car by several heads of state. Its ingenious hydropneumatic suspension technology has also played a key role in history: it enabled General de Gaulle to escape the Petit-Clamart attack on 22 August 1962.
A masterpiece of innovation and the embodiment of the French Art of Travel, the DS has also been depicted on the big screen. It shone in film classics such as Fantomas unleashed (1965) with Louis de Funès, The Samurai (1967) with Alain Delon and Steven Spielberg’s Back to the Future 2 (1989).
The DS is not just a car, it is a work of art. Exhibited in a version without wheels, fully faired in, and placed inclined on a central pedestal more than a meter above the ground, it won the Industrial Art Award at the 1957 Milan Triennal. Today, the DS is also part of the MoMA Museum’s distinguished collection in New York.
The icon also inspired the words of the famous semiotician Roland Barthes in his book Mythologies. He describes the DS as “clearly fallen from the sky, (…) an exceptional article”, going so far as to compare it to the great Gothic cathedrals. In 1957, the writer saw it as much more than a car: a true architectural and cultural work.
A special exhibition dedicated to the DS
In an exclusive space in Hall 1 of Retromobile, a genuine “exhibition within the exhibition” will be held, called “The DS, a work of art for 70 years”. Organised by Retromobile in collaboration with DS Automobiles and L’Aventure DS – the body dedicated to the preservation of the Brand’s heritage ‑ this retrospective will bring together a set of incredible cars.
At the entrance, to mark the 70th anniversary of the legendary DS and celebrate the Brand’s innovation, two symbolic models will face each other: a completely original 1969 DS 21 Pallas, and a N°8, shown for the first time in France.
- The 2025 DS N°8 will sport an elegant Crystal Pearl colour enhanced by extended bi-tone black paintwork covering the roof and bonnet, with an Alezan Brown Nappa leather interior.
- The 1969 DS 21 will also be shown in an exclusive Crystal Pearl livery, with extended bi-tone black paint, and a sumptuous Semi-Aniline Criollo leather interior.
Further on, visitors will have the privilege of discovering a line-up of historic DS cars, including the intriguing DS Balloons. This iconic model was initially designed in 1959 by Claude Puech, then Citroën’s advertising director. A faithful reconstruction carried out by the GARAC (the National School of Automotive and Mobility Professions) will be exhibited in tribute to this avant-garde creation which also appears on the Retromobile 2025 poster.
The DS Balloons showcases a DS 19 in a Tortoiseshell Blonde colour, resting on four massive balloons instead of wheels. The latter symbolise the spheres of the famous hydropneumatic suspension, giving the illusion that the car is floating. At the time, photos of this visionary idea went around the world, boosting the DS’s standing as an avant-garde and timeless work of art.
Around this centrepiece of the exhibition, among other things that will be on display are a 1972 DS 21 Prestige that was used by Michel Debré, Prime Minister under General de Gaulle in 1958, and also a “Factory” DS 19 Convertible from 1961, and even the metallic grey DS 19 Totem Pole that was shown at the 1962 Paris Motor Show.
No fewer than 12 models on show, including 11 historic DS cars:
- 1956 DS 19 saloon in Spring Green-Champagne roof (private owner),
- 1959 DS 19 “Balloons” in Tortoiseshell Blonde-Carrara White (DS Automobiles, built by GARAC 2024-25),
- 1960 ID 19 in Pacific Blue (L’Aventure DS collection),
- 1961 DS 19 Convertible “Factory” in Metallic Grey (private owner),
- DS 19 Totem Pole in Metallic Grey from the 1962 Paris Motor Show (Le Mans Museum),
- 1967 DS 21 Pallas saloon in Monte Carlo Blue (private owner),
- 1968 DS 21 Pallas saloon, with swivelling headlamps, in Corsair Red (L’Aventure DS collection),
Please note that visitors will be able to take a seat inside to experience its exceptional comfort levels!
- 1968 DS 21 wooden model (L’Aventure DS collection),
- 1969 DS 21 Pallas saloon in original Crystal Pearl livery with extended bi-tone black paint on the roof and bonnet (L’Aventure DS collection),
- 1972 DS 21 Prestige saloon (ex Michel Debré) in black (L’Aventure DS collection),
- 1975 DS 23 Pallas saloon in Scarab Brown (L’Aventure DS collection),
- 2025 DS N°8, original Crystal Pearl livery with extended bi-tone black paint on the roof and bonnet.
Two rare exhibits will complete this immersion:
- the model of a faired-in DS 21 (1968), elegantly showcased on a Kandahar grey stand,
- A modern sculpture implying a covered DS 19, a unique aluminium example, the work of the artist Frédéric Girard, an ornamental boilermaker, co-created with the DS DESIGN STUDIO.
Special lighting for the DS Retromobile exhibition
The Retromobile exhibition, celebrating the 70th anniversary of the DS, will be enhanced by the sumptuous Régis Mathieu chandeliers. Artisan bronzer, restorer and renowned designer, Régis Mathieu is the son of Henri Mathieu, famous for his collection of lighting with kinetic spirals. Passionate about cars, Régis brings his unique expertise to the aisles of Retromobile, with a special sparkle for this exhibition dedicated to the DS logo.
Other DS treasures to explore at Retromobile
In parallel with this flagship event, two iconic DS models will be in the spotlight in Hall 3, the Club Village hall. On the stand uniting L’Aventure DS, Amicale DS and clubs such as DS ID Club France, Club ParIDS (in Hall 1) as well as the Euro SM Club, there will be:
- A unique competition DS 21 (1972) prototype, fitted with a Maserati engine from the legendary SM.
- A Delta Blue DS estate (1975), a model full of history and charm.
70 years of the legend: DS, a bridge between past and present
Seventy years after its birth and almost fifty years after production ended, the DS continues to intrigue collectors and car enthusiasts around the world. By paying tribute to it at Retromobile and by unveiling its new N°8 flagship for the first time in France, DS Automobiles is forging a powerful link between past and present.
A true source of inspiration for the automotive industry and a 20th century avant-garde icon, the 1955 DS remains a compass for the women and men of DS Automobiles. Through this exceptional legacy, the Brand not only celebrates its history, but also declares its ambition to enhance the French Art of Travel.
A DS memento to take away from Retromobile
At this very special event, visitors will have the chance to leave with a unique DS Automobiles souvenir. The DS boutique will be offering an exclusive selection of DS scale models, including two new ones: the 1959 DS Balloons in “Tortoiseshell Blond”, magnificently reproduced in 1:12th scale, and a limited edition 1:43rd Speedform 1955 DS 19.
For collectors, enthusiasts or simply lovers of beautiful objects, there will be a surprise reveal on February 4.
The full exhibition will be unveiled during the preview evening, which will be held on Tuesday 4 February, from 7 pm.
Practical information
49th Retromobile from 5 to 9 February 2025, preview evening on Tuesday 4 February
Opening times: from 10 am to 7 pm, late night until 10 pm on Wednesday 5 and Friday 7 February
