On June 1, 2014, DS became an independent brand , outside of Citroën but within the PSA group. This French firm came to embody the values of French know-how, intrinsic in its historical heritage of the 1950s. We are talking about the DS19 or shark , as some know it. It is the avant-garde vehicle created 60 years ago and which, even today, supports the ideas of the new models. That car managed to be the symbol of Gallic elegance, forming part of the automotive past far beyond the borders of our neighbors. For this reason, it is worth reviewing a very important page of this beautiful body: the launch of the DS19 Pallas version .
The DS19 began to circulate in 1955 , a year that marked a before and after in the way of conceiving preciousness on wheels. Her name already gave clear symptoms of becoming an icon, since DéeSse means Goddess in French and that is how this model is pronounced. It was an ode to aerodynamics and simplicity, with sleek hands, clever shapes, and just the right chrome. The bumpers of the DS19 seemed to cut through the wind , as if Flaminio Bertoni had created a spear on the asphalt. Bertoni was the thinking mind of details such as the trunk lid hinges, which were concealed in the finish of the sides and which also incorporated some arrow-shaped ornaments .
The restyling arrived
With the passage of time came the first redesign of the DS19. In 1962 a retouched bodywork was presented, with a more aerodynamic but equally minimalist front. To protect the bumpers, they incorporated rubber bands that were hardly visible, a material that was also inserted between the license plate and the bumpers. By then customers of the DS19 were already recognized for their good taste and sophistication, especially after the launch of the DS Prestige in 1959 . This edition was defined as a ” luxurious travel model ” and was the first car to have a telephone from the production line, as well as a partition between the front and rear seats.
With the success of the DS19, a certain attachment to his avant-garde and transgressive personality began to grow. Many artists were fascinated by this model, which in turn fell in love with the wealthiest families in France . Far from settling for being flattered, the creators of this car presented a new finish designed for lovers of visual arts and beauty.
The DS19 Pallas arrives
In 1964 a new finish inspired, or rather for competitor, the concept of English elegance was presented. This version received the popular nickname of Pallas in reference to the goddess Pallas Athena of wisdom and balance . This model was characterized by the thin chrome moldings, the rubbers inserted into the stainless steel profiles and integrated into the rear reflectors and the natural leather interiors that covered the entire surface of the passenger compartment, preventing a single metal part from being seen from inside. .
This variant celebrated its debut at the 1964 Paris Motor Show and remained in production until April 1975, becoming the last model to roll off the line from the Quai de Javel factory . Drivers, and passengers, fell in love with the ultimate expression of status that owning a DS19 Pallas entailed. Its seats, with higher backrests and integrated headrests, were not only comfortable, but also more luxurious . In addition, they fit in perfectly with other elements such as the high-quality wool carpets, the stainless steel finishes and the ceiling lights to illuminate the interior.
Also to the Prestige
The last unit from 1975 was a DS 23 Pallas , which shows the durability of this finish on the model. What’s more, this edition was optionally extended to the DS Prestige, which was renamed the Prestige Pallas, and to the cabriolet models manufactured since 1965 . The Break body never accepted that package, except for the one created for the Belgian royal house, which was nicknamed “Break de chasse” because it was a special request.
The improvements to the Pallas were not only superficial or aesthetic, there were also mechanical ones. These models incorporated long-range headlights, called Boule for their spherical shape and which ended up becoming the norm for the rest of the versions until 1967. We are, without a doubt, the most popular version of DS, a firm that tries to present another concept of luxury and sobriety in equal parts.
