1972 Citroen DS 23 Pallas

The Citroen DS must have been responsible for the most sensational introduction on a car show ever. As the DS (DS 19) was presented on the Paris Salon in 1955 the spectators were speechless for they had never seen anything like it. The crowd was given a materialized glance in the future of the automobile. Citroen received about 12.000 client orders for the car on the first day.

The 23 was powered by a 2.3-liter engine that made 115 horsepower when carbureted and 130 horsepower when equipped with fuel injection. The more potent version of the 23 could reach a top speed of 118 mph, a useful velocity in an era when the speed limit on French highways was a ballpark suggestion at best.