Still ahead of the pack in the 60’s

“In the 1960’s the DS 19 confirmed its reputation as a refined and comfortable road car. The reveal of the cabriolet version in October 1960 was followed in March
1961 by the first powertrain upgrade. Engine power was upped from 75 bhp to 83 bhp, increasing the car’s top speed to an impressive 150 km/h. In September 1962,
the DS gained a new, all-black dashboard underlined by a light grey strip, on which an optional car radio could be fitted, as on the DS 19 Prestige. With its first front-end
facelift in 1962, the DS lost its wing grilles and gained two arrowhead rubber bumper guards and a redesigned lower bumper. The upgrade further improved the car’s
aerodynamics, cutting fuel consumption and increasing top speed to 160 km/h.

In October 1965, a year after the launch of the DS Pallas in 1964, a new DS was released with a higherperformance 2,175-cc engine developing 109 bhp for a top speed of 175 km/h! The new model, the DS 21, joined the range alongside the DS 19,
available since 1955 (their names denoting their respective engine capacities). The DS received a new face in 1967 that, apart from its unanimously applauded good looks, also included a new safety feature, with the famous additional swivelling
headlamps now fitted as standard on the high-end Prestige, Pallas and Cabriolet models. Thus equipped, the DS could light up the inside of corners before the
driver entered them!

After the arrival in September 1968 of an all-black dashboard and the replacement of the DS 19 by the DS 20, 1969 saw the advent of an entirely redesigned dashboard featuring three large dials and topped by a visor across its entire width. But 1969 was above all marked by a major powertrain upgrade. The DS 21’s 2,175-cc engine was fitted with electronically-controlled fuel injection, increasing power to 139 bhp and top speed to over 185 km/h. More than ever, the DS asserted its position in relation to the competition and stood as a singular car from all points of view.