1973 Citroen Dee Ess 23 Reincarnation

The Citroën DS was a ground-breaking car that not only had beautifully elegant coachwork but was also bristling with advanced technology. A Paris coachbuilder Henri Chapron was commissioned by Citroen to build an official convertible called the 'Cabriolet Usine'. Some 1300 were built and today these very rare cars can fetch in excess of £100,000. Seeing an opportunity, a recognised DS restorer Brian Mitchell took a mould from an original car and set about manufacturing his own interpretation of this amazing car. His Company DS Conversions of Malvern built several cars, they had heavy gauge glass fibre rear wings, doors and surrounds, and also used the more powerful 2347cc engine mated to a five speed gearbox.

We are informed by the vendor that this particular car was an actual demonstrator for Dee Ess conversions and like the 'Chapron' originals was constructed from the Safari platform giving better rigidity. Originally bought by a DS club enthusiast it then passed to its current owner 17 years ago. Since then, in 2005 and in time for the DS Golden Jubilee celebrations in Paris, it received some extensive restoration, including the replacement of the critical box sections front to back, and was then subsequently repainted in modern two pack paint in 'Blue d Orient'. Critically this car incorporates the original 'Chapron' exterior trim from the top, middle and bottom of the wings and doors including the mouldings towards the rear wheel arches, and also the crucial wraparound trim onto the rear of the car incorporating the rear reflectors.

It has original 'tabac' leather seats that exude a lovely patina and is complimented by a double duck hood and long and short tonneau covers which were fitted back in 2005. According to the current owner the car drives beautifully, the suspension rises and it drives and brakes very well, indeed from a driving perspective (rather important, however attractive the clothes are ...), the DS feels very modern. The famous 'black mushroom' brake 'button' works perfectly well after a little acclimatisation and the very direct steering is finger-light, the spacious cabin is purposeful and masculine in a very Gallic way. A history file is available with the car along with a current MOT until July 2014.

As values for a genuine factory convertible sky-rocket, the enthusiasts gaze will naturally fall upon alternatives that are almost indistinguishable from the real thing. So this amazing piece of automotive sculpture represents something of a bargain. The Citroën DS has, quite possibly, the greatest concentration of design and engineering genius ever seen in a car, indeed, that old rogue the late Alan Clark knew a classic when he saw one and indeed often wrote of his love for his DS Convertible.