1969 Citroen DS20 Pallas

We know that this LHD Gallic charmer came to these shores in 2008, having lived a full and no doubt rewarding life in France since it left the Paris Quai de Javel factory in 1969.

We also know from various bills, invoices, receipts and our limited grasp of the French language that it was sympathetically restored in France in 2005 by the restoration firm of René Lechevallier in Isigny-Le-Buat, north-western France.

Today, the car presents in its original colours of white over Gris Palladium with a red cloth interior.

It starts, runs, rises up on its magic carpet-like suspension, handles, performs and stops as you would hope and expect - and it appears to be a thoroughly sorted and fettled example of the breed.

The car’s first UK owner picked up the baton passed to him by his French predecessors and, in 2020, he had any dents removed and a new wiring loom installed, courtesy of French Classics Ltd.

He also bought 5 new tyres for the car.

The vendor has owned the car since 2023.

The car presents very handsomely from every angle and sits as it should with the suspension either up or down.

Except for the roof and bonnet the body panels are steel, which is normal and ‘correct’, and we’ve seen no bubbling, blistering or corrosion to speak of anywhere.

The bodywork is free of any major dinks, dents or dimples that we can see and, for the most part, the Gris Palladium finish has held on to a good deal of its shine and vibrancy.

The panel gaps and shut-lines look a little ‘approximate’ in places, but that’s par for the course with these cars, and the fact that the doors close with plenty of accuracy and heft tells us that everything is aligned to the intended tolerances.

Being the sticklers for honesty and transparency that we are, we are obliged to point out any blemishes or minor flaws, no matter how inconsequential or paltry.

So, here goes.

There’s some split paint and signs of a previous touch-up to the top of the o/s/f wing where it meets the door; a few tiny dents, scuffs and scratches to the rubbing strakes on both flanks; what looks like some sun damage to the rubber trim on the nearside of the roof; a couple of small dinks to the alloy cover on the nearside ‘C’ pillar; and some rather dusty looking interiors to the headlamp cowlings.

The chrome has done a decent job of fending off any meaningful tarnishing, foxing and pitting, and the wheels seem to be in good order.

The badging and other exterior fixtures and fittings seem to be in good condition.

The muted grey and white of the exterior gets a blast of vibrant contrast as soon as you open the door and take in the bright red velour upholstery and trim.

The seats in these cars are so comfortable, even with the engine off and the suspension not ‘engaged’, that we’ve seriously considered replacing our chairs and sofas at home with items from the Citroën DS upholstery spares catalogue.

It’s a wonder that DS drivers can stay awake for long enough to get anywhere, so warmly cossetting and comforting is the seated experience, front or back.

The seats are in irreproachable condition.

There is some wear to the armrests on the front doors and the red carpets have faded to a muted shade of pink.

The door cards and headlining are all in fine order, as is that delightful DS signature touch, the louvred blind on the rear window.

The dashboard, steering wheel and controls look very decent, and we particularly like the pack of Gauloises poking from the ashtray.

As far as we’re aware, the car’s whimsically idiosyncratic array of switches, knobs, levers, toggles, buttons and dials is in full working order.

The very capacious boot is as good as the rest of it.

Peering into the engine bay on a DS usually compels the uninitiated to do a fair bit of pointing, head scratching, pondering and wondering.

Other engine bays don’t look like this.

All we know is that everything appears to be in its right and proper place and the whole space is dry and relatively clean.

The undersides of the car appear to have a great deal of structural integrity and we’ve seen absolutely nothing to make us tut, frown or otherwise question the car’s honesty or character.

There’s a big thick wad of bills (in French) covering its later years in France, plus bills and receipts for work carried out since it’s been in the UK.

The car comes with a DS manual, a recent HPI report, a V5C, and a sheet of DS-appropriate adhesive decals.

We like a Citroën DS20, we really do.

They’re uniquely quirky and characterful, yes, but they’re also marvels of engineering that, even today, seems ahead of its time.

We particularly like the upmarket Pallas iteration.

Most of all, we like ones that are in good mechanical shape, where somebody else has done all of the heavy lifting, and where there’s every hope of a long and trouble-free relationship with a simply wonderful car.

Which is why we like this one.

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £15,000 - £20,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.