Yet another amazing addition is planned to be added to the the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance this year, which will be nothing short of spectacular. This year’s event marks the very beginning of Citroën becoming a featured marque at the 18th fairway on August 26th, 2018. The Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance poster that was painted by Barry Rowe (as shown above), pays tribute to this momentous occasion.
“Interest in Citroën among collectors has seen exponential growth in recent years, and the Concours is pleased to showcase custom coachwork Citroëns that offer the best of French technology and design,” said Concours Chairman Sandra Button.
Having made its first appearance at the 1955 Paris Auto Show, Citroën’s emblematic spaceship-like DS earned itself high praise for its unique design, which resulted in more than 80,000 orders by the end of the week. The innovative DS platform didn’t end with just its amazing outer appearance as advanced features such as, hydro-pneumatic suspension and hydraulic systems for the brakes, steering, and transmission were implemented. With the addition of these dynamic upgrades, the DS became one of the most reliable autobahn cruisers to have been built. The extraordinary vision of the DS became an enticing concept for coachbuilders like Henri Chapron to utilize as a canvas. The art was later sustained into 1970s custom Citroëns.
Jeffrey Fisher, a Citroën enthusiast, relates Citroëns to couturier dresses —“because they featured some of the highest number of interior and exterior permutations for a car ever.” The Tour poster illustrates three cars from Fisher’s collection depicting the development of the Citroën DS from middle class family car to postwar work of art.
The largest and first car on the poster is the two-tone blue 1966 Citroën DS 21 Chapron Le Léman Coupé, of which is just one of around 24 assembled. This exact car (chassis no.4350020) had once been on the stage of the 1966 Geneva Motor Show and symbolizes the peak of Citroën custom coachwork. The green 1967 DS 21 Chapron Cabriolet d’Usine was modified to convertible specifications directly from the factory. On the other hand, the yellow DS 19 embodies the spirit of the original DS saloon. Each of the Citroëns in the poster were fully restored by famed Citroën expert Vincent Crescia, who operates today from the very same building his father’s Citroën dealership was located.
As a member of the Automotive Fine Arts Society (AFAS), Barry Rowe delves deeper into the inner workings of the ever growing relationship between the automobile, society and daily life. When expressing cars, he is admired by his creative use of light and color. Together with Rowe’s contribution, the Concours commemorates the launch of Citroën as a featured marque.
Image Courtesy of: Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
