Citroën DS Grand-Palais 1972
In 1955, Citroën revolutionized the automotive world with the DS saloon. Many versions followed over the years, but an official coupé was never produced. Gérard Godefroy personally set out to correct this omission by designing the Grand-Palais.
Gérard Godefroy, an automotive designer by trade—having worked at Peugeot, Heuliez, and later at Venturi, which he founded in 1984 with Claude Poiraud—had the idea, the desire, and the need to create his own DS: the missing coupé. The model that Citroën never commissioned from Flaminio Bertoni, the creator of the production DS.
Godefroy’s ambition was to invent the coupé that could have, and should have, appeared alongside the saloon—a tribute to Bertoni as much as a personal creation. The Le Mans–based company Automotive partnered with the renowned designer, and this Citroën DS Grand-Palais is one of only six cars built, and the only one registered worldwide.
Conceived as early as 2014 and built in 2019/2020, this car has been homologated, approved by Stellantis, and comes with its barré rouge registration document and a “Grand-Palais” registration title (like the five others). It is a truly one-of-a-kind Citroën, available on the market.
Based on the chassis of an April 1972 Citroën DS 21, this DS is exceptionally well specified and engineered:
DS21 engine with electronic fuel injection
Hydraulic gearbox
Two-tone paint: metallic grey body with light grey opaque roof
Fully bespoke leather upholstery and carpeting crafted by a saddler trained at Hermès
All leather finished with traditional saddle stitching
Modern radio
Hands-free phone system
Air conditioning
Michelin whitewall tyres
Boot configured for golf bags with access hatches beneath the rear bench
Four power windows with no central pillar when lowered
Boot illuminated by an LED strip with electric opening
Entire dashboard leather-trimmed, including the switchgear
The entire mechanical assembly has been rebuilt by a renowned SM engine specialist.

The car has covered only 1,800 original kilometres.
As Automotive has ceased production, it is important to note that a complete set of bespoke glazing for the car is included in the sale.