KM: 57 275 Kms
YEAR: 03/1972
COLOUR: Violet métallisé (commande spéciale)
MODEL:
The cabriolet known as ‘usine’ (factory) or ‘de serie’ (production) was designed by Citroen’s own genius designer, Flaminio Bertoni. But beware! These are not to be confused with the 117 cabriolets Chapron (La Croisette, Le Caddy, Palm-Beach) designed at Chapron. The cabriolet usine was in the Citroen catalogue from 1961 to 1971. During these 11 years of production, Citroen preferred to handover production of all 1365 cabriolets to the work shop of Henri Chapron, in Levallois-Perret.
From 1972, if one wanted a cabriolet with the ‘usine’ design, it could be ordered directly from Henri Chapron: He had the tooling and experience to build these cabriolets ordered via his office. He would buy a regular ‘Confort’ saloon chassis from Citroen to modify, followed by its homologation.
This car is the last of 4 special orders for the DS 21 cabriolets assembled in 1972. In total there were only 8 cabriolets known as ‘tardifs’ (late ones) or ‘post catalogue’ constructed from 1972 to 1978, four DS21 and four DS23. These were the only ‘usine’ cabriolets with the letters ‘Henri Chapron’ on the front wings.
Engine with Bosch fuel injection, 2175cc, 139Ch at 5,500rpm.
5 speed manual gearbox. 185km/hr.
Price in 1972 (without options): 47,334 Francs, with an extra 7,215 Francs on options.
In the catalogue of the same year, a DSpecial cost 15,928 Francs, 3 times less.
A DS21 ie saloon cost 26,368 Francs.
Minimum monthly wage at the time: 745 Francs (113 Euros)
HISTORY:
In 1972, the ‘Usine’ Cabriolet was no longer in the Citroen catalogue. Mme Genot of Nanterre therefore placed an order directly on the 15th March, 1972 with coachbuilder Chapron of Levallois-Perret. The finished car was only delivered on 7th July 1973, because it had many and some rare options:
- Unique metallic paint
- Front foglights
- Tinted and electric windows
- Robergel spoked hubcaps.
- Chapron headrests
- Imitation burl walnut dashboard
- Varnished walnut mini-bar.
- Radio with electric antenna
- Electrically-operated hood in faux leather.
All of these options were billed at 12,400 Francs. For comparison, a 2CV cost 7,464 Francs in January 1972.
At the wheel of her cabriolet, Mme Genot often came to the bar dedicated to Edith Piaf (20th area of Paris). The owner Mme Akroun had her sights set on the car. In January 1978, Mme Genot was having some financial difficulties and sold the car to her. Mme Akroun goes on to use the car very little over the next 20 years, before offering it for auction in August 2004. The tarnished paint, lack of awareness of the ‘post catalogue’ models and bad timing led to the car not selling. Mme Akroun then decided to trust the car to the Lecoq workshop for revising the paint.
A friend informed me of its existence. Arriving to look at it, I was surprised by its combination of colours that were not offered in the catalogue. In addition, there were some features that were not correct and this led me to think the car may be a reproduction. Doubt came over me and so I called Noelle Chapron, Chapron’s daughter, who confirmed that it was a fake and so I withdrew from the purchase.
Several days later, Noelle Chapron called me back. Her mother, the widowed Mme Chapron, remembered this DS for the unusual colour, called ‘bois de Boulogne’ in the workshop at the time. In addition, she told me that she had found the whole file for this post-catalogue cabriolet in her father’s archives. The doubt was taken away, it really was one of the 8 “late”cabriolets from the Chapron workshop, and so it was not without difficulty that I acquired it.