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29 March 2024

Cars behind the French presidency

Published
By AFP

"The start of the Fifth Republic, with President de Gaulle, was also the start of the DS. The DS was launched in '55, de Gaulle comes in in '58 - he adopted the car because it was the most modern French car of the time."

"With its hydraulic suspension it's very comfortable. It will actually save his life in a way, with the Petit Clamart attack, which he survived - he was in this DS which despite a burst tyre was able to continue its journey with its hydropneumatic suspension. After that attack someone suggested armoured cars but he never wanted that, he used a DS until 1969 when he left office."

"It was only made for the Elysee [the French president's official residence], no other vehicles like this exist. It was so popular that it was used by Pompidou, by President Giscard d'Estaing, President Mitterrand and President Chirac, so it had a great career welcoming a lot of heads of state and kings and queens on their visits to France."