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For the first time in its long history Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance will spotlight Citroen as its featured marque with a display of rare coachbuilt cars.
When talk turns to coachbuilt Citroens the name Chapron pops up first; this coachbuilder was responsible not only for the "factory" DS cabriolet, but also a stunning variety of other DS sedans and cabriolets, many of them quite subtle to the uninitiated. While Chapron was by no means the only major Citroen coachbuilder -- let's not forget Heuliez -- it will be cars reworked by Chapron that will take center stage on the 18th fairway later this summer. The concours organizers have just released an early sketch of the official poster for the concours, with three Chaprons appearing on the artwork.
"At the forefront of the poster is the two-tone blue 1966 Citroën DS 21 Chapron Le Léman Coupé, one of roughly 24 produced," the concours organizers write. "This very car (chassis no. 4350020) graced the stage at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show and represents the pinnacle of Citroën custom coachwork. The green 1967 DS 21 Chapron Cabriolet d'Usine was transformed to convertible specification straight from the factory while the Yellow DS 19 exemplifies the essence of the original DS saloon. All three of these Citroëns have been fully restored by renowned Citroën expert Vincent Crescia, who currently operates out of the very building that housed his father's Citroën dealership."
The concours’official poster for 2018, by artist barry rowe, will slowly transform from a sketch to a painting over the course of the summer.< p
Aside from the DS and its myriad versions, we expect to see a selection of other "greatest hits" by this French marque, with the Traction Avant, SM, GS, 2CV and CX being the usual suspects. There's no shortage of notable Citroens in California, but we have a feeling that Citroens from all over the U.S. and Europe will be in attendance, and we wouldn't rule out much later examples like the BX.
"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.
Visit the concours website for event schedule and ticket information.
Gallery Pebble Beach Concours 2016
Jay Ramey grew up around very strange European cars, and instead of seeking out something reliable and comfortable for his own personal use he has been drawn to the more adventurous side of the dependability spectrum. Despite being followed around by French cars for the past decade, he has somehow been able to avoid Citroën ownership, judging them too commonplace, and is currently looking at cars from the former Czechoslovakia. Jay has been with Autoweek since 2013.
