Proof to some that Planet Earth is periodically visited by little green men from beyond the stars, the front-wheel drive Citroen DS was introduced to a spellbound Paris Salon on the 5th of October 1955.

Responsible for unleashing more technological 'brainstorms' upon the field of automotive design than any production car before or since, its wonderfully futuristic 'speeding teardrop' profile was penned in-house by Flaminio Bertoni.

Featuring an olio-pneumatic operating system that controlled its self-levelling suspension, power steering, semi-automatic gear change, and brakes, the big Citroen offered an uncannily smooth ride.

The choice of high-ranking politicians and celebrities alike, it quickly drew the attention of coachbuilder Henri Chapron.

Anxious to showcase his talents on this motoring icon, his first DS-based La Croisette Cabriolet appeared in 1958.

A little ungainly, it nevertheless persuaded Citroen that a factory-sanctioned convertible was a good idea.

With this in m...