The stylist responsible for the DS was Flaminio Bertoni (1903-1964). Upon his death he was succeeded as styling chief by Robert Opron (born 1932) who in 1975 left Citroën when it was acquired by Peugeot. Over his career he also worked for Simca, Renault and Fiat.
Opron's major projects at Citroën were the GS produced 1970-1986, and the CX produced 1974-1991. Another design of interest from that period was the SM (1970-1975), a DS follow-on powered by a Maserati motor.
Today's post presents some images of the DS, SM, GS and CX to provide an introduction to Opron and his Citroën styling language. However, note that Opron's designs were created within a few years of one another during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Unless noted, the photos below are factory-sourced images.
Bertoni's design, radical in its day.
A fairly late DS with facelifting styled under Opron's direction.
A new design, Opron retained the feeling of the DS. The main differences were the passenger compartment greenhouse and rear fender treatment. Similarities include the smooth sides and the wheel openings (or lack thereof at the rear).
The DS was a four-window sedan and Opron's GS has six windows. Sides are plain aside from a character line shoulder-high. Carried over from the DS is the round front wheel opening, while the rear wheels are only partly skirted.
Rear quarter view showing the considerable glass area. The GS was lower-priced than the DS, intended to fill a market category lower than the increasingly expensive DS line.
The CX was the DS replacement. Its window treatment is similar to that of the GS. Smooth sides and wheel opening treatments are not far removed from those on Bertoni's original DS 19s.
Front quarter view. Unmistakably a Citroën -- those chevrons on the grille were hardly needed.
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