Citroen DS

When Citroen unveiled the DS at the 1955 Paris Motor Show, it received over 12,000 orders on the first day, a reaction almost unheard of for a production sedan. Its swooping, aircraft-inspired bodywork looked like nothing else on the road, and underneath it hid a hydropneumatic suspension system that let the car glide over rough surfaces while automatically adjusting ride height.

Beyond the suspension, the DS pioneered power steering, a semi-automatic transmission, and disc brakes on a mainstream car, along with swiveling headlights on later models that turned with the steering wheel to light up corners at night. The name itself is a pun, as "DS" pronounced in French sounds like "deesse," meaning goddess.

Production ran from 1955 to 1975, and the DS remains a favorite among collectors and design enthusiasts, having been voted the most beautiful car of all time in several international polls. A well-kept DS today is as much a piece of industrial art as it is a driver's classic.