DS Grand Palais N°2 Debuts

The much admired DS Grand Palais, a stunning 2-door coupé in the Spirit of Les Grand Carrossiers, is making its way into production. Designed by Gérard Godfroy, we reported on its introduction back in December 2019 and now a second DS Grand Palais has been completed.

Gérard reports that the project had progressed slower than planned with the covid pandemic and another obstacle — the homologation in France. (Homologation is the granting of approval by an official authority to enter the automotive market ensuring vehicles and their components satisfy the requirements set by national and international regulatory bodies. And in France, the law states that there be “no-forbidding” action from the original manufacturer, which in this was Citroën.) Gérard knocked at a door in the Citroën organization, but it was not the right one and precious time was lost waiting for a response, but a second door recommendation was the right one and since the end of May he has Citroën’s blessing to continue. )

Despite this situation, a second car was built and is already sold. The owner is now just waiting for the final homologation approval certificate to use it. In the meantime, Gérard has taken some lovely photos of the n°2 Grand Palais alongside the first one and we are pleased to show them:

Gérard also mentions that during this period of stand by, he and Christophe Bihr have continued to work. He has made a new dashboard which will be fitted on the n°3 coupé. The modelling, the molds and a first prototype piece are finished. The leather trimming is not yet executed because it will depend on the leather colour for the n°3 car.. The principle of this dashboard is to use the last instruments (the three big rounded ones ) of the 1970-75 period, but included in an old spirit design. This because, because the dashboard instrument clusters before 1970 have become very rare, and the last ones ( 1970-75 ) are not in keeping with the exterior design of the Grand Palais.

We will publish another update I when the new dashboard is finished. We can tell you this much so far; — the new dashboard will be fitted in the car n°3, which is already reserved by a french customer.