La Barquette Ricou — Early DS 19 Racecar

This little racecar is, in fact, one of the oldest DS still in existence. Its serial number is 000 081.

It was envisioned and constructed in 1958 by André Ricou, a Citroën dealer in Chambéry, France.

Its body is aluminum — formed from DS hoods and weighs just 750 kg. The DS 19 engine is 125 horsepower and thanks to dual twin throat Weber carburetors it can propel the 1236 Kg car to 200 KM/h. Take a close look at the Webers. André moved the LH sphere forward and put it on a right angle to provide clearance for the carbs.

Following a racing accident in 1959, André Ricou decided to modify the body it to give it its current line.

It won many races, including the famous Rallye Neige et Glace in 1960.

There are no other copies and Bernard Ricou’s sons have preserved its splendor as seen in this video: