The Citroën DS is among the defining automotive designs of the twentieth century, and the DS21 variant — powered by a 2,175 cc inline-four producing around 100–109 hp depending on carburettor specification — represented the most potent engine option in the DS range during its 1965–1975 production run. Norev, the French die-cast manufacturer, has long been regarded as the benchmark maker for DS replicas in 1:18, and this two-tone blue 'Le Leman' edition from 1968 is among the more visually distinctive subjects in that catalogue.
The DS21: Hydropneumatics and a 2,175 cc Four-Cylinder
Introduced in 1955 and continuously developed until 1975, the Citroën DS was built on a single platform across its entire production life. By 1968 the DS21 had settled into its mature form: the 2,175 cc Type DY5 engine, front-wheel drive, and — in markets that received the update from 1967 — the striking four-headlight front end with swivelling outer lamps. The DS21 saloon measured 4,830 mm in length, and the DS21 designation itself simply identified the engine displacement class within the wider DS and ID family.
Two-Tone Blue and the Le Leman Variant
Two-tone colour schemes were a period-correct and prestigious option for the DS, applied both from the factory and by independent coachbuilders — most notably Henri Chapron, whose workshop transformed numerous DS saloons into cabriolets and bespoke finished cars throughout the 1960s. The 'Le Leman' designation accompanies a two-tone blue livery that places this car firmly within the prestige end of DS specification. The 1968 date aligns it with the updated four-headlight configuration, a visually distinct and actively collected variant that sets it apart from earlier DS production.
Norev's 1:18 Scale Model: Die-Cast Construction
Norev produces this 1:18 model in die-cast metal, the material choice that gives the DS21 its appropriate weight and paint depth — the two-tone blue livery in particular benefits from the surface quality that die-cast tooling allows. As a French manufacturer, Norev brings direct cultural familiarity to the DS subject, and their 1:18 DS renditions are consistently cited by collectors as among the most accurate treatments of the model. The 1968 specification, with its four-headlight nose, is faithfully represented in this release.
In the Display Cabinet
This model sits naturally alongside other Norev DS releases — the DS23 Pallas, the DS Safari estate, and Chapron cabriolet variants — forming a coherent survey of DS production across the 1960s and early 1970s. For collectors focused on French road cars, it pairs well with the Citroën SM in 1:18 as a representation of the Maserati-engined successor. The two-tone blue livery gives it sufficient visual contrast to anchor a shelf alongside single-colour DS variants without repetition.
