The Citroën DS has long commanded its own corner of the collector world, but within that universe the coachbuilt Chapron variants occupy a particularly exacting niche. The 1:18 Norev die-cast of the 1968 DS21 Le Léman addresses that niche directly, reproducing the fastback silhouette and Ivory Green Metallic finish that distinguished these bespoke Paris-built coupés from the standard Pallas saloon. It is an unusual subject even by Chapron standards, and the colour choice amplifies that rarity further.
The DS21: Citroën's Most Developed Classic
By 1968 the DS had been in production for thirteen years, and the DS21 variant represented the engine range's most capable iteration. The post-1967 facelift brought a revised bonnet profile and updated headlamp treatment, making the second-series DS21 the most visually resolved version of the platform. Underneath, the hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension and single-spoke steering wheel remained as distinctive as at the car's 1955 launch.
Henri Chapron and the Le Léman Fastback
Henri Chapron, the Parisian coachbuilder, created several distinct body variants on the DS platform from the mid-1960s onward, each sold through his Paris atelier and select Citroën dealers with Citroën's official sanction. The Le Léman — its name evoking Lake Geneva and the grand touring character of the car — replaced the standard roofline with a flowing fastback coupé silhouette. These were low-volume, bespoke commissions. Chapron's officially recognised status set his DS specials apart from unauthorised contemporaries, and the Le Léman remains among the most elegant results of that collaboration.
The Norev Die-Cast in 1:18 Scale
Norev, the French die-cast manufacturer, produces this DS21 Le Léman as part of their premium 1:18 range. The material is die-cast metal, consistent with Norev's approach to their larger-scale DS releases, which typically carry detailed period-correct interiors. The Ivory Green Metallic finish — Vert Ivoire Métallisé in period DS palette terminology — is an uncommon colour choice that sets this example apart from the white and black Chapron DS models more frequently encountered in collections.
In the Display Cabinet
At 1:18 scale, the Le Léman's fastback roofline and long bonnet make a striking presence on the shelf — the coupé greenhouse and extended tail make the most of the format. It pairs naturally with a DS Pallas saloon or Citroën SM in the same scale to illustrate the DS platform's breadth, or alongside other Chapron variants such as the DS Cabriolet to form a focused coachbuilding sub-collection. The Ivory Green Metallic finish provides clear visual separation from darker or white-finished companions.
