1973 Citroën DS23 IE Décapotable by Henri Chapron
- Engine
- 2.3L fuel-injected petrol
A 1973 Citroën DS23 IE Décapotable with coachwork by Henri Chapron, this car holds the distinction of being the first of only three DS23 IE convertibles Chapron produced for 1973, and one of just four fitted with the 2.3-litre fuel-injected engine. Originally commissioned by a Parisian client in late 1972, it has a documented ownership chain spanning five decades across France and the United Kingdom, and received a full mechanical overhaul in 2018 by a noted UK-based Citroën specialist.
Ownership
- 2018-10-05Auction saleSold €370,000 (≈ $407K)
- 1973-03-01 →Factory deliveryRaoul d'Irayfull documentation
Parisian resident who originally commissioned the car in late 1972 via a Paris dealership; registered under his name at an address in Gennevilliers. Held the car for approximately a decade.
- → 2006Acquisition unknownJaap Knappartial documentation
Citroën dealer who owned the car prior to its 2006 Rétromobile sale appearance.
- 2006 →AuctionKevin Stanfordpartial documentation
British car collector and fashion entrepreneur who acquired the car at the 2006 Rétromobile sale and registered it in the UK on a personal plate. Kept and used by him and his family for roughly twelve years.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownMr Van Houtenpartial documentation
Acquired the car after d'Iray's decade of ownership and retained it for a further ten years before passing it on.
- Date unknownPrivate saleUK car collectorpartial documentation
Commissioned a thorough mechanical restoration by Citroën specialist Olivier Houiller of French Classics Ltd, with documented expenditure exceeding £15,000.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 2018MechanicalFrench Classics Ltd
Comprehensive mechanical overhaul carried out by a well-regarded UK-based Citroën specialist; associated receipts totalling over £15,000 accompany the vehicle.
Work performed by Olivier Houiller of French Classics Ltd on behalf of the most recent UK owner.
Are you the owner of this car?
This car's public record is built from its auction and competition history. Register your ownership and privately add your own records to make it a verified Legacy Metrics passport — provenance that backs your car's value at sale and gives your insurer evidence to price against. Roy reviews and verifies every registration personally.