After 21 Years in a Barn, This 1971 Citroen DS 21 Pallas Roars Back to Life as a Stunning SurvivorFew carmakers earned a reputation for daring engineering quite like Citroen. From the monocoque, front-drive Traction Avant to the humble 2CV and the Maserati-powered SM, the French marque spent decades chasing ideas that rivals wouldn't touch for years. But the model that best captures that spirit is the DS, the car that replaced the Traction Avant in 1955 and instantly looked like it had arrived from the future.Related articles:Build It or Preserve It: The $200K Muscle CarThe Truth About Numbers-Matching Muscle CarsWhy More Collectors Are Actually DrivingAdvertisementAdvertisementSleek and deeply aerodynamic, the DS was the first volume-produced car to combine self-leveling hydropneumatic suspension with disc brakes, and it later pioneered directional headlamps that turned with the steering. It rode and handled like nothing else of its era, doubled as a capable rally weapon, and stayed in production for two full decades across three distinct generations. Citroen built close to 1.5 million of them in six factories around the world, an extraordinary run for a large, premium European sedan.Despite that icon status, plenty of these cars still ended up forgotten in fields and barns. This black 1971 DS 21 Pallas is one of the lucky survivors. Its owner passed away, and in 2005 the family tucked it away in a barn, presumably hoping to revive it someday. That day finally came 21 years later, when the Belgium-based specialists at CQS Classics were called in to drag it out and decide whether it was worth saving.Happily, they filmed the whole process. The footage shows the DS rolling out of its dusty hiding place, getting its first proper bath in roughly two decades, and gradually coming back to life as a running, driving machine. Watching a 54-year-old Citroen fire up and move under its own power again is genuinely satisfying.What's more impressive is the condition. After 21 years of neglect, the paint has lost its luster, but the body is free of rust and shows no serious damage. Whether it's a true untouched survivor is hard to say for certain, and the black finish may have been redone at some point, yet the engine and interior both appear original.AdvertisementAdvertisementEvery DS used a four-cylinder engine. The original ran a 1.9-liter unit, the DS 20 stepped up to 2.0 liters, this DS 21 carries a 2.2-liter four, and the range-topping DS 23 used a 2.3-liter version. The Pallas badge, introduced in 1965 and named after the Greek goddess Pallas Athena, marked the plush trim level, adding extra sound insulation, upgraded upholstery, and additional brightwork, with a height-adjustable driver's seat following in 1966.A DS isn't an especially valuable classic in today's market, but pulling one out of long-term storage still in one piece is a heartening sight. Watch the full revival below.Related reading on Finding Old Cars:Dust-Caked 1958 Chevrolet Biscayne Sits in Storage as a Possible SurvivorBarn Find vs. Restomod vs. Survivor: Which Classic Car Project Is Right for You?Buried Treasure: One of Only Two Surviving 1972 Dodge Charger 440 Six Pack Cars
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