Henri Chapron
Encyclopedia
Henri Chapron was a prominent French automobile coachbuilder. His atelier, created in 1919, was located in the Paris
suburb of Levallois-Perret.
Chapron began his career developing custom body designs for French luxury vehicles, like Talbot
, Delage
, and Delahaye
, in the 1920s.
As France ceased building vehicles of this type in the 1950s, Chapron switched his attention to the recently launched Citroën DS
with its revolutionary aerodynamic design and radical hydraulic suspension. At first Chapron purchased these vehicles and customised them as one-off conversions. Many of these became unique convertible variants of the DS known as the "Décapotable". All told, Chapron created 389 hand-built DS convertibles.
In 1961, the Citroën dealership network began distributing a standard 'usine' (factory) two door convertible. In the years 1961 to 1971, 1,365 of these vehicles were made - they are highly collectible today.
Chapron continued his one-off conversions as well. When the Citroën SM
was introduced in 1970, Chapron created two new variants - the Mylord convertible (7 made) and the Opéra four door sedan (8 made). On February 7, 2009, a 1974 Opéra was sold by Bonhams auctioneers for EUR
€194,648 (USD $249,580). http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/pubweb/publicSite.r?sContinent=EUR&screen=ResultsXML&iSaleNo=17043 http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-auction-car.php/carno/2009-02-07-BONHAMS-122
In 1968, Chapron made a special extended DS Presidential model for the government of Charles de Gaulle
. Then in 1972, Chapron delivered two SM Presidential models to the government of Georges Pompidou
. These gigantic 4 door convertibles were first used for the visit of Queen Elizabeth II
to France
and continued in use through the inauguration of Jacques Chirac
in 1995.
Henri Chapron died in 1978, and the company itself survived for some time under the direction of his widow, producing some luxury versions of the Citroën CX
. It ceased operations in 1985.
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
suburb of Levallois-Perret.
Talbot
Talbot was an automobile marque that existed from 1903 to 1986, with a hiatus from 1960 to 1978, under a number of different owners, latterly under Peugeot...
, Delage
Delage
Delage was a French luxury automobile and racecar company founded in 1905 by Louis Delage in Levallois-Perret near Paris; it was acquired by Delahaye in 1935 and ceased operation in 1953.-History:...
, and Delahaye
Delahaye
Delahaye automobile manufacturing company was started by Emile Delahaye in 1894, in Tours, France. His first cars were belt-driven, with single- or twin-cylinder engines. In 1900, Delahaye left the company.-History:...
, in the 1920s.
As France ceased building vehicles of this type in the 1950s, Chapron switched his attention to the recently launched Citroën DS
Citroën DS
The Citroën DS is an executive car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën between 1955 and 1975. Styled by Italian sculptor and industrial designer Flaminio Bertoni and the French aeronautical engineer André Lefèbvre, the DS was known for its aerodynamic futuristic body design and innovative...
with its revolutionary aerodynamic design and radical hydraulic suspension. At first Chapron purchased these vehicles and customised them as one-off conversions. Many of these became unique convertible variants of the DS known as the "Décapotable". All told, Chapron created 389 hand-built DS convertibles.
In 1961, the Citroën dealership network began distributing a standard 'usine' (factory) two door convertible. In the years 1961 to 1971, 1,365 of these vehicles were made - they are highly collectible today.
Chapron continued his one-off conversions as well. When the Citroën SM
Citroën SM
The Citroën SM is a high-performance coupé produced by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1970 to 1975. The SM placed third in the 1971 European Car of the Year contest, trailing its stablemate Citroën GS, and won the 1972 Motor Trend Car of the Year award in the U.S. in 1972.-History:In 1961,...
was introduced in 1970, Chapron created two new variants - the Mylord convertible (7 made) and the Opéra four door sedan (8 made). On February 7, 2009, a 1974 Opéra was sold by Bonhams auctioneers for EUR
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
€194,648 (USD $249,580). http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/pubweb/publicSite.r?sContinent=EUR&screen=ResultsXML&iSaleNo=17043 http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-auction-car.php/carno/2009-02-07-BONHAMS-122
In 1968, Chapron made a special extended DS Presidential model for the government of Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
. Then in 1972, Chapron delivered two SM Presidential models to the government of Georges Pompidou
Georges Pompidou
Georges Jean Raymond Pompidou was a French politician. He was Prime Minister of France from 1962 to 1968, holding the longest tenure in this position, and later President of the French Republic from 1969 until his death in 1974.-Biography:...
. These gigantic 4 door convertibles were first used for the visit of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and continued in use through the inauguration of Jacques Chirac
Jacques Chirac
Jacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...
in 1995.
Henri Chapron died in 1978, and the company itself survived for some time under the direction of his widow, producing some luxury versions of the Citroën CX
Citroën CX
The Citroën CX is an automobile produced by the French automaker Citroën from 1974 to 1991. Citroën sold nearly 1.2 million CXs during its 16 years of production. The CX was voted European Car of the Year in 1975....
. It ceased operations in 1985.