Hypcars of the 1950s

The thrilling history of hypcars began in the 1950s, spearheaded by Citroën, a brand renowned for its technological boldness and relentless pursuit of innovation. From the introduction of an all-steel body in 1924 to the first European floating power engine in 1932, Citroën consistently pushed the boundaries of automotive design. In 1934, the brand launched several pioneering advancements with the legendary Traction Avant, which featured independently suspended wheels with torsion bars, chassis-less construction, and front-wheel drive—all in a single vehicle. However, the true standout came in 1955 with the unveiling of the Citroën DS, just a year after the 15-Six H. This revolutionary car introduced an integrated hydropneumatic system that not only suspended all four wheels but also radically transformed functions such as braking, steering, and gear shifting.

While Citroën was busy developing its hydropneumatic system in France, Packard crafted an electro-mechanical levelling suspension based on torsion bars across the pond in the US. Intriguingly, Citroën’s 1934 Traction Avant initially utilised torsion bars for its suspension. Packard integrated this system into its 1955-1956 models, the Clipper and the Caribbean. By 1957, the rare, hand-assembled Cadillac Eldorado Brougham (photo on the left) was making waves with its delicate and, regrettably, somewhat fragile self-levelling air suspension, a hallmark of its extravagant luxury features. The modern and elegant, yet luckless in competing with its cotemporary Mercedes models, German Borgward P100 also boasted an impressive self-levelling air suspension. It was produced in a limited run of just 2530 units from 1959 to 1961.