[REVIEW] Lesney Matchbox Citroen DS 19

Lesney Matchbox time again. Today we examine Matchbox 66a, the Citroen DS 19. This casting entered the range in 1959, and had a relatively short run, produced until 1962. The real car is an admired milestone design, and the Matchbox variant is a sought after model. This was the first French car in the Matchbox range, and I think it was the last passenger car casting introduced without glazing. It’s an attractive little model:

From all angles, it has the typical charm of Matchbox of this era. Nothing opens, and this model never never had glazing or interior - it’s just a futuristic car. I estimate scale to be around 1:65 or so, a little smaller than some:

Front and rear are the same. The cast-in chevrons on the rear deck are a nice touch:

The base is interesting, being smooth like the real car:

This one is lucky to live in a nice “B” box:

I am definitely happy to have this. One of my wish list cars is a late run variant of this casting, with silver wheels in a “D” box. They are quite expensive - maybe $500, so I will remain pleased with this:

I also have another one, with a different color shade and box detail:

The real thing, from wikipedia and Hemmings: