The Citroën DS, already one of the French car maker’s three nominees in the finalists for the Car of Century, has beaten off competitors as diverse as the Boeing 747, the Apple Macintosh computer and the Biro ball point pen to be elected by the FX International Design Awards as the best design of the century.

The Citroën DS was chosen because it introduced a raft of new technology and design features that have become common place in car design, from power steering and brakes to the use of aerodynamics to reduce fuel consumption.

This technological tour de force was was unveiled before a stunned public at the Paris Motor Show in October 1955, wrapped in a body so advanced that it still looks modern and eye-catching today. And yet it retained all the essentials of large family car, with a spacious interior, large boot and it set new standards in all areas of driving.

Joining the DS in the Car of the Century nominations are the Citroën Traction Avant, introduced in 1934, and the 2CV which was unveiled in 1948, making Citroën the only car maker with three nominees in the finalists.