Peugeot 203 DECOUVRABLE , very rare, extensive history, drivers condition. SPECIAL PRICE (1950) For sale from Gallery Aaldering , in NL, Netherlands

You are the one for me, for me, formi, Découvourable You are my love, very, very, véri, véritable Et je voudrais un jour enfin pouvoir te le dire Te l’écrire. Isn’t this Peugeot 203 Découvourable actually not the embodiment of the Charles Aznavour super hit: Formidable? Seeing this wonderful Peugeot simply evokes the song’s dulcet melody.
The 203 was Peugeot’s first post-war model. It became a sales phenomenon. Between 1948 and 1960 Peugeot manages to sell no fewer than 685,628 models. The car came as a 4-door saloon, a 5-door estate, a 2-door coupé and convertible, finally finishing with the model we are presenting: a 4-door convertible, know as the “Découvourable”.
This Peugeot 203 first hit the streets in France on the 1st July 1950. It stayed on French soil until 1980 when it was brought over to Germany. Until 2021 the car only had three owners in Germany. The last owner carried out a partial restoration. The car was not totally restored due to the excellent condition of the car’s interior trim and the wish to preserve all that lovely patina. The engine and car’s underside were treated with dry ice blasting. The shell was given new panels were needed and completely resprayed. The fine bodywork has been left with nice and thin, correctly aligned panelwork. The brightwork was partially replaced and looks great. The roof is easy to manage and still has its wonderful original struts.
The interior trim is fully authentic, exuding a wonderful patina. The leather upholstery as well as the carpets are in a wonderful original condition. During the restoration the original enamelled steering wheel was replaced with a similar one in better condition with its rare Nieman steering lock. All the instruments, switches and controls are all fully original and in good working order. You wont find this rare Peugeot’s aura anywhere else.
The car’s mechanics have also been preserved just as well. The ice-blasting has detailed the engine beautifully. The low mileage of just 47,217 km has kept the engine in peak condition. The 1.3 litre 4-cylinder develops 45 Ps. Whilst the latter doesn’t exactly elevate the 203 into the realms of a racing car, it has the benefit of utterly solid technology. The mechanics are so robust that in 1953 two daredevils, Andre Mercier and Charles de Cortanze, undertook the 15,000 km from Cape Town to Paris and did it in just 17 days! The 1.3 litre is attached to a manual transmission, that in good French tradition is dashboard mounted. Other important parts such as the tyres, brakes and suspension have also been correctly tended too.
The 203 comes with a lot of wonderful paperwork. An owner’s manual, 203 literature, copies of old price lists and the car’s general history all form part of accompanying documentation. In short this car not only looks good, it drives just as well and has wonderful original documentation to boot.