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 Andre
Citroën entered the then-young auto industry on the eve of the First World War, launching a gear-making firm in 1913. By the time of his death in 1935, Citroen had brought American-style mass production to France and had created one of the most influential cars in history, the Citroen Traction Avant.
After achieving success with high-quality conventional automobiles through the '20s, Citroen poured everything into development of a revolutionary front-wheel-drive sedan, the Traction Avant. But development of this car with its aerodynamic all-steel unit body and sweeping fenders with no running boards drained the resources of the auto maker.
The first mass-produced car to incorporate a monocoque bodyshell with front-wheel drive and torsion-bar springing, the Traction Avant's development cost so much that Citroen was headed toward bankruptcy. The French government insisted on Citroen being taken over by the Michelin
Tyre company, a major creditor of Citroen.
In 1934 Citroen introduced the revolutionary Traction Avant, the first mass produced front-wheel-drive automobile. This classic body became widespread throughout Europe and was built through 1957.
With Michelin's backing, Citroen built the Traction Avant for 23 years, building more than three-quarters of a million sedans, coupes and convertible and making the car's distinctive body a French and European icon.
The Traction Avant was designed by Flaminio Bertoni
and André Lefebvre, chief design engineer
for Citroen,
won high praise from motorists for its road-holding, hydraulic brakes, ride comfort and cornering abilities. But Andre
Citroën did not live to see the flowering of its success. He died July 3, 1935, less than two years after its introduction.
Before production of the Traction Avant ceased in 1957, Citroen introduced another legend, the 2CV, or
"Deux Chevaux," or "Tin Snail." In fact, the two-chevron device which marks Citroen cars represent the gears Citroen's original firm produced.
The 2 CV was met with ridicule when it was introduced at the 1948 Paris Auto Salon.
But this minimal car was not intended to be measured against other automobiles. Like the Ford Model T, its true rival was the farmer's horse and cart. The odd-looking little car became another French icon, dressed up for high fashion or bare bones for work on the farm.
More than five million were built and sold before its production demise in 1990.
Two legends seems a pretty good record for Citroen, but there was to be one more. In 1955, the Citroen DS models of highly streamlined, modern, even futuristic
saloons, hardtops and convertibles caused a sensation. Few cars before or since were so technically and stylistically audacious.
The Citroen DS was a breakthrough in design which featured a constant-height hydropneumatic suspension combining a gas and a liquid to achieve unequalled standards of comfort and
road holding. It became far more than that.
The DS's list of innovations was remarkable. thanks to motor engineers
Maurice Sainturat and Paul Mages. Fully independent
hydropneumatic suspension gave a controlled boulevard ride, front-wheel drive provided high-speed control and
manoeuvrability, Michelin's new X-Radial tyres gave a high level of grip and inboard disk brakes provided exceptional stopping power.
The DS replaced the Traction as the car used for the official state
functions in the 5th republic. In October 1961, terrorists attacked President
Charles de Gaulle in an assassination attempt while he was travelling
in a Citroen DS. Despite being sprayed with bullets which blew out two of its
tyres, the presidential DS was able to swerve and speed away to safety.
The DS was produced until 1975, total production numbers
was more than 1.3 million
including 94,044 break (estate) models. Another futuristic car derived from the DS was the Citroen SM, a long streamliner with
similar features like swivelling headlamps and self-levelling hydropneumatic suspension. Power was from an
all-aluminium Maserati V-6 engine. (SM stands for Serie Maserati.)
The advantages of the swivelling headlamps on the DS are clear from the
above image.
Citroens were imported into the United States in small numbers during the '50s and '60s, but never sold well and eventually were withdrawn from the market.
April 24th 1975 saw the 1,330,755th and last DS to
come off the the assembly line in the Aulnay-sous-Bois plant, which
replaced the Javel one. The CX took her place and the DS belongs to
history. Total production including foreign factories was 1,445,746
saloon and estate vehicles.
Citroen merged with Peugeot in 1974 and now markets a line of modern, attractive and popular cars, including the BX,
ZX, the Xantia and the popular Berlingo, C2 and C3 small cars.
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