Citroen: 105 years since its birth and 90 years of Traction Avant

It seemed like a romantic dream, it followed the effects of post-war industrialization (World War I), but instead it is the date of birth of a car story of more than a hundred years: in 2024 Citroën celebrates two important milestones birthday because the company Double Chevron turns 105 and celebrates 90 years of one of his revolutionary cars, the Traction Avant, a collection of amazing innovations for the era and especially for the automotive world.

BIRTH AND ORIGIN OF THE BRAND

L’ingegnere André Citroen it had already given ample demonstration of its ability to read the future of mobility by launching innovative models such as the 8CV, 10CV and 15CV, but it was looking ahead and above all it wanted to bring a breath of fresh air by modernizing Citroën. various. Something new was needed, a step forward to escape the sadness of the period. And he gave life to two dreams: he founded his company, Citroën, and the Double Chevron brand with an interesting history. while in Poland in 1900, he had seen a new process for making steel gears that used chevrons. The future founder of Citroën then bought the license, and adapted it for his French factories, an idea that succeeded thanks to a patent on the finishing gears. So he chose the double chevron as the logo of his first company.

TYPE A, FIRST OF THE BIG SERIES

The foundation of the new company immediately brought the first new car, which André Citroën had already worked quickly. Let’s talk about Type Awhose birth has several dates: the first car produced by the company “double chevron” was presented in March 1919 (the 24th), but the first car was sold only in July 1919 due to organizational and economic problems still associated with the construction of the factory The Quai de Javel rises to 1915. Production of Type A later began smoothly and more efficiently. It was an economical car, the first French car produced in a large series: like this one was shown in Paris on June 4 from 1919.

FRONT WHEEL DRIVE

Another anniversary of 2024 is around the corner i 90 della Traction Avanta truly revolutionary car, the first with front-wheel drive and a load-carrying body: the first Traction Avant, called the 7CV, was built in record time and delivered to dealers. Citroën on 24 March 1934 with a cost of 17,700 French francs. and later displayed in an official position on October 3 following the Paris Motor Show, baptized by a wonderful crowd. It had the signature of a great and invincible Italian with a strong character, Flaminio Bertoni, whose main attribute is to understand that the modern technical content of Traction had to match the new and revolutionary lines, volume and aerodynamics, and of the designer André Lefèbvre, another human challenge and André Citroën to write a good story of cars and men. Charles Bull, who solved some problems, should not be forgotten in the Traction Avant working group.

Why was the Traction Avant revolutionary? A high-tech project, also achieved thanks to Maurice Sainturat, an engineer capable of creating a high-quality four-cylinder engine with high and smooth removable valves, but above all thanks to aesthetic innovation, creativity and genius of the Italian artist Flaminio Bertoni, who decided. on the shape, line and style of the car.

SO MANY CHANGES

Avant … even in times. In addition to front-wheel drive, the Citroën Traction Avant featured a series of innovations in bodywork, for the first time without a running board, in 1303 cc (72 x 80 mm) powered by a horizontal Solex carburetor, powerful. of 32 CV at 3200 rpm, capable of reaching a speed of 100 kilometers per hour, with a three-speed gearbox with second and third synchronized with a control lever on the dashboard. With front and rear drum brakes, front and rear bar suspension, independent front wheels! Citroën Traction Avant 7CV was 4.45 meters long, 1.62 meters wide, 1.52 meters high, with a wheelbase of 2.91 meters and a weight of 900 kg. Consumption was 9 liters per 100 kilometers.Â

The interior was lined with the same fabrics as the recently launched gray Jersey Coco Chanel: the Traction Avant’s starting style and appearance proved to be an efficient and visionary project, supported by subsequent models, from the cabriolet to the limousine and other versions.

IT WAS OFFERED UNTIL 1957

In that half of 1934 Citroen produced something similar 30,548 Traction Avant modelsBefore the war, annual production had already reached 60 thousand units. It remained in production until 1957, Traction Avant was distributed in 758,948 units, including along with the original “7” also models “11”, “15” and even nine models from . 22 HP with 8 cylinder V engine, 140 km/h. It was then put into retirement to make way for another masterpiece by Lefebvre and Bertoni: the “goddess” DS, the history of the car and Citroën.