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Retro: 90 Candles for the Mythical Citroën Traction Avant

Retro: 90 Candles for the Mythical Citroën Traction Avant

Nicknamed the car with 100 patents, the Traction Avant combines the most modern solutions of the time. Presented in Paris on April 18, 1934, it enjoyed a very long career as well as the horrors of war, entering the pantheon of the world automobile.


A pleonasm that will make it famous

His mission was to relaunch Citroën, in a context of economic crisis which had caused sales and production to fall, the Rosalie not being enough to keep afloat a manufacturer whose finances were at their lowest with significant chronic debt. This novelty should also make an impression and underline the spirit of innovation of a company which was the first to import into Europe the principle of assembly line production born in the United States.

Launched under the commercial name “7”, according to the French tax power in force, it was quickly nicknamed Traction Avant, a nice pleonasm which would make it famous. Even if a few manufacturers had already experimented with it before the rafters, such as Adler across the Rhine and especially Tracta from 1926, front-wheel drive would be associated with Citroën, which, as always at that time, would ride on a first-rate marketing skill.

At the cutting edge of modernity

When at the beginning of 1933 it was decided to replace the Citroën 8, 10 and 15, André Citroën wanted to surprise all the competition by launching a completely revolutionary car which was to bring together the maximum number of technical innovations. The Traction Avant has the particularity of bringing together in a single model all the most modern technical solutions of the time such as transmission on the front wheels, the monocoque structure invented by Lancia in 1918, hydraulic brakes, or even independent suspension on the 4 wheels. It was therefore presented at the time as the car guaranteeing the best handling, the safest and the most comfortable.

The engine and gearbox allowed, in addition to the very low center of gravity, to place as much weight as possible forward. The first journalists and the first drivers were enthusiastic about the new Citroën. Never before has a car made driving so safe and easy in all situations. All these qualities, constantly improved, for example with the adoption of rack and pinion steering from June 1936, gave the Traction a technical advantage over all other cars.

In addition to these technical innovations, the Traction Avant offers a distinctive aerodynamic style, inspired by “Streamline” fashion. Signed by designer Flaminio Bertoni, to whom we then owe the 2CV and the DS, the concept also benefits from the contribution of Jean Darninos who participated in the development of the coupe and cabrillet versions, and who would later be part of the Facel adventure Vega. The all-steel monocoque body, without a frame, allowed the center of gravity to be considerably lowered.


A chaotic start, then permanent changes

Developed in just 18 months, the Traction was worth a lot of inconvenience to the first owners, who suffered numerous reliability problems with the gimbals, engines and even the finish. The setbacks at the start of the Traction's career plunged Citroën into bankruptcy and a takeover by Michelin in 1937.

The first 7A version was quickly replaced by the 7B, more reliable and more powerful. It then had a re-bored 1,529 cm3 4-cylinder engine developing 35hp, associated with a 3-speed gearbox. The 4-door sedan body is also available as a coupe and convertible, both designed by Jean Daninos. The 7S (for sports) and 7C versions followed, then the 11A equipped with a 1911 cm3 engine for 46hp.

To pay off debts, longer, more luxurious and more powerful versions were launched, including the 6-cylinder 15-Six version. Introduced in 1938, it uses the engine of the 11B to which 2 cylinders have been added, to develop 77hp and reach 135 km/h at peak, which will make it a queen of the road. A series of 22hp prototypes with 3.8 liter V8 engines also saw the light of day but they were too unreliable to be produced.


A highly sought after vehicle

Production ceased in 1941 and the traction units were requisitioned by the Germans during the occupation for their road qualities. Seeing a front-wheel drive without gasifier during the dark years was an almost certain sign of running into the Gestapo. Iconic vehicle, the Traction also became the symbol vehicle of the FFI for the same reasons but also for its ease of being stolen, then a favorite model of the gangsters of the 50s. Production restarted in August 1945, the remaining parts in the factories make it possible to continue producing the pre-war 11BL versions.

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