Top Gear - Citroen Traction Avant (in FR shares)
Cars Citro n has made a habit of being in the forefront with the latest technological inventions It started the year of the founding of the company, 1919, as the type A was introduced it was one the first cars to be delivered with the body, electric starter and electric lights at this time, it was normal for the customer to buy a bare chassis manufacturer and take it to a body shop to have the choice of bodywork mounted on it.
Type A is also one of the first European cars to be built on an assembly line following the practice of the construction of the famous Model T Ford Tin Lizzie.
With the presentation of the type C2 1922, Citro n offered a kind of Volkswagen It was a small car that does not need much more understanding technique was enough space for two people, and was easy to drive the car was sold in yellow only at the beginning and since that time, these particular models Citro ns have been known by the name lemon in french citron incidentally, some time after Citro n, the German company Opel presented a car that looked almost identical to the C2 it was called the tree-frog as it was delivered only in green.
A Citro n, the progress of the company continued in 1925 with the introduction of all steel all steel body As the first manufacturer in Europe to use this process, Citro n introduced and build a car body with B10 type, by replacing the metal backer sheet on a wooden frame.
In 1932 Citro n The suspension was filled flexible engine, following a Chrysler patent transmission of engine vibrations to the body has been greatly reduced by the use of rubber in engine mounts.
In the year 1933, Citro n needed a new model despite its financial problems It would be a revolutionary automotive characteristics wanted in the new model included 100 km Maximum speed h of a consumption of 10 liters per 100 km, Construction -Body united, front wheel drive and automatic transmission to achieve these plans, Citro n Andr Lef BVRE engaged as an engineer for the project Flamino Bertoni was responsible for the design of the car unrelated Nuccio Bertone also a labor contract for Citro n.
The first prototypes were quickly prepared and ready to test the automatic transmission has shown many problems, but the rest of the car seemed within three weeks, a new manual gearbox has been designed with three forward and one reverse.
On 3 March 1934, Type 7 7 indicating the power of the tax horsepower - related to engine size of 1303 cc was presented to dealers and it was a sensation - uni-body, front wheel drive, sprung independently of the front wheel suspension torsion bar, hydraulic brakes, engine rubber mounts for the engine, and so on compared to what was on the roads at the time, the car was very low thanks to the way it was built, there was no running boards handling and the way power was transferred to the road have been described as outstanding.
First, a brief explanation of the term Traction Avant This means FWD and was used by Citro n to distinguish the new models still in production models with the same fiscal horse power, but rear-wheel drive Arri re Most people soon adopted the new term and revolutionary cars were called simply pulls.
Initially, only the small body was produced total length 4 45 m Sedan, Cabriolet and Faux Cabriolet versions The engine increased from 1303 cc to 1629 cc to what would have been a 9CV But as Citro n invested a lot of money in the marketing campaign to launch the new 7 they kept the name.
The first sedans were distinguished from later by the roof being moleskin artificial leather top art of welding has not been sufficiently advanced to a steel roof to the high standards of the rest of the car's boot is available only from the inside until the beginning of World War II tractions were delivered in a variety of colors - nothing traction to be black.
For the Paris Motor Show in October 1934, na Citroen introduced the large body with a DC motor 1911, the type we know today as the Grand Normale or The body is 12 cm wide and 20 cm longer than the small with similar technical specifications the little body was now called lg re at the same motor Show, Citroen 22 CV na shown with a V8 March 8 liter engine with only very few being built prototypes, the car never achieved Production Today all Tractionist dreams of owning one of these rarities Unfortunately, no original car is known to exist in the world.
The body of the Normale was built in the same versions as L g re sedan, convertible and convertible false Two new variants, the higher Int Driving and Family were added 20cm They were newer and had a third side window Family a third row of seats that can be folded up, which makes it a 9 places.
In 1936, all models have a shoe that is accessible from the rear, and the rack and pinion steering and high-tech gear.
1938 saw the presentation of the model 6-cylinder 2 cylinders were added to 1911 cc 4-cylinder engine giving a capacity of 2867 cc derived from the power of tax horsepower, the car was also called 15HP or 15 6 Soon the car passed the name, Queen of Queen road road in French cars are usually women also in 1938, the now rare 11CV Commerciale was introduced from the outside, this car is recognizable by the door of the trap in two parts similar to the model of the DS domain or breaks many US use this model was of interest to craft both as daily transportation and a Sunday vehicle.
During World War II, the tensions were a favorite of the French resistance R because of their agility and roadholding This why it is these days quite difficult to find traction before the war in reasonable condition Most them died for the French people in wartime production Citro n was virtually nonexistent as far as possible, they have produced for the French armed forces, as well as many commercial vehicles, and later, during the occupation the plant was forced to produce for Germany.
In 1946, after the plant was rebuilt, production restarts slowly luxury versions, Cabriolet and Faux Cabriolet, were abandoned tires on the wheels were an additional cost only three models were available the L g re 11HP, 11HP the Normale Grand and 15 6, all in a color that can be described as almost black.
1946 wurde nach dem Wiederaufbau der die Fabrik Fertigung langsam wieder aufgenommen Die Luxuskarrosserien Cabriolet und False Cabriolet man strich aus dem Programm tires auf den R dern waren aufpreispflichtig Nur 3 verschiedene Modelle könnten gebaut werden, und auch diese nur in der Einheitsfarbe fastschwarz die 11CV L g re die 11HP Grand und die Normale June 15.
This was the situation until 1952 except Citro n was able to deliver a true black in this year, the range was modernized and the only change of the body took place a great start has been added, similar to what all other cars had.
In 1954, even the choice of colors has increased - you could order gray pearl gray and blue dark blue RAF Two body styles of the pre-war cars were reintroduced in the 11CV Normale Family and Commercial variant, but now with The one piece hatch June 15 was available as a Family.
With a new version of 15 6, you can guess that Citro n working on a new model of the car was available in 15 6H Hydraulics, equipped with a rear suspension which was sprung by pressurized hydraulic fluid The extraordinary Citro n DS waiting at the horizon.
At the Paris Salon in 1955, the DS was presented to the public, but that is another story Production of June 15 had already stopped.
Last Citro n Traction Avant, an 11CV Family, was delivered July 25, 1957, without much fuss Finally, it was just another car outdated.
A brief history of the Citroën Traction Avant, short pull before.