Automotive history
Citroën Traction Avant The car that propelled a nation.
In late June, Paris will have fallen, and the streets will see a familiar sight turned sinister black requisitioned traction Avants conducted by mobile teams of Gestapo agents, arriving in the middle of the night for a time, two grid rafters the car be a harbinger of evil, a Maw who swallows the enemies of the Third Reich and their families.
This was also the car of choice for thieves and gangsters, men like Pierre Le Fou Loutrel, who collaborated with the Nazis when it suited his needs, then shot German officers when the tide of war began to turn the traction was agile, low and spacious, and many would be pressed into use by the strength of their doors with white calligraphy IFF Free French Forces.
Many Avants traction met their end in this turmoil, but not covered with straw he remained hidden throughout the war, emerging only after the gasoline rationing ceased He was taken sparingly, and finally passed in the hands of an American collector who pushed on hunting trips through Europe his career few sports cars to import Eventually he would make his way across the Atlantic, changed hands again and find him -even parked in front of a cheerful red Citro n 2CV garage Chris Adshead, a resident of the sleepy seaside village of Horseshoe Bay, British Columbia.
Adshead owns its Traction Avant in 1977, the 2CV and its 13th since 1986, was also a collection bottomless Citro n memories, a cardboard models passed along his compatriot Citro nthusiast Dave Clifford, a pair Avants toy traction manufactured at n Citro under the direction of Andr Citro n -Gustave itself.
Born in Paris in 1878, Citro n was less a dreamer engineer a player and showman Small cars are only one of his brainwaves, built to stimulate the imagination of children as they grow up buying a Citro n automobile.
Starting production of transport in simple and durable bulk Citro entries fascinated by the mass production process, something he became quite well known expert The twin Rafters just a herringbone gears model he stumbled across, patented and promoted During World War II, his factory produced artillery shells based in Paris in large quantities Although not initially interested in cars, it is part of the nascent auto industry.
The Traction Avant, which celebrates its 80th anniversary this year, was filled with innovations Styled by sculptor Flaminio Bertoni and designed by Andr Lef BVRE Sainturat and Maurice, he was incredibly modern by the standards of the time, the first unibody product mass car front wheel drive, and containing hydraulic brakes Thought in 18 months, it would still ruin the man whose name it bears.
The Traction Avant was not built in one of the objectives of the sheet of radical specifications have been defined for a modest top speed of 100kph 62 mph to 10 liters of fuel consumed per 100 km traveled Although originally designed to work with an automatic transmission, the first gearbox failed and the car finished with a manual three speed the final product, however, was still a design very progressive Constructed entirely of steel in an era dominated by the construction wood frame, front wheel drive was about 25 lighter than his contemporaries Because unibody construction eliminated the need for frame rails, it was much lower than other cars, but still boasted a capacious interior.
With its long wheelbase, the Traction Avant is stretched and languid Initially available as a convertible sedan or coupe faux cabriolet later include rare commercial variants with its fold-flat rear seats, and family that slept nine first cars were equipped with an engine of 1302cc four-cylinder producing just 32 horsepower, which earned him the 7CV official name for seven horsepower or steam-horsepower later models have greater powers, with the 11HP known simply as eleven making up 63hp, and les six later 15HP cylinder 73hp up a prototype model called 22cv was built with a 3-liter V8 8, but never entered production and no examples are believed to survive.
The enormous cost of development and production of the car eventually bankrupt Citro n, and the company fell into Michelin's hands, the main creditor of the company just a year after the Traction Avant launched Andr Citro n died of cancer stomach in Paris.
He never attended his wheel Before becoming a central part of the French automobile culture The public was outraged by the exploits of The Fool Peirrot and his gang terrorized the Traction Avant and later by the Gestapo Like the powerful Ford V8 would become a favorite of US bank robbers like John Dillinger, agile Citro ns ability to pass other cars on narrow roads would a favorite hors French law.
From these unsavory uses, Citro n become the car of choice for French politicians in the post-war period, and is immortalized in popular Herg culture, series creator of Tintin cartoons, oppose his detective boy against a black front wheel in the case in 1952 and 1955 tour de France, would perform before pulling 1948 World Champion accordionist Yvette Horner across the country, following the cyclists Perched on the roof, Horner serenade the audience into a typically French scene.
At any time of its exuberant trip, the Traction Avant was a symbol of French identity, it transports the dignitaries and criminals, families and movie stars, and versions were a common sight COMMERCIAL indulge in French villages chopsticks and cities.
Including cars built abroad in Forest, Belgium and Slough, UK, nearly 800,000 were performed traction Avants between 1934 and 1957 Finally, it was replaced by the DS, which would pave the way a golden age of innovation Citro n.
1939 Traction Adhead some smoke as it is turning point helmed three heavy on the local pier; Even here, it is typically French Onlookers gather a curious cyclist takes a photo with his smartphone, an older man well acquainted with the car asking pointed questions.
Although not as immediately recognizable from this side of the Atlantic as Tin Snail 2CV, the Traction Avant is probably the most important car the car by French excellence.
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