While initially introduced as a simplistic and utilitarian automobile, Citroën’s 2CV went on to outlive several of its intended successors and became fashionable among younger, especially under-35, buyers by the 1980s. Featuring Art Deco-inspired two-tone paint schemes, the 2CV Charleston was introduced in October 1980 and added to the Citroën m..
Having earned a near-mythical reputation for its ruggedness and ability to go virtually anywhere, these capabilities of the Citroën 2CV inspired the Sahara, a low-production, dual-engine 4x4 variant. Introduced for the 1958 model year, the Sahara was fitted with one 425 cc flat-twin engine placed up front driving the front wheels and another 425..
Always innovating and developing practical vehicles to suit the diverse needs of Europeans, Citroën developed and produced the first front-drive lightweight utility van prior to the outbreak of WWII in Europe. While only an estimated 2,000 examples were built, the TU-B inspired its postwar successor, the Type H, which debuted at the 1947 Paris M..
In addition to its groundbreaking design and engineering, based on that of the DS19, Citroën’s strong-selling ID19, and its variants, proved exceptionally adaptable and versatile. Introduced in 1958, the ID-based wagons saw production of nearly 94,000 examples, yet they are extremely rare in the US today. Simply known as the “Wagon” in North Ame..
Undoubtedly one of the most ambitious, influential, and distinctive postwar automobiles ever produced, the Citroën DS was styled by Flamino Bertoni, who also penned the groundbreaking prewar Citroën Traction Avant. The DS showcased a host of advanced features including front-wheel drive, self-leveling hydropneumatic independent suspension, high-..
Following Citroën’s remarkable postwar successes with the 2CV, DS/ID 19 and 21, Ami 6, and Ami 8, company management decided to explore the possibilities afforded by the revolutionary Wankel rotary engine during the late 1960s. Based upon a heavily modified Ami 8 platform with distinctive hand-built bodywork by Heuliez, the M35 was powered by a ..
While the top factory-available trim level for the Citroën DS was indeed the well-appointed Pallas, named after Greek goddess Pallas Athena, coachbuilder Henri Chapron offered the elite Prestige option, listed in the official Citroën model catalogue. Worthy of heads of state and the wealthiest personalities, the Chapron-upgraded DS was available..
When Citroën introduced the 2CV, short for Deux Chevaux (Two Horses) at the 1948 Paris Motor Show, few onlookers foresaw that this simple, inexpensive “people’s car” would see production of some 5,000,000 examples through 1990. Rooted in a 1936 brief issued by Citroën’s head of engineering and design, Pierre-Jules Boulanger, for the TPV..
From inception, France’s Citroën has been responsible for some of the most innovative and unique automobiles ever produced, from the front-drive Traction Avant originated during the 1930s to the advanced DS series and likely the marque’s finest, the SM (Série Maserati). Developed in the wake of the Citroën-Maserati merger in 1968, the SM feature..
In 1939, the 2.9-liter, six-cylinder 15 joined Citroën’s Traction Avant lineup as a “senior” model, sharing its basic styling and chassis with the 11B and differing in visual terms only with an elongated hood. In addition to its innovative front-wheel drivetrain layout, the 15 featured manual rack and pinion steering gear and hydraulic drum brak..