The Traction Avant was a huge success for Citroën, with over 759,000 examples built from 1934 through 1957, interrupted only during wartime in Europe. Strong demand for these sophisticated French road cars encouraged international production, with Citroën’s Parisian factory output supplemented by examples built in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and ..
As one of the most daring and coveted grand touring automobiles ever produced, the Citroën SM was developed in the wake of the Citroën-Maserati corporate marriage of 1968. Handsomely styled and based upon Citroën’s front-drive chassis, the SM featured the marque’s unique and super-smooth hydropneumatic suspension, with power delivered by a great..
The original Citroën 2CV was an immediate success from introduction in 1948, with availability initially prioritized – at the suggestion of Citroën chief engineer Paul Boulanger – for purchasers who were required to drive for their professions, including country veterinarians, doctors, midwives, priests, and small-scale farmers. Select and welco..
In response to Renault’s strong-selling 4CV, Citroën launched the Dyane in January 1968. An update of the venerable but dated 2CV, the Dyane was based on the same chassis as the 2CV and shared its independent suspension, which was ingeniously interconnected front to rear. Power was initially delivered by the proven 602 cc engine from the Ami 6, ..
Introduced in 1965, the Citroën DS21 was an uprated and upgraded version of the groundbreaking DS19, featuring a larger 2,175 cc engine and an improved interior. As with its predecessor, the DS21 was offered as a sedan (berline) and station wagon (break). Select styling by Robert Opron brought a revised headlamp treatment by 1967. The visually s..
Following the 1969–1971 trial program for the innovative rotary-powered M35, the Citroën GS-based Birotor was powered by, as the name implies, a twin-chamber engine with design rooted in the work of famed German engineer Dr. Felix Wankel and development by NSU. In the case of the GS Birotor, its power unit was supplied by Comotor, a joint ventur..
A simplified companion model to the DS, Citroën’s ID19 was introduced at the 1956 Paris Salon, one year after the DS made its debut there. Powered by a 1.9-liter engine shared with its “senior” stablemate, albeit slightly detuned, the ID19 also delivered the advantages of front-wheel drive and retained essentially the same body styling as the DS..
Added to Citroën’s model lineup in 1961, the Ami 6 combined the rational and economical basic foundation of the 2CV with ultra-modern design by longtime Citroën engineer Flaminio Bertoni, who spearheaded the company’s designs since the prewar Traction Avant. By 1964, the original and ultra-modern Ami 6 Berline (Sedan) was supplemented by the han..
Named after a swift dromedary camel, Citroën’s Méhari was an elemental and lightweight recreational and utility vehicle, based on the chassis and mechanicals of the 2CV and quite similar in concept to BMC’s Mini-derived Moke. The Méhari was designed by French WWII flying ace Count Roland de la Poype, head of the French company SEAB (Société d'Et..
The Citroën DS is undoubtedly one of the most ambitious, influential, and distinctive automobiles ever produced. Introduced for 1956, nearly 1.5 million examples were built through 1973, comprising the DS19, DS21, and DS23. Universally praised by auto magazine road testers and owners, the DS earned consistent accolades throughout production for ..