Citroen Traction Avant 1934-1957

Book excerpt: This is the first title in our new Limited Edition "Premier" series. The Citroen Traction Avant was very much ahead of its time when the first examples were shown at the 1934 Paris Salon. With the Traction Avant, Citroen broke with traditon for it had unitary construction, front-wheel-drive, independent front suspension and an advanced OHV wetliner engine. Twenty-three years later, when the last examples left the production line in Paris, most of its pioneering advances had been widely adopted by other manufacturers. Not only was the Citroen technically advanced, it also looked quite different from most of its contemporaries, yet it was still a family saloon and affordable by the man on the street.