| Citroën Traction Avant | |
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| Manufacturer | Citroën |
| Production | 1934-1957 |
| Predecessor | Citroën Type C |
| Successor | Citroën DS |
| Body style(s) | 2-door coupé 4-door sedan |
| Engine(s) | 1. The automotive industry is the industry involved in the design development manufacture marketing and sale of Motor vehicles In 2007 more than 73 million motor vehicles Citroën (pronounced See-Troh-Enn is a French Automobile manufacturer, founded in 1919 by André Citroën. The Citroën Type C was a light car made by the French Citroën car company between 1922 and 1926 with almost 81000 units being made The Citroën DS (also known as Déesse, or Goddess, after the punning initials in French is an Executive car that was produced by Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. Some are still in production while others are of historical interest only 3 L I4 1. The straight-4 or inline-4 engine (often abbreviated I4 or L4) is a four cylinder Internal combustion engine with all four cylinders 9 L I4 2. The straight-4 or inline-4 engine (often abbreviated I4 or L4) is a four cylinder Internal combustion engine with all four cylinders 9 L I6 |
| Designer | André Lefèbvre |
The Citroën Traction Avant was an automobile produced by the French manufacturer Citroën. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Citroën (pronounced See-Troh-Enn is a French Automobile manufacturer, founded in 1919 by André Citroën. About 760,000 units were manufactured from 1934 to 1957.
Contents |
Impact on the world
The Traction Avant, designed by André Lefèbvre and Flaminio Bertoni in late 1933 / early 1934, was one of the most successful cars with front wheel drive in the 1930s. Design is used both as a Noun and a Verb. The term is often tied to the various Applied arts and Engineering (See design disciplines André Lefèbvre ( August 19, 1894 –1963 was a French Automobile Engineer. Flaminio Bertoni ( Masnago, Italy, January 10 1903 - Paris, France, February 7 1964) was an Automobile Front-wheel drive (or FF layout) is a form of engine / transmission layout used in Motor vehicles where the engine drives the front Wheels "Traction Avant" is French for front wheel drive, literally meaning "frontal traction". French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people The Traction Avant was not the first production front wheel drive car, others included Cord in the United States who released the front wheel drive L29 from 1929 to 1932 and Alvis in the UK with their 1928 FWD. Cord was the Brand name of a United States Automobile, manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company from 1929 through 1932 and again Cord was the Brand name of a United States Automobile, manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company from 1929 through 1932 and again Alvis cars were produced by the manufacturer Alvis Car and Engineering Company Ltd of Coventry, United Kingdom from 1919 to 1967
The car used an arc-welded monocoque frame, where most of the other cars of the era were based on a frame (chassis) onto which the body ("coachwork") was built. Welding is a fabrication process that joins materials usually Metals or Thermoplastics by causing coalescence. Monocoque, from the French for single ( mono) and shell ( coque) is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external A chassis (plural "chassis" (ˈʃæːsiː ˈtʃæːsiː consists of a framework that supports an inanimate object analogous to an Animal 's Coachwork is the body of a Motor vehicle ( Automobile, Bus or Truck) which is built around a Chassis, rather than Monocoque construction (also called Unit Body or "Unibody" today) results in a lighter vehicle, and is now used for virtually all car construction, although body-on-frame construction is still suitable for larger vehicles such as trucks. Body-on-frame is an Automobile construction technology Mounting a separate body to a rigid frame which supports the Drivetrain was the original method of building
This method of construction was viewed with great suspicion in many quarters, with doubts about its strength. A type of crash test was developed, taking the form of driving the car off a cliff, to illustrate its great inherent resilience. A crash test is a form of Destructive testing usually performed in order to ensure safe design standards in Crashworthiness and
The novel design made the car seem very low-slung relative to its contemporaries — the Traction Avant always possessed a unique look, which went from appearing rakish in 1934 to familiar and somewhat old fashioned by 1955.
The suspension was very advanced for the car's era. The front wheels were independently sprung, using a torsion bar and wishbone suspension arrangement, where most contemporaries used live axle and cart-type leaf spring designs. Independent suspension is a broad term for any Automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same Axle to move vertically (i A torsion bar suspension, also known as a Torsion spring suspension or incorrectly torsion beam, is a general term for any Vehicle suspension In automotive suspension, a control arm (sometimes called a wishbone or A-arm) is a nearly flat and roughly triangular member (or sub-frame that Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, Shock absorbers and linkages that connects a Vehicle to its Wheels Suspension A live axle is a type of Beam axle suspension system that uses the Driveshafts that transmit power to the wheels to connect the wheels laterally so that Originally called laminated or carriage spring, a leaf spring is a simple form of spring, commonly used for the suspension in The rear suspension was a simple steel beam axle and Panhard rod with unequal trailing arms, to allow the two torsion bars to run parallel to each other, across the car's width. A Panhard rod (also called Panhard bar or track bar) is a component of a car suspension system that provides lateral location of the A trailing-arm suspension is an Automobile suspension design in which one or more arms (or "links" are connected between (and perpendicular to and forward
Since it was considerably lighter than "conventional" designs of the era, it was capable of 100 km/h (62 mph), and used only 10 litres of gasoline per 100 km (24 mpg).
Variants
The original models were a small saloon with a 1303 cc engine. A cubic centimetre or cubic centimeter (symbol cm3 —the abbreviation cc, though widely used is deprecated is a commonly used unit of Volume The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the Combustion of Fuel and an Oxidizer (typically air occurs in a confined space called a This model was called the 7A, which was succeeded in June 1934 by the 7B and 7C with higher powered engines of 1529 and 1628 cc respectively. Later models were the 11, which had a four-cylinder 1911 cc engine, and the 15, which had a 2867 cc six-cylinder engine. The numbers refer to the French fiscal horsepower rating CV (thus the 11 was an 11CV, the 15 was 15 CV). The tax horsepower or taxable horsepower was an early system by which taxation rates for Automobiles were reckoned in some European countries like Britain, Belgium The 11 was built in two versions, the 11L ("légère", or "light"), which was the same size as the 7CV, and the normal model 11, which had a longer wheelbase.
Citroën planned two variants that never entered production, since there was not enough funding available to develop them, except as running prototype vehicles. One was an automatic transmission-equipped model and the other was a 22CV model with a large V8 engine. An automatic transmission (commonly "AT" or "Auto" is an Automobile Gearbox that can change Gear ratios automatically as the vehicle A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the Crankcase in two banks of four cylinders in most cases set at a right angle to each other The car was supposed to have a less spartan interior than the other Traction Avant's and it was to feature Citroën's own new V8 engine. About twenty prototypes were made, but when the project was canceled in 1935 due to Michelin's takeover, they were probably all destroyed. Michelin (full name SCA Compagnie Générale des Établissements Michelin) ( based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne Région
In addition to the 4-door body, the car was also produced as a 2-door coupé with a rumble seat, as a convertible and as an extended length model with three rows of seats. Hatchback is a term designating an Automobile design containing a passenger cabin with an integrated Cargo space accessed from behind the vehicle by a single A rumble seat, dicky seat, dickie seat or dickey seat is an upholstered exterior seat which hinges or otherwise opens out from the A convertible is a type of automobile in which the vehicle's roof can retract and fold away converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle There was even a hatchback-type Commerciale variant, in 1939, well ahead of its time, in which the tailgate was in two halves, the lower of which carried the spare wheel with the upper opening up to roof level. Hatchback is a term designating an Automobile design containing a passenger cabin with an integrated Cargo space accessed from behind the vehicle by a single A one-piece top-hinged tailgate was introduced when the Commerciale resumed production in 1954 after being suspended during World War II. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including
UK built cars
Left-hand drive versions were built in Paris, France and Forest, Belgium, and right-hand drive cars were built in Slough, United Kingdom. Right-hand traffic and left-hand traffic mean regulations requiring all traffic to keep either to the left or the right side of the Road. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Vorst is also the name of a former town now part of Tönisvorst, Germany The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Right-hand traffic and left-hand traffic mean regulations requiring all traffic to keep either to the left or the right side of the Road. Slough ( ˈslaʊ is a Borough and Unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Berkshire, England. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Slough version of the 11L was called the Light Fifteen and the long wheelbase 11 was called the Big Fifteen. This confusing terminology referred to the British fiscal tax rating of the time, which was higher than the French, so the 11CV engine was 15HP in England. The 15CV model was called "Big Six" in reference to its 6 cylinder engine. They were equipped with the leather seats and wooden dashboards popular in the UK, had a 12-volt electrical system and were distinguished by a different radiator grille and different bumpers (fenders). Leather is a material created through the Tanning of hides and Skins of Animals primarily Cattlehide The Tanning process Wood is hard fibrous lignified structural tissue produced as secondary Xylem in the stems of Woody plants notably trees but also shrubs A dashboard, dash, and sometimes fascia (chiefly in British English) is a control panel located under the Windshield of an Automobile An automobile's bumper is the front-most or rear-most part ostensibly designed to allow the car to sustain an impact without damage to the vehicle's frame or safety systems Fender Musical Instruments Corporation of Quincy Illinois is a manufacturer of stringed instruments such as solid-body Electric guitars including the Some models also had a sliding sunroof. An automotive sunroof is a fixed hinged or sliding opening in an Automobile Roof which allows light and/or fresh air to enter the passenger compartment
A 1911 cc Light Fifteen tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1951 had a top speed of 72. The Motor or Motor - not to be confused with an Australian magazine also with the same name - was an English car magazine that was absorbed by its rival Autocar 6 mph (116. 8 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 29. 7 seconds. A fuel consumption of 25. 2 miles per imperial gallon (11. 2 L/100 km/21. 0 mpg US) was recorded. The test car cost £812 including taxes. [1]
A 2,866 cc Six cylinder model was tested by the same magazine in 1954 and for this car the top speed found was 81. 1 mph (130. 5 km/h), acceleration from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) 21. 2 seconds and fuel consumption 18. 6 miles per imperial gallon (15. 2 L/100 km/15. 5 mpg US). The test car cost £1349 including taxes. [2]
Engineering
The Traction Avant used a longitudinal, front wheel drive layout, with the engine set well within the wheelbase, resulting in a very favourable weight distribution, aiding the car's advanced handling characteristics. Car handling and vehicle handling is a description of the way wheeled vehicles perform transverse to their direction of motion particularly during cornering and swerving The gearbox was placed at the front of the vehicle with the engine behind it and the differential between them, a layout shared with the later Renault 4 and first generation Renault 5 but the opposite way round to many longitudinal front-drive cars, such as the Saab 96 and Renault 18 range and most Audi models. The Renault 4, also known as the 4L (pronounced "Quatrelle" which could be heard as "4 wings" in French is a Hatchback Economy car The Renault 5 (also called the R5 was a supermini produced by the French automaker Renault in two generations between 1972 and 1996 The Saab 96 is an Automobile made by Saab. It was introduced in 1960 and was produced until January 1980 a run of 20 years The Renault 18 is a Large family car produced by French manufacturer Renault between 1978 and 1993 (with production for European markets finishing in 1986 AUDI AG, ( Xetra: NSU commonly known as Audi (aˈʊdi is a German Automobile manufacturer which produces Audi branded cars with headquarters The gear change was set in the dashboard, with the lever protruding through a vertical, H-shaped gate. Because this vertical orientation could have resulted in the car dropping out of gear when the lever was in the upper positions (i. e. second or reverse gears), the gear shift mechanism was locked when the mechanical clutch was engaged and released when the clutch pedal was depressed. The result of this layout, along with pendant pedals, umbrella-type handbrake control and front bench seats, was a very spacious interior, with a flat and unobstructed floor. The low-slung arrangement also eliminated the need for running boards to step into or out of the vehicle. These features made them ideal for use as limousines and taxi cabs, and they were quite popular among drivers and passengers alike.
Impact on Citroën
The development costs of the Traction Avant were very high and Citroën declared bankruptcy in 1934. Hydropneumatic is a type of Automotive suspension system, invented by Citroën, and fitted to Citroën cars as well as being adapted by other car manufacturers The largest creditor was Michelin, who then owned Citroën from 1934 until 1976. Michelin (full name SCA Compagnie Générale des Établissements Michelin) ( based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne Région Under Michelin, Citroën was run as a research laboratory, a test bed for their radial tires and new automotive technologies. Michelin (full name SCA Compagnie Générale des Établissements Michelin) ( based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne Région Citroën (pronounced See-Troh-Enn is a French Automobile manufacturer, founded in 1919 by André Citroën. Research is defined as Human activity based on Intellectual application in the investigation of Matter. A laboratory (informally lab) is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific Research, Experiments and A radial tire (more properly a radial-ply tire) is a particular design of automotive Tire (in British English, tyre)
In 1954 Citroën's experiments with hydropneumatic technology produced its first result, the "15H"—a variant of the 6-cylinder model 15 with a self-leveling, height-adjustable rear suspension, a field trial for the revolutionary DS released the following year. Hydropneumatic is a type of Automotive suspension system, invented by Citroën, and fitted to Citroën cars as well as being adapted by other car manufacturers Self-levelling refers to an Automobile suspension system that maintains a constant Ride height of the vehicle above the road regardless of load Height adjustable suspension is a feature of certain Automobile Suspension (vehicle systems that allow the motorist to vary the Ride height or ground The Citroën DS (also known as Déesse, or Goddess, after the punning initials in French is an Executive car that was produced by
Directly after the introduction of the Citroën ID, a simplified and more competitively priced version of the still revolutionary DS, production of the Traction Avant ended in July 1957. Over 23 years, 759,111 had been built, including 26,400 assembled in Slough in England, 31,750 assembled in Forest near Brussels and 1,823 assembled at Cologne in Germany. Slough ( ˈslaʊ is a Borough and Unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Berkshire, England. Vorst is also the name of a former town now part of Tönisvorst, Germany The total reflects the production stoppage during World War II. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including
The Traction Avant today
As of 2006, the oldest surviving 7A has production number ("coque nr") AZ 00-18, and is displayed in partly dismantled shape (engine and front wheels detached) in the Citroën Museum in Paris. The oldest running 7A is probably number AZ-00-23, which was, until 1 September 2006, in possession of a Dutch owner and is now with a Slovenian owner. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
Traction Avants are fairly robust vehicles. Every few years, Traction Avant enthusiasts ship their vehicles to an exotic location for a rally. Fans in Little Italyjpg|thumb|right|Fans in Little Italy Manhattan celebrating the victory of the Italian association football team after the 2006 FIFA World Cup]][[Image Wm-oly-de-cr In 2002, for example, a group of over 30 Tractions drove from Los Angeles to New York without incident. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous
Traction Avant in film
The Traction Avant is generally associated in movie iconography with the Second World War: the typical cliché is that of Gestapo agents, clad in black, driving around in black Traction Avants. Iconography is the branch of Art history which studies the identification description and the interpretation of the content of images World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including A cliché (from French, klɪ'ʃe or cliche is a phrase expression or idea that has been overused to the point of losing its intended force The ( contraction of ge heime Sta ats' po' lizei: "Secret State Police" was the official Secret police of Nazi Germany There is some validity to this image, as German occupation forces did indeed admire the car for its handling qualities and speed. The car was also favoured by the French Resistance, and gave its name to an organised-crime gang of the time. The French Resistance is the collective name used for the French Resistance movements which fought against the Nazi German In France the Gang des Tractions Avant was a criminal gang in the Pigalle quarter of Paris, made up of surviving members of the Carlingue militia The police and criminals in post war France (who may have been on either side in the war), also preferred the car for its road-ability.
- L'Armée des ombres - Army of Shadows. For the book Army of Shadows see Army of Shadows Palestinian Collaboration with Zionism 1917-1948 Army of Shadows ( French A brutal and grittily realistic depiction of the secret war against the German occupation of France. British Special Operations Executive is omitted. The Special Operations Executive ( SOE) (sometimes referred to as "the Baker Street Irregulars " after Sherlock Holmes ' fictional group of helpers The French news magazine L'Express has repeatedly called L'Armée des ombres "perhaps the best French film ever made on the French Resistance. " The last ride - in a Traction, of a resistance traitor to a 'safe house' is very memorable.
- Carve Her Name with Pride about the about British Special Operations Executive agent Violette Szabo G. Carve Her Name with Pride is a 1958 British Drama film based on the book of the same name by R The Special Operations Executive ( SOE) (sometimes referred to as "the Baker Street Irregulars " after Sherlock Holmes ' fictional group of helpers Violette Reine Elizabeth Bushell Szabo, GC (26 June 1921 &ndash c C. 's actions with the French Resistance in occupied France and execution in a German concentration camp in 1945.
- The film The Great Escape featured a Traction Avant driven by members of the French Resistance where three Nazi officers were killed in a drive-by shooting (this particular scene occurs just after James Coburn receives a phone call at an outdoor cafe). The Great Escape is a popular 1963 War film about the 250 Allied prisoners of war escaping from a German POW camp James Harrison Coburn Jr ( 31 August &ndash 18 November) was an American film and television actor known for his charisma and natural charm
- In The Sound of Music, the final escape from the Nazis is by Traction Avant. Rodgers and Hammerstein 's The Sound of Music is a Musical film directed by Robert Wise and starring Julie Andrews in the lead role Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German
- James Bond is followed by a Traction Avant driven by a Bulgarian agent in From Russia with Love. James Bond 007 is a Fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve Novels and two Short story The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian From Russia with Love, released in 1963 is the second Film in the James Bond series, and the second to star Sean Connery as
- Cary Grant and Grace Kelly are pursued by a Traction Avant through the mountains of Cote d'Azur in To Catch a Thief. Grace Patricia Kelly (later Grace Princess of Monaco; November 12 1929 &ndash September 14 1982 was an Academy Award -winning American film and The French Riviera (Côte d'Azur Occitan: Còsta Azzura) is one of the most famous resort areas in the world extending along the Mediterranean Sea west See also To Catch a Thief (film To Catch a Thief is a 1952 thriller novel by David Dodge.
- A white Traction Avant appears in the 1981 film Diva, set in and around Paris. Diva is a 1981 film directed by Jean-Jacques Beineix, adapted from a novel of the same name by Daniel Odier (under the pseudonym Delacorta Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city The car is used as part of an exchange between a corrupt police official and the enigmatic con-man Gorodish; the car is destroyed when a bomb kills two Taiwanese pirates, but Gorodish has an identical white Traction Avant allowing him to drive a car that matches his white suit. The Traction Avant is lavishly photographed in the film, and Gorodish notes that the Traction Avant was preferred by both criminals and police, making it an appropriate choice for the official.
- In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Jones and his father try to escape from German aircraft in a "borrowed" convertible Traction Avant 11L. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a 1989 Adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg from a story co-written by Executive producer The scene is notable because the filmmakers had the Traction Avant's rear wheels spin out while taking off, even though it is a front wheel drive car. Two cars were built for the film. Neither were genuine roadsters but rather fibreglass replica roadster bodies fitted to saloon floorpans.
- In the Tintin book "The Calculus Affair," Tintin and Captain Haddock are forced off the road twice by a black Traction Avant. The Calculus Affair ( French: L'Affaire Tournesol) is the eighteenth of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic Captain Archibald Haddock ( Capitaine Archibald Haddock) is a character in the Comic book series The Adventures of Tintin by Belgian
References
- ^ "The Citroen Light Fifteen" (March 7 1951). The Motor. The Motor or Motor - not to be confused with an Australian magazine also with the same name - was an English car magazine that was absorbed by its rival Autocar
- ^ "The Citroen Six" (March 24 1954). The Motor. The Motor or Motor - not to be confused with an Australian magazine also with the same name - was an English car magazine that was absorbed by its rival Autocar
External links
- Citroen Traction Avant at Citroenet
- Traction Avant links Citroën World
- Traction Avant rentals in France
- CITROËN TRACTION AVANT
- Traction Avant district CitCity
- CITROENZ: Traction Avant modelcars
- Citroën Crash Test: Traction Avant 1934
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