The Citroën Traction Avant is an automobile which was produced by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1934 to 1957. About 760,000 units were produced. While not the first production front wheel drive car, it was the world's first front-wheel drive steel monocoque production car.
The original model, called the 7A, was a small saloon with a 1,303 cc (79.5 cu in) engine. Later models were the 11 (launched in November 1934), which had a 1,911 cc (116.6 cu in) four-cylinder engine, and the 15 (launched rather tentatively in June 1938, with a 2,867 cc (175.0 cu in) six. The 11 was an 11 CV, but curiously the 15 was actually in the 16 CV tax band. The 11 was built in two versions, the 11BL ("légère", or "light"), which was the same size as the 7 CV, and the 11B ("Normale", or "normal"), which had a longer wheelbase and wider track.
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 Familial model with three rows of seats. 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. (wikipedia)
Traction Avant Saloon
4 seats.
(Photos from eBay)
Traction Avant Coupé
2 seats, and with a rumble seat at the back.
Traction Avant Roadster
2 seats with a rumble seat at the back.
74 hp six-cylinder engine. Only four 15 CV Roadsters were built.
74 hp six-cylinder engine. Only four 15 CV Roadsters were built.
Traction Avant Familiale
6 windows, 9 seats. Offered extra seating.
Traction Avant Commerciale
5-door. Offered added utility.
Traction Avant Pick-up Truck
(Photos from autowp.ru, petrolicious.com, classiccarsmagazine.co.uk,
en.wikipedia.org & bonhams.com)
en.wikipedia.org & bonhams.com)
