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The History of Citroen

Citroen Cars

Citroen is a French automobile manufacturer. The company was originally founded in 1919 by Andre’ Citroen. Today, the company is part of PSA Peugeot Citroen.

Andre’ Citroen built armaments for France during the First World War After the war, he began building cars. Citroen introduced many significant firsts in the automobile industry and was regarded by most as a master of marketing. In 1928, Citroen developed the first all-steel car body in Europe.

The cars were immediately successful, but unfortunately the success was relatively short lived. As competitors introduced new and competitive models Citroen stayed largely the same and came to have an outdated feel. Although the cars still sold in large quantities it was at a very low price, and the company suffered huge financial losses.

Citroen was forced to turn to innovation once more in an attempt to save the company. With the help of Edward G. Budd the company was able to develop the ‘Traction Avant’. The ‘Traction Avant delivered three unique features: a unitary body without a separate frame, front-wheel independent suspension, and front-wheel drive. The Traction Avant introduced concepts that are still used by almost all car manufacturers today.

Unfortunately, the Traction Avant system was expensive to develop and contributed to the company’s financial ruin. Citroen was forced into foreclosure; the company’s biggest creditor was Michelin Tires and Michelin took control of the company in 1934.

The company enjoyed many successful years and innovations that helped to shape the automotive world and make it what it is today. In 1968, Michelin sold 49 percent of the company to FIAT. That same year Citroen purchased Maserati, but in the 1970s financial devastation loomed as the 1973 energy crisis hit. Citroen withdrew from the North American market.

In 1973 FIAT also relinquished its 49 percent of PARDEVI back to Citroen. In 1974 Citroen was bankrupt, but the government arranged talks between Citroen and Peugeot concerning the joining of the two companies in an effort to save jobs and in the interest of economic stability. In 1974 Peugeot purchased 38 percent of Citroen and began making all the vital decisions concerning research and purchasing. In 1976 Peugeot purchased a 90 percent stake in Citroen and the companies then became PSA Peugeot Citroen.

PSA Peugeot Citroen was successful from 1976 to 1979. PSA then purchased Chrysler Europe and suffered losses for the next five years. Through several more successful ventures PSA was able to grow and become more financially successful. PSA is still developing cars for a global market with the exception of North America. Citroen has not returned to North America since the SM was banned in 1974. Some popular Citroen models include; the Berlingo, C1, C6, C2, C3, C5, C8, Xsara Picasso, and the C4.

The Berlingo is a panel van. The Berlingo shares the same chassis with the Partner and offers loads of practicality at an affordable price. The Berlingo replaced the Citroen C15. The Berlingo was first produced in 1996 with production continuing to date.

The Citroen C1 is a citycar that was developed when the PSA Group teamed with Toyota. The C1 seats four and comes as a three-door hatchback or a five-door hatchback. The C1 comes with a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder engine or a 1.4-litre 4-cylinder engine. The car was produced in 2006 to the present.

The Citroen C6 is an executive car. The C6 is the first car to receive a four star rating in the EuroNCAP. The car’s bonnet has been designed to pop-up in the event that a pedestrian or animal is hit. The C6 is a mid-size luxury car that replaced the Citroen XM. The car comes with a choice of a 2.7-litre V6, a 3.0-litre V6, or a 2.2-litre diesel engine option. The car was first produced in 2006 and production continues to date.

The Citroen C2 is a supermini designed to replace the Citroen Saxo. The car comes as a three-door hatchback and comes with either a 1.1-litre engine, a 1.4-litre engine, or a 1.6-litre engine. The C2 was first produced in 2004 and production continues to the present.

The Citroen C3 is a supermini designed as one of two cars meant to replace the Citroen Saxo. The C3 was developed by the PSA Group and comes in two forms, the two-door convertible or the five-door hatchback. The C3 comes with a choice of a 1.1-litre, 1.4-litre, or a 1.6-litre petrol engine. The C3 also offers a 1.4-litre or 1.6-litre diesel engine option. Production of the C3 began in 2002 and continues to the present.

The Citroen C5 is a large family car that is available as a five-door liftback or a five-door station wagon. The C5 was designed to replace the Citroen Xantia. The car was developed by the PSA Group and was first produced in 2001 and production continues to date.

The Citroen C8 is a large MPV developed through a joint effort by the PSA Group and FIAT. The Citroen C8 is a five-door minivan that was first produced in 1994 and production continues to date.

The Xsara Picasso is a compact MPV. In 2003, the sara Picasso’s UK models received a 2.0i 16V engine. The Xsara Picasso comes in five-door form. Production began in 1999 and continues to date.
The C4 is a small family car that was designed to replace the Citroen Xsara. The C4 comes in two forms, the three-door hatchback and the five-door hatchback. The C4 is loaded with the latest technology and features many unique innovations. Production of the C4 began in 2004 and continues to the present.

Citroen delivers a wide variety of modern vehicles at affordable prices. The brand has had its ups-and-downs and has emerged strong. The Citroen brand is recognized globally as a mass producer of dependable and practical cars.