Citroën Traction Avant
| Citroën Traction Avant | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Citroën |
| Also called | Citroën 7 Citroën 11 Citroën 15/6 Citroën Light Twelve (UK) Citroën Light 15 (UK) Citroën Big Fifteen (UK) Citroën Big Six (UK) |
| Production | 7: 1934–1941 11: 1934–1957 15/6: 1938–1956 |
| Assembly | France: Paris Belgium: Forest Germany: Cologne United Kingdom: Slough Denmark: Copenhagen |
| Designer | Flaminio Bertoni André Lefèbvre |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Executive car (E) |
| Body style | 4-door saloon 2-door saloon 2-door convertible 5-door hatchback |
| Layout | FMF layout |
| Related | Citroën H Van |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1.3 / 1.5 / 1.6 / 1.9 L I4 2.9 L I6 |
| Transmission | 3-speed manual, column/dash shift |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,910 mm (114.6 in) 7 & 11 légère (light) 3,090 mm (121.7 in) 11CV normale & 15/6 3,270 mm (128.7 in)11CV longue & 15/6 limousine |
| Length | 4,450–4,960 mm (175.2–195.3 in) |
| Width | 1,620–1,790 mm (63.8–70.5 in) |
| Height | 1,520–1,580 mm (59.8–62.2 in) |
| Kerb weight | 1,025–1,170 kg (2,260–2,579 lb) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Citroën Rosalie Citroën C4 & C6 |
| Successor | Citroën DS |
The Citroën Traction Avant (French pronunciation: [tʁaksjɔnaˈvɑ̃]) is the world's first mass-produced, semi-monocoque bodied, front-wheel drive car. A range of mostly four-door saloons and executive cars, as well as longer wheelbased "Commerciale", and three row seating "Familiale" models, were produced with four- and six-cylinder engines, by French carmaker Citroën from 1934 to 1957. With some 760,000 units built, the Traction Avants were the first front-wheel drives made in such (six-figure) quantity.
Whilst front-wheel drive and four-wheel independent suspension had been established in production cars by Auto Union, and subsequently by others a few years prior – the Traction Avant pioneered integrating these into a mass-production car with a crash resistant, largely unitary, monocoque body. Additionally, the car was also an early adopter of rack and pinion steering.
Although the car's name ("Traction Avant" literally means "front traction") emphasized its front-wheel drive power delivery, the car stood out at least as much by its much lower profile and stance – made possible by the absence of a separate vehicle frame or chassis under the car's mostly unitary body – sharply distinguishing it visually from its taller contemporaries.