AUTO HISTORY
Bill Vance takes a look at the Citroen Traction Avant
Andre Citroen was one of the most a brilliant engineering students to pass through France’s prestigious Ecole Polytechnique. Soon after graduation he patented a double helical “herring bone” pattern steel gearwheel, a design he had seen in Poland. Shortly after, Citroen and two friends established a company to manufacture these gears and the business thrived. Although having little contact with the automobile industry Citroen was soon commissioned to re organize the Mors car factory. With the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 Citroen joined the army where he again demonstrated his engineering innovation by applying his gear cutting mass production methods to manufacturing artillery shells. It was a significant contribution to the war effort and his new Paris based plant was soon humming along efficiently producing shells. When peace came in 1918 war production ended and Citroen was left with a well equipped plant but no orders. He converted it to building automobiles and his first product, the Model A, was a simple but sturdy four cylinder car. Within a decade Citroen had become the largest car manufacturer in Europe, and in honour of his gear making tradition Citroens were always identified by a double chevron emblem. Citroens developed a reputation as sturdy, reliable and innovative cars. In 1924 Citroen adopted the all steel body developed by Pittsburgh based Budd Corp.’s engineer, Edward Ledwinka. In the early 1930s it fitted Chrysler’s “Floating Power” engine mounting system. The company’s reputation for advanced thinking was really solidified in 1934 with the introduction of the Citroen Traction Avant (front wheel drive) car. Andre Citroen claimed that his new Citroen was “10 years ahead of its time.” Perhaps he was being a little modest. When the Traction Avant went out of production in 1957 its styling was dated it still had some features that were as modern as contemporary cars. The Traction Avant was initially powered by four cylinder, overhead valve 1.3, 1.5 and 1.9 litre engines. They all had wet sleeves to facilitate overhauls, and the 1.9 developed 56 horsepower. Some sixes were also produced. Along with front-wheel drive it had unit construction, rack and pinion steering and longitudinal torsion bar independent front suspension used under licence from Porsche. Its excellent handling came from a low centre of gravity, good weight distribution and wheels positioned at the corners of the car. Its leech like road holding soon made Tractions a favourite of gangsters and police both in real life and on the silver screen. Its handling became even better when it pioneered Michelin’s steel belted radial tires. Its body was slung low only 1,518 mm (59.75 in.) high, a foot (305 mm) lower than most cars – and its aerodynamic design was guided by wind tunnel testing. Running boards were eliminated when others still used them, and it was stopped by generous hydraulic brakes. This was all very progressive in 1934. Front wheel drive had been tried by several manufacturers, including Christie, Cord and Ruxton in America, Alvis in England, Tracta in France, and DKW in Germany, but production of front drive cars was still quite limited. It took Citroen’s bold Traction model to popularize it and bring it into the automotive mainstream. The one sour note in the TA’s introduction was Andre’s insistence on an automatic transmission using a system of swash plates and hydraulic couplings. It was a disaster. It withstood Andre’s gentle driving but soon disintegrated under more rigorous use. Citroen engineers had to initiate a crash program to design a three speed manual gearbox. The Traction was such a bold technical initiative that the cost of developing it and a redesigned factory to build it, plus Andre Citroen’s prodigious gambling habit, sapped the company’s finances. This resulted in it falling into the hands of its largest creditor Michelin Tire Co., in 1935. This was a personal tragedy for Andre Citroen who died within a few months. The medical reason was listed as cancer; the metaphorical one: a broken heart. Tractions began arriving in North America in small numbers during the early 1950s. Road & Track (1/53) tested one with the 1.9 litre engine and reported a modest zero to 97 km/h (60 mph) time of 21.5 seconds and top speed of 121 km/h (75 mph). They called it “one of the best handling family type cars available ...that could be “flung around corners.” Andre Citroen’s legacyTraction Avant, was an outstanding automotive design. It was manufactured continuously, except for the Second World War, from 1934 to 1957, during which time some 750,000 were produced. It received continuous improvement but no major redesigns. Some were fitted with hydro pneumatic rear suspension in 1954 as a field trial for use in the revolutionary 1955 DS19 model. In addition to France, Tractions were produced in Britain, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Poland and Italy.