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The French car company, Citroen, has a rich history leading back to just after the First World War. It is well known for its innovation in the early development of the cars we know today.
Its founder, Andre Citroen, had a flair for the novel from the outset. Andre even used the Eiffel tower in Paris as an advertising board, with huge lit letters spelling the company name. By 1923 the company produced a car that had been driven around the whole of Australia, the first car to do so. The car still exists in the National Museum of Australia. Soon afterwards Citroen produced Europe's first all-steel bodied car, the B-10, thereafter cars could last longer and have increased durability. Citroen sales prices were kept low and to compensate for losses yet another innovative car was introduced. The Traction Avant was set apart from the rest by its front-wheel drive and independent suspension.
After a period of suppression during the Second World War, Citroen returned to forward-thinking design, in some cases with technologies developed in secret during the war. Most notable was the inclusion of powered disk brakes, power steering, hydraulic suspension and directional headlights in the DS model. These innovations, along with the adoption of stream-lined air flow car bodies, mark this as a golden age and used Citroen cars from this period can expect to fetch a high price, depending on whether they are new or used Citroens.
Citroen eventually lost momentum in the 1970s, due to the oil crisis and new US laws preventing the sale of their cars. Rival French company, Peugeot, acquired the bankrupt company soon afterwards to form the PSA group, still in operation today. Most recently, the PSA group has revamped the Citroen line to include greater innovation, benefiting from the great efficiency of the Peugeot technology.
The Citroen company deservedly holds a place in car history for its unequalled contributions.
