Citroën facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Citroën (pronounced "see-tro-en") is a famous French car brand. It was started on June 4, 1919, by a smart person named André Citroën. Today, Citroën is part of a big car company called Stellantis. Before that, it was part of the PSA Group after another French car company, Peugeot, bought most of its shares in 1976. Citroën's main office is now in Poissy, France.

Citroën became well-known in 1934 for its amazing Traction Avant car. This was the first car made in large numbers to have front-wheel drive (where the front wheels pull the car), independent suspension on all four wheels (meaning each wheel moves on its own), and a unibody design (where the car's body is also its strong frame).

Later, in 1954, Citroën introduced the world's first hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension system. This made the car incredibly smooth to ride in. Then came the amazing DS car in 1955, which was the first mass-produced car with modern disc brakes. In 1967, some Citroën cars even had special headlights that turned when you steered, helping drivers see better around corners! These innovative cars have won many awards.

Quick facts for kids
Automobiles Citroën
Logo since 2022
Type	Subsidiary (S.A.)
Industry	Automotive
Fate	Merged with Peugeot to form PSA Group in 1976
Founded	4 June 1919; 106 years ago (1919-06-04)
Founder	André Citroën
Headquarters	Poissy (New), Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine , France
Area served	Worldwide, except: North America North Korea
Key people	Carlos Tavares, CEO Stellantis Thierry Koskas, CEO Citroën (since 23 February 2023)
Products	Automobiles Commercial vehicles
Services	Citroën Insurance
Number of employees	13,900
Parent	Stellantis

History of Citroën Cars

How Citroën Started

André Citroën

André Citroën (1878–1935) made weapons for France during World War I. After the war, he wanted to use his modern factory to build cars. He had already worked in the car business before. In 1917, he asked an engineer named Jules Salomon to design a new 10 horsepower car. André Citroën wanted this car to be better, stronger, and cheaper than any other car at the time.

The first car, called the Type A, was shown in March 1919. The first one was sold to a customer on July 7, 1919. Citroën even used a special showroom on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, which is still used today for exhibitions!

1919 Citroën A 8CV Torpedo

1921 Citroën B Torpedo

1923 Type C 5CV

C 42 is the Citroën showroom on the Champs Elysées in Paris

Early Innovations and Adventures

Between 1921 and 1937, Citroën made special half-track vehicles. These cars had tracks like a tank at the back, making them great for off-road travel and military use. The U.S. Army even bought some and later used the idea to make their own half-track vehicles during World War II.

The Eiffel Tower served as a billboard for Citroën from 1925 to 1934.

André Citroën was also very good at advertising. He used the Eiffel Tower as the world's biggest advertising sign for many years! He also sponsored exciting expeditions across Asia, North America, and Africa. These trips showed how tough his half-track vehicles were, carrying scientists and journalists through difficult areas.

In 1925, a 1923 Citroën car that had already traveled 48,000 kilometers became the first car to be driven all the way around Australia! This car is now in a museum.

In 1924, Citroën started working with an American engineer named Edward G. Budd. Together, they introduced the Citroën B10, which was the first car in Europe to have an all-steel body. This made cars stronger and safer.

The Revolutionary Traction Avant

1931 C4 based Citroën P17 C Kégresse track

1933 Citroën Rosalie Coupe 15CV

Citroën 8CV

1933 C4 based Citroën P17 C Kégresse track

The Traction Avant was a truly groundbreaking car. It was the first car made in large numbers with three new features:

A unibody design, meaning the car's body was also its strong frame, without a separate chassis.
Independent suspension on all four wheels, making the ride smoother.
Front-wheel drive, where the front wheels pull the car.

These ideas are still used in most cars today! Making the Traction Avant and rebuilding the factory cost Citroën a lot of money. In 1934, the company faced financial trouble. Michelin, a tire company that was already a big lender to Citroën, became its main owner. Sadly, André Citroën passed away in 1935.

Secret Work During Wartime

Mid 20th century Citroën military truck

During World War II, when Germany occupied France, Citroën's engineers secretly continued to work on new car ideas. They developed plans for three amazing vehicles: a small car (the 2CV), a delivery van (Type H), and a large family car (the DS). These cars were very advanced for their time.

Pre-war Citroën Traction Avant Cabriolet

Citroën Traction Avant

Citroën Traction Avant Légère rear view

1956 Citroën Traction Avant

The Beloved 2CV

In 1948, Citroën showed off the Citroën 2CV (pronounced "doo she-vo"). This car was designed to be very affordable and easy to run, especially for people in the French countryside. It had a small two-cylinder engine and a very soft suspension. The 2CV was a huge success and was made until 1990, with over 9 million cars produced!

1955 Citroën 2CV

1989 Citroën 2CV, with "Charleston" colours & shapes

Citroën type H / HY van

Citroën Ami

The "Goddess" DS

The DS was introduced in 1955. It was the first car to fully use Citroën's special hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension system. This system made the car feel like it was floating on a "magic carpet" because it absorbed bumps so well and kept the car level. The DS also had modern disc brakes and a unique hydraulic system that helped with steering, braking, and even shifting gears!

From 1968, some DS models even had special headlights that turned with the steering wheel, making it easier to see around curves at night. The DS was very futuristic for its time. Its name, "DS," sounded like the French word for "goddess," which was perfect for such a beautiful and advanced car. It sold almost 1.5 million units and was voted third in the "Car of the Century" competition in 1999.

A DS near Mt. Baker circa. 1970

1962 Citroën ID variant of DS

Citroën DS Pallas with directional headlights (1968–1975)

DS Sedan (1955–1975) and Cabriolet (1960–1971)

Advanced Hydraulics and Aerodynamics

Citroën's special high-pressure hydraulic system was used in many of its cars for decades, including the SM, GS, and CX. This system allowed the cars to maintain a constant height above the road, no matter how many people or how much cargo was inside. It also allowed drivers to adjust the car's height, which was useful for clearing obstacles or changing tires.

Citroën was also one of the first car companies to focus on aerodynamic design. This means making cars smooth and sleek to reduce wind resistance, which helps save fuel and improves speed. Cars like the DS and CX were very aerodynamic, helping them perform well. The CX even got its name from the mathematical term for drag coefficient!

Challenges and Changes

In the 1960s and 1970s, Citroën tried to grow by buying other companies like Panhard and Maserati. They also worked on new engines. However, these plans were very expensive. In 1973, there was an "energy crisis" that made fuel very expensive, which hurt car sales, especially for cars that used a lot of fuel.

Because of these financial problems, Citroën went bankrupt again in 1974. To save the company, the French government helped arrange a merger with Peugeot. In 1976, Peugeot bought most of Citroën's shares, creating the PSA Group. This meant Citroën was no longer an independent company.

Citroën SM

Maserati Khamsin

Citroën GS Birotor and Citroën C6

Citroën CX, the 1975 Car of the Year in Europe

Becoming Part of PSA Peugeot Citroën

After joining Peugeot, Citroën cars slowly started to look and feel more like Peugeot cars. This was part of a trend in the car industry called "platform sharing," where different car models use the same basic parts to save money. While Citroën cars became less unique, they were able to reach new markets.

Citroën also expanded into many new countries, including China, Iran, and Romania. In China, Citroën has a special joint venture that builds cars specifically for that market.

1984 Citroën Visa

1982 Citroën BX

Citroën Berlingo

Citroën Xantia

New Citroën ZX Fukang models for sale in Chengdu 1994 – made by truck manufacturer Second Automobile Works (第二汽车制造厂) through Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën joint venture.

Recent Times

From 2003 to 2010, Citroën made the C3 Pluriel, a unique convertible car that reminded people of the old 2CV. In 2001, Citroën opened a museum called the Conservatoire, which has 300 of its important cars.

Even though the car market has faced challenges, Citroën continues to develop new technologies. In 2021, Citroën entered the Indian market with its C5 Aircross SUV.

Citroën C3 Pluriel

Citroën C6 production top of range sedan

Citroën C4L built in Argentina, Russia, and China (Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën)

Citroën C4

The DS Brand

In 2009, Citroën announced a new, more luxurious car brand called DS. The name stands for "Different Spirit" or "Distinctive Series," and it also reminds people of the famous old Citroën DS car. The slogan for DS cars is "Spirit of avant-garde."

The first car in this new series was the DS3 in 2010. It was a small car that could be customized with different roof colors. The DS3 was named "Car of the Year" by Top Gear Magazine and has won many awards for being a great small car. DS cars have their own special showrooms and even factories in China.

Citroën DS3, the most sold premium car of its category

Citroën DS4 Sport Chic, C segment

DS 5, D segment

DS 6, SUV segment – developed for China

Awards and Recognition

Citroën has won many awards for its cars. The Citroën DS was recognized as the third most important car of the 20th century!

Citroën cars have won the European Car of the Year award three times:

1971 – Citroën GS
1975 – Citroën CX
1990 – Citroën XM

In 2023, Citroën won the 'Sustainability Initiative Award' at the Auto Trader New Cars Awards.

Citroën XM 1990 COTY in Europe

Citroën C5 2009 COTY in Ireland and Spain

Citroën C4 Picasso, 2014 COTY in Ireland

Citroën C4 Cactus, Car of the year in Spain, Denmark, and second at the Car of the year in Europe 2015

Citroën in Motorsport

Citroën Racing is the part of Citroën that handles its racing activities. They are very successful in the World Rally Championship and the World Touring Car Championship.

Early Rally Success

1956 Citroën DS at Rally Finland/1000 Lakes Rally

1971 Citroën SM that won Rallye du Maroc

Citroën cars started entering long-distance rallies in 1956 with the DS. They won many important events over the years with cars that were very similar to the ones people could buy.

Racing the 2CV

Citroën found that racing the slow 2CV against other cars wasn't exciting, but racing many 2CVs against each other was! They sponsored long-distance races for 2CVs, and today, people still race 2CVs on dirt tracks in a sport called 2CV Cross.

World Rally Championship Wins

The Citroën Racing team has been very successful in the World Rally Championship. They have won the "Manufacturer's Title" eight times, and their driver, Sébastien Loeb, won the "Drivers' Championship" nine times! They have a record of 97 victories in the World Rally Championship.

Sébastien Loeb with his Citroën C4 at the 2008 Monte Carlo Rally

Khalid Al-Qassimi with his Citroën DS3 WRC at the 2016 Rally de Portugal

Citroën C-Elysée WTCC on display

Touring Car Racing

In 2012, Citroën decided to enter the World Touring Car Championship. They developed a special car, the Citroën C-Elysée WTCC. With a big budget and strong drivers, Citroën dominated the championship from 2014 to 2016, winning many races and manufacturer titles.

Concept Cars

Citroën has created many amazing concept cars over the years. These are special cars built to show off new designs or technologies that might be used in future cars. Some famous ones include the Citroën Karin (1980), Citroën Activa (1988), and GT by Citroën (2008).

Citroën C-10 (1955)

Citroën C-Métisse (2006)

Citroën Hypnos (2008)

The Citroën Logo

The gears with double chevrons that reputedly were the basis of the Citroën logo

The famous Citroën logo, with its two "double chevrons," comes from a special type of gear. When André Citroën was young, he saw an innovative design for a chevron-shaped gear in Poland. He bought the patent for it. These gears have teeth that are shaped like a "V." When two of these gears work together, they fit perfectly, like the two chevrons in the logo. Early Citroën cars actually used these special gears in their rear axles.

The look of the logo has changed over time. It used to be yellow on a blue background. After World War II, it became more subtle, often white on a white background. In the 1980s, it changed to white on red to look more dynamic.

In 2009, Citroën launched a new logo to celebrate its 90th birthday. It was a 3D metallic version of the double chevron, with a new font and the slogan "Créative Technologie." In 2022, the brand updated its logo again, bringing back the oval shape from its original 1919 design.