Citroen cars: country of origin, corporation trends. What France presented to the world - the manufacturing country "Citroen C3" The history of the creation of Citroen

Citroën is a French car brand headquartered in Paris. Since 1976, it has been part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën concern. The company has a successful history of manufacturing technologically advanced vehicles, as well as multiple motorsport victories. To date, the brand's largest sales market is China, where sales are carried out mainly through Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën.

The founder of the company Andre Citroen was born in 1878 in a family of immigrants from Odessa. He graduated from the Polytechnic Institute and got a job in a workshop manufacturing parts for steam locomotives. There he managed to quickly build a career, and already in 1908 Citroen served as technical director of the Mors plant.

During the First World War, the factory produced artillery shells for France, but after it ended, it was necessary to look for ways to load production capacity. At first, Andre Citroen did not plan to enter the automotive business, but this area was familiar to him and promised considerable profit, so he decided to take a chance. At first, Citroen decided to develop a technically sophisticated 18-horsepower car, but came to the conclusion that it was necessary to rely on available cars good quality, following the example of those produced by the Henry Ford company.

In 1919, he begins production of the Type A, which was designed by Jules Salomon, the former chief designer of Le Zèbre. The car was equipped with an 18-horsepower four-cylinder and water-cooled engine, and its volume was 1327 cubic meters. see Citroën Type A accelerated to 65 km / h. Its price in the first year of production was 7,950 francs, which was quite cheap. It was the first model in Europe to receive an electric starter and light, and in addition, it was produced in a volume of 100 units per day.

Citroën Type A (1919-1921)

In 1919, André Citroën negotiated with General Motors to sell the brand. The deal was almost done when the American company felt that buying Citroën would be too much of a burden for it. Thus, the brand remained independent until 1935.

Being an excellent marketer, Citroen used the Eiffel Tower as the world's largest advertising medium, which got into the Guinness Book of Records. The inscription "Citroën" flaunted on the main attraction of Paris for 9 years. In addition, the brand organized sponsorship expeditions to Asia, North America and Africa to demonstrate the capabilities of cars.

At the Paris Motor Show in October 1924, the company introduced the Citroën B10 as the first car in Europe to use an all-steel body. At first, the model enjoyed great success in the market, but later competitors began to change the body structure, while Citroën did not redesign. Cars still sold well, but at a low price, which affected the financial condition of the company in a bad way.

To remedy the situation, the brand has developed the Traction Avant with an all-metal monocoque body, front-wheel drive and independent front wheel suspension. 1933 also saw the release of the world's first mass-produced car with diesel engine— Rosalie.

Citroën Traction Avant (1934-1957)

The development, production and market launch of the Traction Avant required a huge investment. Citroen did not spare money, which brought the company to bankruptcy.

In 1934, Citroën becomes the property of its biggest creditor, Michelin. A year later, Andre Citroen died of stomach cancer.

During the German occupation of France in World War II, company president Pierre-Jules Boulanger refused to meet with Ferdinand Porsche and communicated with the German authorities only through intermediaries. He sabotaged the production trucks for the Wehrmacht, assembling cars incorrectly. When Paris was liberated, his name was included in the list of the most important "enemies of the Reich".

During the occupation, the brand's engineers continued to work on the design of new cars, keeping it secret from the Germans. They developed concepts that were later embodied in the 2CV, Type H and DS models.

In 1948, at the Paris Motor Show, Citroën introduced the 2CV car with low power motor(12 hp), which became a bestseller among the French because of low cost and reliability. This car continued to be manufactured, with only minor changes, until 1990. In total, 8.8 million copies of the model were produced.

Citroën 2CV (1949-1990)

In 1955, another iconic car of the brand debuted - DS-19, which was distinguished by its bright appearance and low landing. It was the first mass-produced car with modern disc brakes. In addition, he received a power steering and brakes, as well as a hydropneumatic suspension, which ensured a smooth ride and the ability to adjust the height of the car. Since 1968, the DS has been equipped with directional headlights that improve visibility at night.

The brand used a high pressure hydraulic system on its models, which was installed on more than 9 million machines of the DS, SM, GS, CX, BX, XM, Xantia, C5 and C6 models. It maintains a constant vehicle height above the road, despite the load on the vehicle, and absorbs road bumps, increasing driving comfort. In the early 1960s, Mercedes-Benz tried to replicate this effect by avoiding Citroën's patented technologies, but they were so complex and expensive that development continued until 1975, when the German brand was finally able to offer the market a proven hydropneumatic suspension.

Citroën was one of the pioneers of aerodynamic automotive design. As early as the 1950s, the company began using the wind tunnel, allowing for highly optimized cars such as the DS that were decades ahead of their competitors.

In 1960, the company made a series of financial and research maneuvers to strengthen its market position, but from the fact that it went bankrupt in 1974, it is clear that they were unsuccessful.

Firstly, the brand wanted to release a car that model line would fit in between the small 2CV and the big DS. Secondly, it was necessary to develop a powerful engine for export markets. For the DS and CX models, such a motor was being developed, but they laid down a heavy financial burden. As a result, the cars continued to be equipped with a small four-cylinder outdated power unit.

In 1965, the company acquired truck manufacturer Berliet. Three years later, the French manufacturer bought out the Italian manufacturer sports cars Maserati, again with an eye on the prospect of producing a more powerful car. It was a 1970 SM with a 170-horsepower 2.7-liter engine, hydropneumatic suspension and a self-centering steering system called DIRAVI.

Citroën SM (1970-1975)

The GS model in 1970 was finally able to bridge the huge gap between the 2CV and the DS. It became very successful, putting Citroën in second place among French automakers after Peugeot.

By the mid-1970s, the company was weighed down by many problems. Among them were the consequences of the fuel crisis, which was intensified by the brand's stake in large engines, large investments in the development of new models, and a forced exit from the American market. The company sells Berliet and Maserati, closes a number of joint ventures, but still goes bankrupt.

With the assistance of the French government, the PSA Peugeot Citroën group was created in 1976. The new automaker has launched a number of successful models, including the GS, CX, the revised 2CV, the Dyane, and the Peugeot 104 based on the Citroën Visa and Citroën LNA.

However, the new owners gradually reduced the ambition of Citroën engineers for technological innovation, trying to rebrand the brand, directing it to the mass market. In the 1980s, more and more Citroën models were built on the basis of Peugeot, and by the end of the decade, many of the brand's distinctive attributes had almost disappeared. However, despite the simplification of cars, sales remained stable.

In the 1990s, the brand expanded its sales geography, gaining a foothold in the markets of the USA, Eastern Europe, the CIS countries and China. The latter is currently her priority.

In Russia, the Citroën brand was in steady demand, which prompted the management of PSA Peugeot Citroën to organize the assembly of the most popular models in our country. In the spring of 2006, the company held talks with the Russian Ministry of Economic Development on the construction of a plant. In 2008, the French automaker agreed with Japanese company Mitsubishi Motors about the construction of a car plant near Kaluga, which will produce 160,000 cars a year. The two companies formed a joint venture with 70% PSA Peugeot Citroën and 30% Mitsubishi Motors Corporation. In April 2010, the plant began work. There, the SKD method is used to manufacture the Citroën C4 model.

This car has become one of the most popular Russian buyers. It was designed to expand its reach to a consumer audience, and received many technological innovations, including directional headlights, ESP system, as well as the Hydractive suspension, which is used on higher-end models. Brake system includes ventilated brake discs on front and rear wheels, ABS system.

In 2008, the model received a facelift, and in 2010, the automaker presented the second generation, which is still in production.

Citroën C4 (2004)

Now Citroën is developing its the lineup, expanding it by adding crossover, electric and hybrid vehicles. Active developments are being carried out in the field of creating revolutionary concept cars, with a striking design, aimed at young, active buyers. The brand intends to expand its presence in emerging markets.

To make a rational choice, you should familiarize yourself with the many nuances in the automotive industry, decide on price category the desired means of transportation, make sure of its reliability by studying the pedigree of the car. This article will focus on cars under the Citroen brand, as many are interested in the country of origin Vehicle, which, according to consumers, predetermines the quality indicators of the model. Many are aware that Citroen has a lot of factories almost all over the world, including in Russia. This nuance makes car owners figure out whose country the manufacturer is and where directly, interesting to the buyer as a purchase. Let's try to answer in the article the most popular questions of potential buyers and car owners interested in this topic.

Positions in the sales market and popularity of the Citroen brand

Citroen cars occupy worthy positions in the Russian market, although they are not the favorites in sales. The fact is that the company, which has French roots and almost a century of existence, differs from many automakers in the absence of an assertive focus on gaining global recognition and leadership positions. This tactic of the concern allows it to engage in more global and promising tasks aimed at expanding its activities, improving and modernizing technologies. The manufacturer adheres to, despite the wide location spread of factories, certain principles and standards that allow it to retain its audience of buyers and admirers, gradually updating and modernizing the lineup of cars, developing and releasing competitive products to European open spaces. The fundamental principles of the company, without which the manufacturer could not compete in the market for a century, are the following features of the activity:

1. Maintaining high quality technologies for the manufacture and design of vehicles, regardless of the location of the plant.
2. Mandatory control of each of the released cars under the Citroen brand, through an automated scheme established over a long period of work, which leads to high-quality features and technological guarantees for vehicles, regardless of the criterion where it was assembled.
3. The most important, significant for the functioning of the car components and assemblies are produced directly by the French plant, which determines the increased control of the quality features of Citroen products.
4. Work on the manufacture of transport products by highly qualified engineers, as well as their informational cooperation with leading companies in the automotive industry, guarantees that Citroen brand products meet world standards.

This information allows potential buyers to cast aside doubts about the possibility of purchasing low-quality goods, as the manufacturer guarantees durability, reliability, compliance with international standards for all products bearing the Citroen brand, regardless of the criterion whose assembly of a particular instance.

Location of branches and pedigree of popular models from Citroen

The total number of factories where Citroen vehicles are currently assembled, whose production was previously established only in France, totals several dozen. The main ones are localized in African and Latin American countries, Europe, China and the Russian Federation. As for the most popular models supplied to the European automotive markets, the C4 Aircross model, assembled exclusively in French factories, received the greatest respect and recognition. The production of this model is planned in the near future directly at the plant in Kaluga, however, this project is still only in a promising concept. If everything is very clear with the territorial origin of the Aircross model, then regarding the C4 series, the answer to the question of which country is the manufacturer of a particular car is not so unambiguous.

Cars from the Citroen C4 lineup, produced before 2012, have 100% French roots, however, cars of later manufacture could also be assembled at other concern plants. Since 2013, their manufacture has been taking place at the Kaluga plant: there are still disputes about the quality of assembly of these cars, however, experts say that the Citroen plant in Kaluga is equipped with a modified, modern technological base, therefore vehicles that left the assembly line in Russia , in quality they are absolutely not inferior to French copies. In 2018, since the beginning of the year in Russia, at the Citroen plant, the assembly of the Jumpy Multispace minibus has started, with increased interior space, which predetermines a great future for it. This model will be assembled exclusively in Russia. Citroen Berlingo- Another model from the manufacturer, which is very popular among consumers. The car is assembled at factories in Spain, Turkey and Belarus, and its working potential and promising opportunities allow it to compete in the market with vehicles of this category from leading automakers.

The Citroen C-Elysse sedan, which is actively offered in the automotive markets of the Russian Federation, is distinguished by excellent build quality, excellent design and simple modification engines. The model has proven itself well from the standpoint of adaptability to Russian climatic and operational features, which provokes the car's popularity and demand among domestic consumers. The primary quality of this model is its price, which does not exceed five hundred thousand rubles in the basic version, which positions the C-Elysse as an affordable vehicle for budget category consumers. in Spain, at a plant in Vigo.

Perspective perspective of the company and objective forecasts of experts

The Citroen concern is far from prosperous at the present time, the financial problems of the automaker put it in the position of unrespectable objects for investment. This fact makes the leaders of the concern look for ways to solve financial problems based on personal capabilities. To increase the ability to stay in trend, the corporation is actively promoting its models based on C4, working towards expanding the sales market for its automotive products. At the same time, the company is actively promoting models based on the C5, which saves financial costs, with the possibility of expanding the model range. Despite such a precarious financial position of the corporation, certain positive aspects are also visible in its current functionality:

1. The company promptly develops and puts into production new, improved cars of the budget class, with the priority opportunity to improve the financial condition through turnover.
2. The organization, despite certain problems, competes with leading automakers at various exhibitions and presentations, which positions it with positive side increases consumer confidence.
3. Active cooperation with leading manufacturers, the conclusion of lucrative contracts allows Citroen to provide low-cost and high-quality developments to the markets that are in demand among budget consumers.
4. A competent approach to the design development of models allows Citroen cars to stay on top.
5. Citroen is developing, trying to keep up with innovative requirements, offering the consumer modern vehicles that, with good luck, will help the concern survive financial difficulties and reach a higher position.

The concern has project plans that have a great future in the automotive industry, however, to translate them into reality, the corporation needs decent funding. At the present time, it is difficult for the company to cope with the exit from the financial crisis, although the positive trends of the automaker, the desire to develop, against the background of the lack of savings on the quality of goods, suggest that the company is able to cope with the problems and take a promising position in the automotive market.

Summing up

Citroen, despite the difficulties of the financial category, has prospects for development, thanks to the well-coordinated work of leading engineers, branches, and the production of extremely competitive products. The manufacturer claims that, regardless of the criteria, whose car is on the market, which branches were involved in its assembly, the quality parameters and technological attributes of the vehicles are 100% observed. Each car produced under the Citroen brand meets international quality standards, which determines its long period of operation if the car owner complies with the basic requirements of the manufacturer.

French automotive manufacturers far from always aspired to take a place in the top ten of the world. Today, these are ambitious corporations that, despite financial problems, offer quite adequate cars with good prices and successful technologies. But confidence in the French car market has not yet been established at the proper level. In Europe, these cars are considered a budget class, comparing their performance and reliability with the Germans or even the Czechs. Because the Citroen Corporation was not so popular these days. However, there is some success in sales, especially in the new model line with an extensive range of cars for a wide variety of customers.

The company's offer includes a lot interesting cars mobiles with exciting power units and unusual design features. But the company does not seek to promote cars on the Russian market. We have an extensive network of dealers and even have a model made especially for our market (C-Elysee). But the Citroen Corporation was not particularly popular. This is due to the instability of the manufacturer, with a large number of questions about the factory assembly and a number of other unpleasant moments. But let's talk about everything in due order.

Citroen productions - an established network around the world

The development of the French brand began in 1919, that is, the brand is almost 100 years old. In the 80s of the last century, the Peugeot-Citroen joint corporation was created, which continues cooperation to this day. However, the brands have remained distinct, with separate budgets and a range of personal technologies. But most of the equipment is used on the machines of both companies at the same time.

PSA Peugeot-Citroen has dozens of production and assembly plants around the world. There are production facilities on four continents (the company is not represented only in North America and Australia). The network of enterprises is especially widespread in Africa and Latin America, as well as in China. The features of the corporation are as follows:

• compliance with the quality of production and assembly of cars, despite such a wide geographical representation;
• control of each produced car by means of a multi-level check of transport according to an established automatic scheme;
• fulfillment of the most important details and units only at French enterprises with increased quality control;
• production of flagships under the guidance of the world's best engineers in the field of automotive production;
• attraction of professional employees around the world, search and creation of a team of professionals;
• solving financial issues and difficulties together with the largest corporations in the automotive industry;
• active cooperation with German and Italian manufacturers, development of joint technologies.

Such features allow Citroen to keep leadership in some segments, presenting cars at exhibitions and auto shows around the world. Many people know that Citroen today is going through far from the best of times in the financial sense, the concern has become a victim of the financial crisis. Nevertheless, the company continues to update its lineup and produce quite presentable and competitive cars for the European market. The French company is actively conquering the Chinese market and the countries of South America. All this allows us to hope for an improvement in the financial condition of the corporation in the auto world.

Model range and features of the equipment presented by the company

Many developments technical features modern machines Citroen come with the help of engineers from major European companies. Recently, cooperation with the Japanese corporation Mitsubishi has been frozen, but this cooperation also gave a certain shift in terms of the model range. Even in Russia, despite the rather cold attitude towards French cars, it is fashionable to meet a lot of vehicles with the Citroen badge on the roads. Among the presented models, the following types of transport can be distinguished:

• C-Elysee - new budget sedan with good design and simple engines, created specifically for Russia, the starting price is 470,000 rubles;
• C1 - the smallest hatchback in the manufacturer's offer with little potential and cute appearance, costing 520,000 rubles;
• C3 Picasso - an unusual volumetric hatchback with a custom design and impressive performance with a price of 850,000 rubles;
• C4 Sedan - a new model for Russian market with a modern design and good technology under the hood at a price tag of 670,000 rubles;
• C4 hatchback is a beautiful and stylish compact car with high quality assembly and materials at a cost of 820,000;
• C4 Aircross - a crossover built on a common C4 base with an expressive appearance and quite productive engines, the price is from 1,000,000 rubles;
• C4 Picasso - in some way even a futuristic car with a huge interior and equipment unusual for the French for 1,145,000 rubles;
• Grand C4 Picasso - an even more impressive car with a spaceship design, especially inside, the cost starts from 1,210,000 rubles;
• C5 Sedan - a large luxury car with excellent performance and business class in the cabin with a price of 1,070,000;
• C5 Tourer - station wagon based on C5 with huge interior space and amazing technical characteristics for 1,230,000 rubles;
• C5 Tourer XTR - a special station wagon equipped with the most powerful technology and with certain changes in design, the cost is from 1.6 million;
• Berlingo Multispace is one of the brand's most popular cars with huge competition but very high sales, starting at 800,000;
• Jumpy Multispace is a passenger minibus with premium space inside and costs from 1.4 million rubles.

Here is such an immodest lineup offered by Citroen in the passenger car segment. You can also list commercial vehicles, which have become quite an adequate alternative for many enterprises. In particular, many companies for urban transportation use Berlingo and Jumpy in cargo version. French transport is not without quality, even if its reliability is far from ideal. If there are no violations of operating conditions, it is easy to increase the potential life of the machine and enjoy every trip.

Plans for the future and real prospects for Citroen

A company with significant debts is not so attractive to investors, so the development of the Citroen lineup is still rather sluggish. You may have noticed that the corporation is actively using the C4 base and developing this area of ​​​​its activity in all possible directions.

Also, several models from the corporation's proposal are built on the C5 platform at once. This means saving money to create an individual technical look for each car. However, in the future of the corporation, positive features are also seen:

• the lineup is developing very quickly, updates keep pace with the times;
• the company always manages to present new products on a level with competitors, without being left behind;
• many new cooperation contracts with Italian and German corporations give a chance for cheap and high-quality developments;
• making cars in developing countries makes the company's products cheaper;
• successful solutions in terms of design allow you to always keep the lineup on top, offering modern cars.

In the plans for the future, the concern has a lot of interesting projects that can only be implemented if there is sufficient funding. The joint cooperation of two French large companies allows you to stay afloat and sell everything every year. more cars after the crisis. But while there is no way out of a difficult situation, Citroen cars remain not the very first choice on wish lists. Russian motorists. We offer you to see a test drive of one of the most technologically advanced Citroen cars - C4 Aircross:

Summing up

The French corporation Citroen has a fairly high quality of cars, despite the production of all parts in different parts of the world. The company conducts a worthy quality control of every detail and assembly of its vehicles, offers quite adequate models and design solutions for its products. However, Citroen's successful solutions are actually based on the same platform. This is the basis of all models with the C4 index in the title. The comfort class platform has become the basis for the creation of many interesting cars from the manufacturer.

The development and recovery from the crisis of the Citroen Corporation is hard to miss. But while investments and investments are extremely difficult to pay off. The popularity of the C-Elysee and C4 Sedan, specially designed for Russia, rolled back after the growth of the exchange rate, and production in our country stopped the active production of models. The same situation has become the main closure of a number of factories in China. Despite all the difficulties, the company continues to work and offer its customers high-quality transport. What do you think about the proposals of the French corporation Citroen?

Recently, a well-known European manufacturer presented to the public its new city car called "C3 Citroen". The manufacturing country (France) plans to conquer new ones based on the modern design of the novelty, its good specifications and acceptable price. Also, according to the company, the hatchback changed the finishing materials to better ones. But whether she will be able to achieve her goal, we will find out a little later, but for now let's take a closer look at the machine and find out what the manufacturing country wants to win.

Citroen C3: design review

If you look at the appearance of the novelty, you can see that the front of the car has gone through the main changes. In front, the hatchback has a new impact bumper, inside it the manufacturer has provided a place for LED headlights, which are called Fog lights, they are also present here - they are located just below. also changed its design and became more voluminous. And this is not all the innovations that the Citroen C3 manufacturing country wants to conquer the market with. The moldings on the side of the car are finished mainly in chrome, and from below you can see small reflectors that signal drivers about the appearance of an oncoming car at night.

Specifications

The Citroen C3 manufacturing country decided to focus on economy and environmental friendliness, completely replacing the 4-cylinder engine line with a three-cylinder one. From now on, the base engine is a 68-horsepower unit with a working volume of 1000 cubic centimeters. Such a motor really turned out to be economical - it consumes about 4.3 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers. The average is a 1.2-liter engine, the peak power of which is 82 horsepower. With such a unit, the novelty consumes a little more (4.5 liters) of gasoline per 100 kilometers. The top-end engine with a capacity of 120 "horses" and a volume of 1500 "cubes" consumes no more than 6.5 liters of fuel per hundred. By the way, the last engine is not included in the list of 3-cylinder engines - it was borrowed from the 208th Peugeot and will be available both on the Russian and European markets. The company also has 3 diesel units, but they will not be delivered to Russia. All motors are aggregated either with a 4-speed "automatic" or a 5-speed mechanical box. But not the fact that the first option will survive until next year. In the future, the company plans to replace it with a more progressive 5-speed automatic transmission.

Price policy

The country-manufacturer "Citroen C3" decided not to overestimate the cost of its novelty. So, the restyled version of the hatchback will rise in price by only 15,000 rubles and will cost about 500 thousand. As for the most expensive configuration, it will cost customers 635 thousand rubles, but this is far from a budget cost. At about the same price, a similar small car called the Citroen C4 is offered, the manufacturing country of which also intends to conquer the entire world market.

1919 was a historic year for automotive Europe. It was this year that the first production car came out of the gates of the Paris factory on the Javel embankment - Citroen model "A". Meanwhile, industrial France, what is France, practically all of Europe has long known products manufactured under the trademark of two inverted V letters. Even then, few people remembered that this is how helicoidal gears look like. For everyone, this logo was associated exclusively with the name of Andre Citroen.

Helical gears. Photo: Citroen

Andre Citroen was born in 1878 in the family of a rather successful entrepreneur. But when the future automaker was six years old, his father, co-owner big company processing precious stones, committed suicide. However, the fortune left by his father allowed Citroen to graduate from the Polytechnic Institute, after which he began working at the company of his friends for the production of parts for steam locomotives. In 1905, he becomes a full partner of this production. In 1990 Andre visits Poland. Here was a small factory owned by relatives of Citroen. Among other equipment, large gears with V-shaped teeth were cast at this plant. Knowing the urgent need for such gears, Citroen decides to start their production in their homeland. A little later, the helicoidal gears produced at this enterprise became known throughout Europe. Once bought a Russian patent for the production of gears, whose gearing in the form of a chevron immediately became a brand, brought Citroen not only huge profits, but also wide popularity.

Workshop for the production of shells. Photo: Citroen

The name of the young entrepreneur has become almost a legend, and already in 1908 Andre comes to car factory Mors as an anti-crisis director - the business of the enterprise immediately begins to go uphill.

The First World War was another leap in the career of a young specialist. Lieutenant of the 2nd Heavy Artillery Regiment IV of the French Army Andre Citroen was on the Argonne section of the front line. With his own eyes, he saw how one after another choked attempts to go on the offensive. The reason for this was the catastrophic shortage of ammunition. In January 1915, General Louis Baquet, head of artillery at the French Ministry of Defense, received a letter signed by Artillery Captain André Citroën. The general could not believe his eyes. André Citroën undertook to build and equip a plant for the production of 75-mm shrapnel shells within four months. These were shells of the most demanded caliber at the front.

The very first Citroen model "A" at the factory building. Photo: Citroen

In the shortest possible time, an enterprise is growing on the banks of the Seine, producing more ammunition than all other enterprises combined.

The cannonade of the First World War has not yet subsided, and Citroen is already passionate about the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bcreating its own car. The huge finances earned in the war make it possible to attract the most highly qualified personnel to this project. In 1912, he visited the Ford factories and got acquainted with the conveyor organization of labor. In January 1919, announcements appeared in all the newspapers in France about the imminent appearance on the market of a completely new car at a price of only 7250 francs. No manufacturer could offer such a low price then.

Andre Citroen 1918

The announcements had the effect of a bombshell. For two weeks, the plant received about 16,000 applications. And later this stream completely turned into a flood. The Citroen factory produced 100 cars a day. True, there was only one model - “A”, but it was Citroen, unlike other European automakers, who transferred the car from the category of luxury to a means of transportation. After four years of production, the number of cars leaving the factory gates has grown to 300 per day.

Being a far-sighted man, Andre Citroen understood that releasing does not mean selling. In this connection, a large part of the profits went to advertising. And sometimes she worked for a very distant future. So, in particular, he launched the production of toy cars under his logo. An exact copy of a real car brought future buyers into indescribable delight, and no one had any doubt what brand the kid would choose when he grew up.

Autumn 1922. André Citroën at the map of the rally across the Sahara. Photo: Citroen

Andre also had, by today's standards, simply unbearable advertising projects. At one time, a photo of the Eiffel Tower with a glowing Citroen inscription went around almost the whole world. Much of what Citroen came up with to promote their product, we use to this day. For example, in order for the brand name of the Citroen factories to be constantly in front of the eyes of drivers, signs and road signs crowned with a “double chevron” were installed throughout France. Today, you won’t surprise anyone with advertising on road signs. Promotional car rides, the distribution of commercial records, and even writing on the sky, were all tried out by André Citroën long before today's creatives.

In 1933, Citroen decided to completely rebuild its factories, and five months later, an auto giant with a total area of ​​55,000 square meters appeared on the site of the former enterprise. Its production capacity can fully meet the needs of France in cars. The power of the enterprise at that time was simply phenomenal.

October 1931. Andre Citroen and Henry Ford

However, often the financial capabilities of Citroen did not keep pace with his ideas, in connection with which almost all projects were made by him with the money of investors. The financial crisis of the thirties ultimately hit car sales hard, and new investors refused to invest in Citroen's promising projects. After many unsuccessful attempts to find sources of financing, Citroen declared itself bankrupt. He died in March 1935 from stomach cancer.

“If the idea is good, the price does not matter,” said Andre Citroen. This phrase became the meaning of his whole life, and it is thanks to this talented engineer and organizer that we still have the opportunity to see on our streets one of the most advanced cars, both in terms of design and technology.

Citroen factory 1935. Photo: Citroen

Citroen after Citroen
Shortly before the death of Andre Citroen, the company is mastering the production of a truly revolutionary car in those days. Bearing body, independent torsion bar suspension and perhaps the most revolutionary innovation - front-wheel drive. So in 1934, the 7CV Traction Avant was born.

Thanks to its innovative design, the machine was at the forefront of technological progress for a long time, which allowed it to hold out on the conveyor right up to 1956. By the way, it was thanks to her that the company subsequently managed to recover relatively quickly after the crisis. But that was later. And in 1935, the country's government forces Andre Citroen to transfer a controlling stake in Michelin. Thus, the government of the country is trying to save the Andre Citroen Automobiles Joint Stock Company from bankruptcy.

However, losses still could not be avoided. So, as a result of the crisis, about 8,000 workers were fired from Citroen enterprises, and an assembly plant in Italy was also closed. However, the company remained afloat and continued to produce cars.

The first half of the fatal forties was occupied by the war. Naturally, there could be no question of any development of production here. The maximum that the company was capable of was the release of the 7CV Traction Avant already put on the conveyor. However, if by the end of 1945 9324 cars were produced, then already in 1946 they left the assembly line 24443 - the company was reborn. Maintaining traditions, the company's management does not stop experimenting. The result of one of these experiments is the reconstruction of the plant in Levallois. There, separate work areas are organized for the assembly of engines. Later, the production of another one was launched at the same plant. legendary car centenarian - Traction Avant - 2 CV, popularly nicknamed "Duck's Tail".

This car was not beautiful, it did not have a powerful engine, but being cheap even for those times, for many years it gained popularity not only in France and all over the world. The car was produced until 1990, i.e. actually 42 years old and during this time has not undergone significant structural changes.

The mid-fifties and again the company brings to light something previously unseen. The new plant in Asnier specializes exclusively in the manufacture of hydraulics. Such a narrow specialization of the plant was not chosen by chance. Even before the start of its construction, it was known that the parts that would be produced at this enterprise would first of all be installed on the new Citroen model, namely the DS-19 - a car with an extraordinary appearance and creeping fit.

In addition to the futuristic appearance, the DS-19 had a number of technological innovations, such as the use of aluminum and plastic alloys in the production of parts, disc brakes, power steering and brakes. However, the main highlight of the car was the hydraulic system that controls the adaptive hydropneumatic suspension. It provided not only a smooth ride, but also made it possible to raise or lower the car body.

The 1960s were years of strong growth for the company. An agreement is concluded with the Yugoslav company Tomos on the production of the famous 2CV at its facilities. In Brittany. The release of the Ami6 model has been launched.

By the way, this plant was the first in which not only the assembly but also the stamping of body parts was established.

In addition to Europe, the company opens production in Canada, Chile, and Africa. At the same time, Citroen acquires a controlling stake in Maserati. An agreement is concluded with the German company NSU-Motorenwerke for the development of a new engine, the production of which should be established at the joint production of Komobil in Geneva.

The seventies, after a triumphal march around the world, again became difficult for Citroen. The outbreak of the oil crisis led to the fact that the technically innovative, extravagant Citroen again began to fail badly. The reason is simple - cars consumed a lot of fuel. As a result, the company again started talking about bankruptcy. Only an alliance could save the company. As a result, it was decided to merge the companies "Automobiles Citroen" and "Automobiles Peugeot". The purpose of this decision was to create a large industrial group capable of becoming as competitive as possible on the international market. A little later, the holding company PSA Peugeot-Citroen Alliance was created, which included Citroen SA and Peugeot SA. And although Citroen entered the holding as an independent company, it was not possible to maintain its exceptional individuality. The first fruit of this alliance is the Visa model.

Taking the 104 model as a basis, Citroen equipped it with a 652 cm³ two-cylinder engine, supplemented by an air-cooled system. A nod to the companion was the modification of this car, the main difference of which was a more powerful four-cylinder 1.1-liter engine manufactured by Peugeot.

And a little earlier in 1975, with the end of the production of the DS model, the car of the presidents, as it was then called, the factory on the Javel embankment was closed. Over the entire period of operation of this enterprise, more than three million cars came out of its gates.

The 1980s are not only years of production improvement for the company. In addition, there is a rebranding. Citroen now uses white and red instead of blue and yellow colors in the logo. In addition, the head office moves to the suburbs of Paris, namely to Neuilly-sur-Seine. Increasingly, the company begins to resort to computer simulation and eventually acquires the most powerful supercomputer at the time, the Cray XMP/14. The total investment in the development of the concern over the years amounted to 7.5 billion francs, including 1.2 billion for research and development. Investments were not long in coming and the consumer received such a model as the XM.

At the end of 1984, the task was approved for the development of the Y30 project - a car that was supposed to replace the Citroen CX. Three different studios took part in the design competition: two of PSA's own bureaus and Bertone. The Bertone variant was accepted for production. And five years later, Citroen XM reached the assembly line: sales began in May 1989.

In the early nineties, Citroen presents its next novelty, namely the ZX model. By the way, it was with this model that Citroen officially returned to motorsport by creating the ZX Rally Raid rally team. Taking care of improving the quality, the company pays a lot of attention to the training of employees. As a result, in 1992, the Citroen Institute opens its doors, the main task of which is to improve the skills of the company's employees. Not deprived of attention during this period and consumers. Models such as Citroen Xantia, Saxo, Xsara, Evasion enter the market.

At the Geneva Motor Show, Citroen C6 Lignage is presented, which is a prototype of the future flagship.

The Pluriel concept debuts in Frankfurt. In December 1999, the Xsara Picasso is launched on the market.

Zero begins for Citroen with a triumph - the Citroen C5 is presented at the Paris Motor Show.

The Citroen C5 was available in hatchback and station wagon body styles. In addition, it was equipped with the latest Hydractive III hydraulic suspension with Sport and Comfort modes and quite powerful engines, then as a V-shaped “six” with a volume of 3.0 liters and a power of 210 hp. and a diesel engine with a volume of 2.2 liters and a power of 136 hp. It is from this new model the concern returns to its usual designation of models, namely alphanumeric.

A little later, at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the Citroen C3 and the C-Crosser concept were presented - a new word in car creation.

At the same time, the company does not forget about consumers. So the warranty period for all Citroen cars is now 24 months. For the first time within the PSA Group, a new robotic gearbox– Sensodrive. Combining the advantages of mechanics and automatic, she first found her place under the hood of the C3 with a 1.6 16V engine.

2006 was the start of production of the C4 Picasso line. The seven-seater C4 Picasso was presented first at the Paris Motor Show.

Built on the basis of Citroen C4 and Peugeot 307. A little later, the manufacturer releases a five-seater modification of the model.

In addition to a capacious trunk, the car is distinguished by a rather original exterior created by rounded lines.

In 2007, the company's production program also included the first crossover, the Citroen C-Crosser.

The seven-seater C-Crosser was aggregated with a base 2.2-liter turbocharged diesel engine with a capacity of 156 hp. However, a crossover and gasoline engine 170 hp (2.4 l).

Citroën's development path has been full of both bright ups and painful downs. However, this once did not prevent the company from remaining original. And the new models are a vivid confirmation of this. Take, for example, the new line of DS models, whose success in the sixties was simply stunning.