Citroën has a reputation as the world’s most avant-garde car maker. It pioneered front-wheel drive, unibody construction – in which a car’s body is also its chassis – as well as fully independent suspension and disc brakes. All are now de rigueur in modern cars.
The DS launched in 1955 is surely the most modern car ever launched. It was at least 20 years more advanced than most of its contemporaries, particularly in its style and ride quality.
Nowadays the creative flame may not burn quite so brightly. After all, Citroën’s boldness also saw it go bankrupt twice. Yet it still prides itself on its ‘think different’ approach. The Ami electric city car demonstrates a car maker unafraid to be quirky.
Citroën was founded in 1919 in Paris by André Citroën. It was one of Europe’s first car makers to use Henry Ford’s mass production techniques and was also a marketing innovator: in 1925 it used the Eiffel Tower as a gigantic billboard.
Its famous Traction Avant of 1934 was one of the most trend-setting cars in history. Yet the cost to develop its technologies would bankrupt the company: poor André Citroën would be dead by 1935. Tyre maker Michelin, its major creditor, became its owner.
Great and highly innovative cars followed, including the famous 2CV, the DS – appropriately déesse means goddess in French – as well as the GS and CX. It was also a pioneer in vans. The Citroën H-van, launched in 1947, was one of Europe’s most successful commercial vehicles – and is still highly popular in the UK as a mobile café.
Citroën’s determination to be different saw it invest a fortune in revolutionary lightweight rotary engines: it would prove a dead-end. Huge losses saw Citroën go bankrupt for a second time. In 1976, it was taken over by French rival Peugeot.
Along with Peugeot, it is now part of the Stellantis group. Here, it happily sits as a car maker prioritising stand-out design, comfort and value for money. Its vans, including the Berlingo, Dispatch and Relay, are also highly popular.
Hendy currently represents Citroen at 1 outlet in Poole, Dorset.
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