Citroen Traction Avant Price Guide

The Citroën Traction Avant is one of the most important cars ever built. Front-wheel drive, unitary body construction, independent front suspension, and torsion bar springs. All commonplace today, but literally never before seen in a production car sold to the general public in 1934. The Traction Avant was fifteen years ahead of its time and remained in production for twenty-three years, during which it defined the modern car’s fundamental architecture.

The Car

André Citroën mortgaged everything on the Traction Avant and it bankrupted him; Michelin took over the company in 1934. But the car itself was a masterpiece. Designed by André Lefèbvre with body styling by Flaminio Bertoni, it used a 1,303cc four-cylinder in the earliest cars, growing to 1,529cc and eventually 1,911cc. The famous 15/6 used a 2,867cc six-cylinder. The low centre of gravity from the front-wheel-drive layout and the long, low body gave the Traction Avant handling and roadholding that no other car of its era could match. The Gestapo loved it; the Resistance loved it more. The DS that replaced it in 1955 used the same basic engine.

What Goes Wrong

The Traction Avant rewards correct maintenance above all else. The gearbox uses an unusual design that requires the correct EP90 gear oil; wrong lubricants cause rapid wear. The constant-velocity joints at the front wheels are the car’s mechanical Achilles heel; worn joints cause vibration and eventually failure. The unitary body corrodes at the sills, floor, and front chassis legs. The legs are critical, as the front suspension is mounted directly to the body structure. The Michelin tyres specified originally are unavailable, but equivalents exist.

Buying

Join the Citroën Car Club before buying anything. The Club holds a register and can provide specialist guidance on any car. The 15/6 Six is the prestige specification; the standard 11BL is the most practical and best-supported. Familiale long-wheelbase models are rare and sought-after. The Citroën Traction Avant is one of the most historically significant cars available on the open market.