Citroen Traction Avant at 80 – the design was so good, Traction Avants are still capable of regular use today. Citroen is marking eighty years of the Traction Avant during 2014. Unveiled in April 1934, the new model revolutionised the automotive world – which up to then consisted almost entirely of rear-wheel-drive vehicles – with its low centre of gravity and asteel monocoque body. As a result, the front-wheel-drive Traction Avant boasted standard-setting characteristics for handling and roadholding.
A series of events are taking place to celebrate the landmark. A unique Traction Avant is on display in the My Citroen Adventure exhibition at the C_42 showcase on the Champs-Elysées in Paris. The 1955 Traction Avant Sans Frontières 11BL belongs to the Traction Sans Frontières association, which travels the world taking part in vintage rallies and events.
The Traction Avant Sans Frontières 11BL can also be seen at the Autodrome Heritage Festival (7-8 June) at the legendary Montlhéry circuit. Excursions have also been organised by regional sections of La Traction Universelle club, such as at Roost-Warendin (31 May-1 June) and at Ferté Vidame (13-14 September) – which is expected to be the biggest event of its kind this year, with more than 800 Traction Avants expected to attend.
