Citroën

Although the 2 CV is probably the best-known Citroën product world-wide, it surely is not a typical Citroën. The name André Citroën is associated more with technical innovations than the world famous 'duck' represents. On the other hand, the 2CV was a pioneer of inexpensive cars with a large driving comfort.

André Citroën was born in 1878 as the fifth child of a Jewish middle-class family. The name (Dutch for 'lemon') comes from his grandfather, the dealer is in the Netherlands of such from French Guiana originating fruits, but later was a successful jeweler. Without the two points on the 'e' the name of the company would be pronounced 'citruun' in Dutch. The father came in the context of the expansion of the company to Poland, where he met André's mother. In 1872 both voted for Paris as their center of life, but not long successfully.

The father commits suicide after difficulties in the company when André just six years old. At age 20 he also loses his mother. At that time he already has been successful in studies and graduated two years later. As an engineer, he joined the French army. His mother's Polish roots lead him there, on trips in his childhood and even later as officer. Anyway, he comes into contact with that mysterious, double angled gearing which makes gears from wood in Poland particularly quiet and durable at high loads.

André Citroën left the army with new knowledge, and probably also with a patent acquired in Poland. He establishes companies in France, the second near Paris (Orly), where he successfully produces gears mainly for the automotive industry, et al. Rolls-Royce. The whole will be very successful and so he will be known. Special private connections to the company Mors there give him an additional position as executive senior manager, as it is actually very bad with this innovative company in 1908. In the next five years, the production increased tenfold, so that he can again return to his own company.

But not for long, because 1914 began the First World War and he was drafted as a reserve officer. He soon recognizes the difficulties of procurement of ammunition. His experience with gear and car production results in planning a factory with a huge area on the Quai de Javel in Paris, the will be particularly encouraged from the highest military authority. After the war, it will be difficult for a factory with more than 12,000 employees, at least had made up to 20,000 artillery shells.

Citroën bethinks his experiences at Mors and in his own company and on his travels to Henry Ford's giant factory in U.S. 1912 and 1918 and decides to become Europe's first manufacturer with a large-scale series production. He committed two Panhard engineers but they can not score at Citroën with their first design, a three-liter four-cylinder. Especially in the postwar period and for the advised mass production would be required rather smaller vehicles. His connections to the army help again and a resulting therefrom acquaintance with the Le-Zèbre engineer Jules Solomon and his construction of a small only around 500 kg heavy car with 1.3 liter displacement and 7 kW (10 hp) likely fast as Ford's Tin Lizzy (65 km/h).

The Model A shall be produced in the now 'S.A. André Citroën' named company from 1919, the first example delivered mid-year. It is always a great advantage to be able to start simultaneously with a new factory and a new model. And the idea adopted by Ford to produce only one model is also advantageous. Competitors such as for example Renault are either blocked by a number of old models or the old production lines, or both. Although one anyway accuses France (except Citroën) to have started not especially innovative after World War II.

In any case, the new company will start under the most difficult economic conditions, in a time of constant stock market losses. Nevertheless, one will very soon export vehicles. Until 1929 the sector of vehicle manufacturers will belong to the stronger expanding as well as the energy and chemical industry. As Citroën begins Renault is the biggest automobile producer.

There will be a fierce struggle for the individual stages of rationalization and the construction of new factories (eg Renault in Billancourt). Renault also has used contacts to the USA for trips. But ultimately Citroën will decide the competition for himself. What is hardly yet realized, France is not only the country with the earliest enthusiasm for the motorization, but has also promoted as the first and permanent the motor sports.

Now is noticeable that André Citroën is less an inventor than instead a sales genius and marketed successfully the 'car for all'. Before the first car is produced, the necessary sales contracts for the mass production are signed. Large newspaper ads already are common at the time but certainly not the giant letters at the Eiffel Tower. Later, the daily newspaper will indicate with an advertisement in selected regions that later in the day an airplane will paint certain letters as smoke signals in the sky. A car factory may be seen from the inside 1927 for the first time.

Also the kind of spare parts supply with fixed prices and offer of replacement parts, increase the success. In addition, the Citroën own advertising agency, bank for paying by instalments and insurance agency. The toy manufacturer Francois Miguault realized the idea to produce, in addition to Citroën's for adults even those for children, the buyers of tomorrow. Supposedly it has become during the long years 2 million.

Citroën seems to have a good relationship not only to his customers but even to his workers, in peculiarity his female workers. Shall belong with the years to his factory in addition to a hospital and a dental practice as a matter of course a kindergarten.

Light-duty truck, derived of type A. Citroën wins a contest for the best fuel efficiency at Le Mans. About 12,000 vehicles are produced, compared to only 2810 in 1919. Start-up difficulties of the new factory, one makes responsible for this relatively small number.

André Citroën introduces the only slightly differing model B, which soon replaced the model A. A total of about 11,000 vehicles are produced, approx. 3,000 of them are exported. He offers rental vehicles and leasing vehicles and donates for France 165,000 traffic signals with the Citroën emblem.

The one-model policy will be abandoned here. It will also appear the Model C, which, in addition to its yellow color with only two seats. Later still in addition rear there is one more. It is powered by a 850 cc small four-cylinder with 8 kW (11 hp). It develops as the first women car. This car will be actually copied from Opel, but in green, whereby it receives the nickname 'Tree Frog' but will help not to lose the process. The annual production will rise to double, more than Renault and Peugeot together. Citroën provides a financing to purchase a car.

As part of the Citroën advertising strategy are still known the long-distance adventures of the company. The vehicles equipped with chains for the drive axle of the constructor Adolphe Kégresse, the first has developed all-terrain vehicles for the Tsar of Russia, originate on the basis of the B2. In 1922, the Sahara is crossed with such a vehicle. It should be noted, that Africa is due to the colonial situation and the ties to France an important sales region.

'Citroën Cars Limited' as a distribution center opened in London.

Production can be increased again by 50 percent. Little Citroën for the children of customers, fixed repair prices.

By no means there is agreement about if and when at Citroën will be really worked continuously on the assembly line. Even at Ford in U.S.this is not completely succeeded within a year. Initially, there one had even forgotten the reserve pool employees. Many other setbacks should be corrected. André Citroën for example assume he needs for the few steps per worker only still semi-skilled workers. But this is still really difficult with the usual constructions made of wood. That only disappears slowly in the field of Citroën production from 1924. In any case, the company even mentioned only this year the assembly line for the first time.

Citroën will be converted into joint-stock company 'Anonymous André Citroën'. However, André Citroën himself keeps 80 percent of theshareholder value. Debt capital is necessary mainly due to the doubling of the production numbers to approximately 55,000. The export also achieved with 17,000 a considerable value. The first training area will be set up primarily for distribution, but also at least partially for technicians. Sales organizations arise in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Italy.

An indicator that the decisive steps in the direction of the assembly line are performed not until 1923 is even the strike at the beginning of the year 1924. The criticizes exactly the new working conditions especially the situation that with less (hand) work will be created more production value, but the workers will benefit nothing.

If you want to know more about the difficult conditions also from the perspective of the workers, click here. First steel car bodies (B 10) in Europe without a wooden frame floor, made after the patents of Budd (USA). A four-door, closed on the bodywork will be still possible on the still existing frame. As previously a wooden frame was clothed with metal, large presses are now necessary. They give a flat plate with very high pressures so much structure that it develops a degree of inherent stability.

In Spain, created a sales organization the, because of the special legislative there with high tariffs on finished products even manufactures car bodies. With eight vehicles Africa is crossed from north to south.

Far more than 61,000 units produced. B 2 is removed from the program. Meanwhile, the company owns both the most modernfoundry and the most modern forge in Europe. The B 12 is an evolution of the B 10 from previous year. It avoids its stability problems and as the first Citroen it has even brakes in front.

280,000 light bulbs - from all four sides the word "Citroën" at the Eiffel Tower. With this spectacular way will be made advertising for the company until 1934. There are already 5,000 dealer.

The zenith appears to be exceeded. For the first time the production rate decreased slightly to just over 50,000 units. Not only distributioneverywhere, but also assembly plants in Algeria, Milan, Britain and Poland.

The production can be increased again by 50 percent to 76,000 vehicles. Meanwhile, one uses indeed entirely American-inspired production methods. But the difference with America is still enormous, considering the maximum daily production reached 500 compared to 9000. In U.S. are necessary 70 worker* days for the production of a car, in France 300 and this at a much lower equipment volume. 1927 is the year of the second general strike, the incidentally, only concerns Citroën and for example not Renault. One reason for the strike is to introduce a performance-based wage.

Connection with the bank 'Lazard Frères', the capital stock increases, but even the voice others in the supervisory board.

Additional assembly plants in Germany (Cologne) and Portugal.

The boom goes on, the production reaches almost the level of the previous year. C4 and C6, Four- and six-cylinders are presented as a bulwark against the almost overwhelming American competition.

The entire French car industry has a five times higher production than in the postwar year. Citroën similar Renault comes to 102,891 units, but has a higher export rate. The number of employees has increased eightfold, the company size more than quadrupled in the time, divided into factories with meaningful parts production.

There is a new one-year warranty for new cars.

The first effects of the global economic crisis will be felt. They will hit Europe with some delay. Result: decline in production to approximately 78,000 units.

Second year of decline in production to about 72,000, but not yet reached the trough of the recession. The voyage to Beijing is perhaps even more a European memory than the Africa crossings. Here, the vehicles have in some cases even be dismantled and hauled over difficult passages with coolies. The exertions are so large that Citroen loses important employees.

André Citroën acquires license for soft engine mounting.

The lowest point? The number of units produced has more than halved to 48,000 since 1929. To economic crisis is also the devalued dollar, the increased again the U.S. export pressure.

C4 and C6 will receive the flexible engine mounting for the first time.

Apparent stabilization of the situation with well produced 71,000 vehicles. Only the (grenade) factory on the Quai de Javel with Seine port and rail connections and the existing gear and Mors factory belong initially to the manufacturing process. However, since early starting with the outsourcing in the suburbs, dealing now only the Quai de Javel with final assembly and delivery. The smaller model of the Rosalie creates 300,000 km with an average speed of 93 km/h

In time of need will be developed the new Traction Avant as front-wheel drive with self-supporting all-steel body also together withGowen Budd's patents. He turns out to be expensive and also difficult to manufacture in the context with a new factory. The production is only 56,000 pieces.

Citroën before bankruptcy, the main creditor, the tyre manufacturer (Pierre) Michelin takes over.

André Citroën dies of stomach cancer, his life long energetic, but also willing to take risks and a passionate player. Productionreaches with just over 30,000 units a low point.

The Traction Avant is both saviour and crisis amplifier. The factory is taken over by Michelin. After a changeul history, the company is today together with Peugeot part of the PSA group.