Citroen who produces. What France presented to the world - the country of origin “Citroen C3. Citroen's ingenious advertising moves

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 cars and numerous motorsport victories. Today the largest market for the brand is China, where sales are carried out mainly through Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën.

The founder of the company, Andre Citroen, was born in 1878 into a family of immigrants from Odessa. He graduated from the Polytechnic Institute and got a job in a workshop that manufactures parts for steam locomotives. There he was able 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 something to load production facilities. At first, Andre Citroen did not plan to enter the automotive business, but this area was familiar to him and promised considerable profits, so he decided to take a chance. At first, Citroen decided to develop a technically complex 18-horsepower car, but came to the conclusion that the bet should be made on affordable cars. good quality, following the example of those produced by the Henry Ford company.

In 1919 he launched the Type A model, designed by Jules Salomon, the former chief designer of Le Zèbre. The car was equipped with an 18-horsepower four-cylinder 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 have 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 nearly struck when the American company felt that buying Citroën would be too heavy a burden for it. Thus, the brand remained independent until 1935.

An excellent marketer, Citroen used the Eiffel Tower as the largest advertising medium in the world, which got into the Guinness Book of Records. The "Citroën" lettering has been on the main landmark of Paris for 9 years. In addition, the brand has organized sponsorship expeditions to Asia, North America and Africa to demonstrate the capabilities of automobiles.

At the Paris Motor Show in October 1924, the company unveiled 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 carry out a redesign. The cars were still selling well, but at a low price, which affected the company's financial condition not in the best way.

To remedy the situation, the brand developed the Traction Avant with an all-metal monocoque body, front-wheel drive and independent suspension front wheels. 1933 also saw the release of the world's first production 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 spared no money, which brought the company to bankruptcy.

In 1934, Citroën becomes the property of its largest lender, Michelin. A year later, André Citroën died of stomach cancer.

During the German occupation of France in World War II, the president of the company, Pierre-Jules Boulanger, refused to meet with Ferdinand Porsche and communicated with the German authorities only through intermediaries. He sabotaged the work of producing trucks for the Wehrmacht by assembling the vehicles 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 this secret from the Germans. They developed concepts that were later embodied in the 2CV, Type H and DS models.

At the 1948 Paris Motor Show, Citroën unveiled the 2CV with a low-power 12 hp engine, which became a bestseller among the French due to its low cost and reliability. This car continued to be manufactured, with only minor changes, until 1990. A total of 8.8 million copies of the model were released.

Citroën 2CV (1949-1990)

In 1955, another iconic car of the brand debuted - the DS-19, which was distinguished by its striking appearance and low stance. It was the first production car with modern disc brakes. In addition, he received 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 fitted with directional headlights to improve visibility at night.

The brand used on its models hydraulic system high pressure, which was installed on more than 9 million models DS, SM, GS, CX, BX, XM, Xantia, C5 and C6. It maintains a constant vehicle height above the road, despite the congestion of the car, and absorbs road irregularities, 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. Back in the 1950s, the company began using the wind tunnel, which allowed for highly optimized cars such as the DS, which were decades ahead of their competitors.

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

Firstly, the brand wanted to produce a car that in model line would sit between the small 2CV and the large DS. Second, a powerful engine had to be developed for export markets. For the DS and CX models, such a motor was developed, but they were a heavy financial burden. As a result, cars continued to be equipped with a small four-cylinder outdated power unit.

In 1965, the company acquired the truck manufacturer Berliet. Three years later, the French manufacturer bought out the Italian manufacturer sports cars Maserati, again with an eye on the future production of 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 in 1970 was finally able to bridge the huge gap between the 2CV and the DS. It became very successful, placing Citroën the second largest French carmaker after Peugeot.

By the mid-1970s, the company was plagued by many problems. Among them were the consequences of the fuel crisis, which was intensified by the brand's bet on large engines, large investments in the development of new models, and the forced withdrawal 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 formed in 1976. The new automaker has launched a number of successful models, including the GS, CX, revised 2CV, Dyane, and the Peugeot 104 based on the Citroën Visa and Citroën LNA.

However, the new owners have gradually diminished the ambitious desire of Citroën engineers for technological innovation in an attempt to rebrand the brand to target the mass market. In the 1980s, more and more Citroën models were based on the Peugeot, and by the end of the decade, many of the brand's distinctive attributes had all but 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 its priority.

In Russia, the Citroën brand enjoyed 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 negotiations with the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia on the construction of the plant. In 2008, the French automaker reached an agreement with Japanese company Mitsubishi Motors on the construction of a car enterprise near Kaluga, which will produce 160 thousand cars a year. The two companies have formed a joint venture with 70% of PSA Peugeot Citroën and 30% of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation. In April 2010, the plant began operations. There, the Citroën C4 is manufactured using SKD.

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

Citroën C4 (2004)

Citroën is currently developing its lineup, expanding it with the addition of a crossover, electric and hybrid cars... Active development is being carried out in the field of creating revolutionary concept cars with striking designs aimed at young, active buyers. The brand intends to expand its presence in emerging markets.

French car manufacturers they did not always strive 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 good technologies. But the 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. Therefore, the Citroen corporation turned out to be not so popular these days. However, there is some success in sales, especially in the new model line with an extensive range of vehicles for a wide variety of buyers.

The offer of the company has a lot of interesting cars with fascinating power units and unusual design features. But the company does not seek to promote cars in the Russian market. We have an extensive network of dealerships, and even a model made specifically for our market (C-Elysee). But the special popularity of the Citroen corporation was not achieved. This is due to the instability of the manufacturer, with a large number of questions about the factory assembly and with a number of other unpleasant moments. But let's talk about everything in proper order.

Citroen production facilities - 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, a joint Peugeot-Citroen corporation was created, which continues to cooperate to this day. However, the brands remain different, 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 several dozen manufacturing and car assembly plants around the world. There are production facilities on four continents (the company is not represented only in North America and in 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 released vehicle by means of a multilevel vehicle check according to an established automatic scheme;
• execution of the most important parts and assemblies 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.

These features allow Citroen to maintain leadership in some segments, presenting cars at exhibitions and auto shows around the world. Many people know that the Citroen company today is going through far from the best times in the financial sense, the concern has become a victim of the financial crisis. Nevertheless, the company continues to update the 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 world of auto.

The lineup and features of the equipment presented by the company

Many developments technical features modern machines Citroëns originate with the help of engineers from the largest European companies. Recently, cooperation with the Japanese corporation Mitsubishi has been frozen, but this cooperation has also given a certain shift in terms of lineup... Even in Russia, despite the rather cold attitude towards French cars, it is fashionable to find 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 especially for Russia, starting price - 470,000 rubles;
• C1 - the smallest hatchback in the manufacturer's offer with little potential and cute looks, costing 520,000 rubles;
• C3 Picasso - an unusual volumetric hatchback with a non-standard design and impressive characteristics with a price of 850,000 rubles;
• C4 Sedan - new model for the Russian market with a modern design and good technology under the hood with a price tag of 670,000 rubles;
• C4 Hatchback is a beautiful and stylish compact car with high build quality and materials at a cost of 820,000;
• C4 Aircross - a crossover built on a common C4 base with an expressive appearance and quite efficient 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 - even more impressive car with a spacecraft design, especially inside, the cost starts at 1 210 000 rubles;
• C5 Sedan - a large luxury car with excellent performance and business class in the cabin with a price tag of 1,070,000;
• C5 Tourer - a station wagon based on the C5 with huge interior space and amazing technical characteristics for 1,230,000 rubles;
• C5 Tourer XTR - a special configuration of the station wagon, equipped with the most powerful technology and with certain changes in design, the cost of 1.6 million;
• Berlingo Multispace is one of the most popular cars of the brand with huge competition but very large number of 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. Commercial transport can also be listed, which has become a completely adequate alternative for many enterprises. In particular, many urban transport companies use Berlingo and Jumpy in the cargo version. French transport is not devoid of quality, even if its reliability is far from ideal. If the operating conditions are not violated, the potential life of the machine can be easily increased and the enjoyment of every trip can be achieved.

Future plans and real prospects of Citroen

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

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

• the lineup is developing very quickly, updates are keeping pace with the times;
• the company always manages to present new products on a par 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 design solutions allow us to always keep the model range up to date, offering modern cars.

In plans for the future, the concern has a lot of interesting projects that can be implemented only if there is sufficient funding. The joint cooperation of two French large companies allows us to stay afloat and sell more and more cars every year after the crisis. But while there is no way out of a difficult situation, Citroen cars remain not the very first choice in the wish lists of Russian motorists. We offer you to watch a test drive of one of the most technologically advanced cars Citroen - 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 decent quality control of every detail and assembly of its vehicles, offers quite adequate models and design solutions for its products. However, successful Citroen solutions are actually based on the same platform. This is the basis of all models with the C4 index in the name. The platform of the comfortable class 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 specially designed for Russia C-Elysee and C4 Sedan rolled back after the rise in the exchange rate, and production in our country stopped the active release of models. The same situation became 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?

To make a rational choice, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the many nuances in the automotive industry, determining the price category of the desired vehicle, making sure of its reliability by studying the pedigree of the car. This article will focus on cars under the "Citroen" brand, since many are interested in the country of origin Vehicle, which, in the opinion of 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 forces car owners to figure out whose country of origin 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 a worthy position in the Russian market, although they are not favorites of sales. The fact is that the company, which has French roots and almost a century of history 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 deal with 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 model range of cars, developing and releasing competitive goods on European expanses. The fundamental principles of the company, without which the manufacturer could not compete in the market for a whole 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 cars produced under the Citroen brand, by means of an automated scheme that has been established over a long period of work, which determines high-quality features and technological guarantees for transport, regardless of the criterion where it was assembled.
3. The most important components and assemblies that are significant for the functioning of the car are produced directly by the French plant, which predetermines increased control of the quality features of Citroen products.
4. The 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 products comply with world standards.

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

Locations of branches and pedigree of popular Citroen models

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 on the territory of the Russian Federation. As for the most popular models supplied to the European car markets, the C4 Aircross, which is exclusively assembled in French factories, has 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 model range, produced before 2012, have 100% French roots, however, cars of a later production could be assembled at other factories of the concern. Since 2013, their manufacture has been taking place at the Kaluga plant: there are still disputes over the quality of the assembly of these cars, however, experts say that the Citroen plant in Kaluga is equipped with a modified, modern technological base, therefore, vehicles that rolled off the assembly line in Russia , the quality is absolutely not inferior to the French copies. In 2018, from the beginning of the year in Russia, at the Citroen plant, the assembly of the Jumpy Multispace minibus began, with an increased interior space, which predetermines a great future for it. This model will be assembled exclusively on the territory of Russia. Citroen Berlingo- another model from the manufacturer, which is extremely popular with consumers. The car is assembled at factories in Spain, Turkey and Belarus, and its working potential and promising capabilities make it possible to compete in the market with vehicles of this category from leading car manufacturers.

Sedan from Citroen C-Elysse actively offered on automotive markets Russian Federation, is distinguished by excellent build quality, excellent design and simple modification engines. The model has proven itself perfectly in terms of adaptability to Russian climatic and operational features, which provokes the car's popularity and demand among domestic consumers. The advantageous 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 consumers in the budget category. in Spain, at an enterprise in the city of Vigo.

Perspective perspective of the company and objective forecasts of experts

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

1. The company promptly develops and launches into production new, improved budget class cars, with a 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 the markets with inexpensive and high-quality developments that are in demand among the budget consumer.
4. A competent approach to design development of models allows Citroen cars to remain at their best.
5. Citroen is evolving to keep up with innovation by offering the consumer modern vehicles that, if the circumstances are right, will help the group survive financial difficulties and reach higher positions.

The concern has project plans that shine a great future in the automotive industry, however, in order 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 tendencies 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.

Let's sum 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 release of extremely competitive products. The manufacturer claims that, regardless of the criteria, whose car is on the market, which branches were engaged in assembling it, the quality parameters and technological attributes of the vehicles are fully observed. Each car produced under the Citroen brand meets world quality standards, which determines its long period of operation, provided that the car owner observes the basic requirements of the manufacturer.

French company Citroen, which produces passenger cars, although it does not lead the ratings of world car markets, it represents models in Europe that find many of their admirers. Citroen cars are characterized by chic design and decent technical stuffing at a very reasonable price.

The cars are highly reliable: engines, brakes and control systems are made at the highest level. The engine starts easily at temperatures down to -30 degrees. Most models have a convenient climate control system that works in several directions. The driver and passengers can set their own suitable mode. A comfortable armrest is mounted between the front seats, the position of which can be adjusted. The premium models are equipped with a state-of-the-art audio system, massage seats, cruise control and air conditioning.

Citroen history

The history of Citroen will soon celebrate its centenary, and it can be conditionally divided into several eras.

Its creator, Andre Citroën, spent several years studying possible methods of mass production of cars, conducting tests on cars of famous brands and studying their design.

As the technical director of the automobile company Mors, Citroen brings together a group of engineers with the idea of ​​creating a powerful new car of a high class. In 1919, Citroën founded the Citroën joint-stock company and produced the first and inexpensive serial car produced in Europe at the Paris plant.

This model was successful for its simplicity and ease of handling, was equipped with a soft suspension and a four-cylinder engine.

Further, Citroen is rapidly developing, new car models are being developed, subsidiaries are being created in Europe, an international dealer network is expanding, the number of factories producing cars is increasing.

In 1934, the revolutionary Traction Avant was released, which opened the era of front-wheel drive cars. However, its costly production during the "Great Depression" led the company to financial failure and Citroen came under full financial control of Michelin.

In 1948, the company, for the sake of the villagers, produces a budget car that is not remarkable either in design or in power, but at the same time it is inexpensive and highly economical. This model has gained popularity for many years due to its simplicity and low cost of maintenance.

The next stage in the development of the Citroen company began in 1976, when the PSA holding was created on the basis of the Citroen and Peugeot companies, but at the same time Citroen retained its car brand.

Where Citroen is assembled

The desire of the future car owner to know where Citroen is assembled is quite justified, because the quality and the country of production are currently interconnected.

The pride of the French - the "sent from above" brand Citroën

Car brands can be iconic and historic, but this is not about Citroën, which combines both. All this because the company has always been faithful to its traditions and was ahead of its time in its development. Only the cars of this brand were chosen by the head of state and Fantômas, and it was the Citroën car that saved his life during the assassination attempt on General de Gaulle. In the homeland of the company, in France, Citroën cars are called "sent from above" and are rightfully proud of them.

The origins of the auto brand

Andre Citroen was born in 1878. His father Levi Citroën at that time was a successful entrepreneur involved in the processing of precious stones and their subsequent sale. But his father was not his mentor in the business world. When Andre was only 6 years old, the head of the family committed suicide. After Levi's death, his family inherited not only a large inheritance, but more importantly, connections in Parisian financial and industrial circles. In those years, the sons, by tradition, continued to run the family business, but the young Citroen was far from trading, he was more attracted by technology. Therefore, after graduating from the Polytechnic School at 23, he goes to work in the workshops of his friends Esten, who are engaged in the production of parts for steam locomotives. After 4 years, Andre invests all his inheritance in the Estenov business and becomes a co-owner of their business.

While in Poland, Citroen happened to get to a small factory, where, among other parts, gears were also produced, designed by an unknown self-taught mechanic. Citroen immediately realized the promise of this technology and acquired a patent for its application. Having become a partner in Estenov's business, the enterprising Andre establishes the production of gear wheels at the plant, which were much more perfect than their competitors' counterparts. Soon, these products begin to be in demand in many countries, which in turn brings huge financial profits to their owners. From that time, the now-known almost everyone's corporate emblem of the company in the form of two inverted letters "V", which is a schematic designation of bevel gears, originates from this time. The French themselves call this emblem "double chevron".

At the plant, Andre was engaged in fulfilling the duties of not only a commercial, but also a technical director. And in a short time, the young entrepreneur no longer had worthy competitors. Thanks to the excellent reputation earned, Citroen was invited to the car factory in 1908. He could take the position of technical director, after which the business of the company began to go uphill.

The first World War did not prevent Andre from showing his entrepreneurial abilities. Realizing how catastrophic things are for the French army with ammunition, Citroen offers the Ministry of War to conclude a contract with him for the construction of a plant for a large-scale production of shells in three months. After lengthy negotiations, the state nevertheless agrees to Citroen's proposal and allocates 20% of the required amount to him. André borrows the remaining money from his friends, financiers and industrialists. During this three-month period, a plant appeared on the empty banks of the Seine, producing more ammunition than all other enterprises combined. Andre himself attributed his successes to "excellent organization."

Andre Citroen's first steps in the automotive industry

Even when the war was in full swing, the entrepreneur got carried away with the idea of ​​creating his own car and ordered the designers to design the car, which later received his name. And when the war ended, Citroen had everything to organize its own car manufacturing enterprise: experience, highly qualified specialists, production facilities where ammunition was previously created, and huge sums of money earned in the war. In 1912, André visited Ford factories and learned details about the American assembly line car production. 7 years later, Citroën, together with engineer Jules Salomon, began to create cars.

In 1919, all French newspapers were full of announcements about the imminent release of a new car, the cost of which would be only 7.25 thousand francs. At the time, no automaker could offer a similarly low cost. The news had a stunning effect. In just a couple of weeks, about 16 thousand applications were received for the purchase of a novelty called Citroën "A", which was released in the late spring of 1919. The model was equipped with a 1.3-liter engine that develops a power of 10 "horses", as well as, for the first time among European cars, an electric starter. Citroën "A" could reach a maximum speed of 60 km per hour and had a fairly spacious interior. At the same time, already in the "base" the car was equipped with headlights, a horn and a spare wheel. The same elements for cars of other brands were available only as an option. Andre's factory produced 100 copies of the model every day. Citroen was the first among European manufacturers to start mass production of cars and make this transport not a luxury item, but a means of transportation. In parallel with this, the businessman, in secret from everyone, is studying at his factory the device of such famous American cars as Studebaker, Buick and Nash, as well as various options for the serial production of cars. In just 4 years, the number of Model A produced increased to 300 units daily. At the same time, the company presents a rather simple four-cylinder subcompact 5CV. This reliable "folk" car, adapted to rural roads, lacked front brakes, but had elliptical springs at the front and rear. Over the years, more advanced models such as the B12 and B14 appear.

Citroen's ingenious advertising moves

Once upon learning about some English pilot of an airplane who could write various words in the sky with the help of bends leaving a white trail, Andre immediately had a brilliant idea. And then one day, letters four hundred meters in size appeared on the sky background, forming a five-kilometer inscription "Citroën". Although five minutes later there was no trace of the inscription, on which an incredible amount was spent, but it completed its task, only the lazy was not talking about the Citroën brand.

The most creative idea of ​​André can be called the idea of ​​"The Eiffel Tower" on fire. Thanks to the 125 thousand lamps installed on the tower, all Parisians and visitors to the city could enjoy an incredible spectacle, when the lights formed alternately ten images, including, of course, the name "Citroën".

Difficult period in the history of the brand

The financial crisis that broke out in the early 30s did not pass by Andre's "brainchild". Nevertheless, despite the difficulties, the company manages to release such famous cars like Citroën C4 and C6. The C6 model was equipped with a 6-cylinder engine and could accelerate to almost 100 km / h. In 1933, in less than six months, the entrepreneur rebuilds his factories located on the Javelle embankment, and as a result, an automobile giant with an area of ​​55 thousand square meters appears in this place with a continuous production line that produces a thousand copies of the brand's cars every day.

The weak point in Citroen's activities was that his ideas were always ahead of his financial capabilities, and therefore he was always in big debt. This turned against him in 1934, when lenders stopped giving him new loans, and the decreased demand for cars did not allow him to get out of this situation with his own funds. After a series of unsuccessful attempts to find other investors, the entrepreneur had to declare himself bankrupt. Most of 60 percent of the company's shares went to Michelin. Soon after that, the company begins to produce a truly revolutionary car at that time called the 7CV Traction Avant, which has a monocoque body, a system front wheel drive and independent torsion bar suspension.

But Andre was not destined to see the success of this car with his own eyes; in the early spring of 1935, Citroen was gone. The official reason for his departure was stomach cancer, but the financial difficulties that fell on him, as well as the death of his daughter, played an important role in his imminent death.

The company after the death of its founder

Released in 1934, a novelty with an innovative design was at the height of technical progress for a long time, thanks to which its release continued for another 12 years. It is thanks to 7CV Traction Avant that the brand managed to recover relatively quickly after the end of the crisis. But before the onset of this period of recovery, the company experienced many difficulties: the dismissal of 8 thousand workers, the closure of the Italian assembly plant, etc.

During the war, the company worked mainly for the needs of the army, but also produced in small quantities the 7CV Traction Avant model already supplied to the conveyor. By the beginning of 1946, the automaker had produced 9.32 thousand copies of the model, and a year later this number increased to 24.44 thousand units. Citroën was gradually revived. The management continues to maintain the established tradition of experimentation. The result of this desire was the rebuilt plant in Levallois, where separate work areas are created for the assembly of motors. A little later, another legendary model, Traction Avant 2CV, began to be produced at the same enterprise. This long-liver was nicknamed "Duck's Tail" by the people. Although the exterior of the model was not particularly attractive, and the engine was not particularly powerful, the car had another very important advantage - low cost. The model rolled off the assembly line for 42 years without any significant changes in design.

In 1955, Citroën again surprises the automotive world with the DS19 presented at the Paris Motor Show. Dubbed "Goddess", the novelty with ideal aerodynamics made a splash not only with its futuristic appearance, but also a number of technological innovations used to create it. The car was distinguished by a long flat hood gradually descending to the front bumper and a streamlined rear part with closed rear wheels. To create parts, the developers used plastic and aluminum alloys, and also equipped the model with disc brakes, power steering and, most importantly, a hydropneumatic suspension, which not only allowed to increase ground clearance but also provided better handling and comfort. The DS19 was driven by a 4-cylinder 75-horsepower engine, which accelerated the model to 150 km / h.

A year later, the company produced the 1019, which was cheaper than the DS19, and in 1958, the ID19 station wagon based on the DS19 chassis, equipped with air conditioning and a cordless telephone, was released.

During the sixties, the company continues to actively develop, concludes contracts, opens production facilities in other countries and launches the production of new models. So, for example, during this period the Ami6 model is produced.

In the seventies, the company again found itself in a difficult situation. The extravagance for which the brand was so famous has ceased to generate a lot of income. And by the middle of the decade, due to the outbreak of the oil crisis, original, but highly fuel efficient Citroën cars were no longer on sale. To prevent bankruptcy, the company in 1974 decided on an alliance with Peugeot. While this merger helped save Citroën, the company completely lost its identity. The first "brainchild" of the union of the two companies was the Visa model, which was based on the Citroën 104 model. air cooling 2-cylinder engine with a volume of 0.65 liters. To accommodate the interests of its companion, Citroën also released a variant of the Visa, equipped with a more powerful 1.1L 4-cylinder unit created by Peugeot.

In the 80s, the famous company logo changed - the blue and yellow colors were replaced by the white and reds. During this period, Citroën is actively engaged in the improvement of production, investing huge funds in the development of the concern. The investment pays off. In 1982, the new mid-size model BX is released, on which it was first installed diesel engine XUD. In 1983, all management at the company's factories was computerized. Three years later, the concern begins to produce cars of the small class AX. And in 1989, the automotive world welcomes the XM model, distinguished by its elegant exterior and excellent driving characteristics.

By the early nineties, the fashion for original cars reappeared and Citroën, as one of the founders of extravagant and original design, did not miss the opportunity to express itself. This is how the ZX model appeared, with which the company officially returned to motorsport. During this decade, Citroën launched models such as the Xantia, Saxo, Xsara, Evasion and the Xsara Picasso.

In 1997, Jean-Martin Foltz began to occupy the position of the general director of the concern, who decided to make the two brands represented by the concern as different from each other as possible. This decision was decisive for Citroën, and it was the beginning of the revival of the legendary brand.

Citroën in the new century

The new millennium begins with a triumph for Citroën - the C5 makes its debut at the Paris Motor Show. The novelty was offered in a station wagon and a hatchback, and was also equipped with an innovative hydraulic suspension Hydractive III, capable of operating in two modes (Sport and Comfort). V motor range models included 210-strong gasoline unit V6 with a volume of 3 liters and a 2.2-liter diesel engine developing 136 "horses". It was with the release of this car that the concern returned to the alphanumeric designation of models.

The warranty period is extended to 2 years. In addition, for the first time within the PSA concern, a new robotic transmission SensoDrive. The innovation was applied to the C3 model, equipped with a 1.6-liter 16V engine.

In 2006, the C4 Picasso line appears, the first of which, the seven-seater C4 Picasso model, is distinguished by its original appearance and roomy trunk, debuts at the Paris Motor Show. Later, on the basis of this model, the Peugeot 307 was created, as well as a five-seat variation of the C4 Picasso. In 2007, for the first time in the Citroën model range, a crossover appears. The novelty, called the C-Crosser, is equipped with a 2.2-liter turbodiesel engine producing 156 horsepower. The crossover is also offered with a 170-horsepower 2.4-liter petrol engine. The company also began to actively form the DS line, which includes premium cars.