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André Citroën (1878-1935)

André Citroën

André Citroën (1878-1935), engineer, a french industrial and founder of Automobiles Citroën. He was born in Paris and studied in the Escuela Politécnica. André Citroën started his career when he founded a gear factory. In 1908, he managed the way of work of Automobiles Mors, and the production changed from 125 cars per year to 1200.

In 1915, the first factory of Citroën was opened in Quai de Javel (Paris). The artesanal work was progressively changed to serial work. Several factories were opened in France and in Europe.

Under his goverment, Automobiles Citroën was always ahead in innovation and in 1934, introduced the "traction avant".

In 1935, André Citroën died in Paris for cancer. It was 4th July 1935.

In July 1925, André Citroën and his family shared the opening of the new Eiffel Tower's ilimination that he had ordened to install in it, to celebrate the opening of Arts Decoratifs et Industriels, the home of Art Deco movement.

In the next 10 years, the name of Citroën family shone in the sky.

The Citroën name was writing with letters of 100 ft high and 250.000 electric lamps, put them in the sides of Eiffel Tower. The name was showed to 60 milles.

In July 1919, the first Citroën appears. The Type-A. It was the first car building in serie in Europe. It was economic and popular. Also, the Citroën Type-A was the first french car with steering wheel to the left and it was produced until December 1921 with 24.093 units.

In 1920, Citroën won the prize of fuel consumption in Le Mans and in 1923 reached succesfully the first Journey to Sahara, joined Argel with Tombuctú in autocadenas.

Citroën Traction Avant 1934.

In 1927, 400 units per day were sold of the B-14, and by 1929 Citroën was considered the most powerfull car building in Europe, with 450.000 cars in the roads and 750.000 m2 of factories, where worked 25.000 persons with 12.260 machines.

In 1933, Citroën's partner show him a revolucionary proyect. It was about a front wheel car, with independent suspention, hydraulic brakes with servo, mono estruct and ahead valves engine. Also, it would have an automatic transmition.

So that, he had to rebuild the factory and in April 1934, the Traction Avant is showed to the public.


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