CITROËN TRACTION AVANT
WHICH ONE?
The most basic division in the world of Traction Avants is between the cars built in France and those built at Citroën’s plant in Slough. Slough-built cars are mechanically and structurally identical, but had some differences to suit British tastes and customs rules. The former were accounted for by leather seats and a wooden dashboard, while the latter led to the fitment of Lucas electrical parts and Girling brake components. Slough-built cars can easily be identified by the big chevrons of the Citroën logo being mounted behind the grille rather than in front of it. There is a further division: Traction aficionados prefer the pre-1952 small-boot (‘malle plate’) cars over the later big-boot (‘malle bombe’) versions and this is reflected in the values.
By far the most common Traction model is a four-door, four-light saloon with a 1.9-litre four-cylinder engine. In France this was designated an 11CV model, while in the UK it was rated at 15HP under our RAC system. Regardless, this model was available in two forms – the 11CV Ligere (or Light 15 in Slough-speak) and the 11CV Normale (Big 15). The Ligere had a 115in wheelbase, while the Normale clocked in at 122 inches and was also wider in both body and track giving much more space in the cabin, especially in the rear. The Normale/Big 15 is the more common of the two.
The Traction had been launched in April 1934 in 7CV form with an inadequate 1.3-litre engine, which had been quickly
