Although already an antique, this car is probably the most innovative car out there right now. Traction Avant did not invent all the technologies that make it so famous, but it was the unique combination of independent shock absorbers on each wheel, the body construction where the chassis is connected to the frame and the hydraulic brakes that made this car so well at that time, writes Top Gear.
We're talking about 1934. Citroen adopted all these technologies, and was about 25% lighter than rivals of the time. It had room inside, was low, light and flexible.
But Andre Citroën, a lifelong gambler, had invested heavily in the production of this car. Just eight months after the Traction Avant went into production on April 19, 1934, the company went bankrupt and was taken over by Michelin. Andre Citroën himself died after a few months, exactly one year after the first presentation of the Traction Avant, reports KOHA.
The car became famous but gained notoriety during the war when it was heavily used by both the French Resistance and the Gestapo, and the Paris criminal group used the Traction Avant so much that it was called the 'Gang of Traction Avants'.
Even today, the Traction Avant is a very good car to drive. It was revolutionary when it was produced and has had an impact on the design of cars that we still see today. Traction Avant had these 84 years ago.
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