Every French man bears some nostalgia for this small and ugly car, which very often was his first automobile.

The program, drawn by Pierre Boulanger, was very simple - four wheels under an umbrella. The first cars designed with a 375-cc, eight-horsepower engine were sluggish. For the sake of economy, the CV joints were omitted, causing a deep jerking when turning the steering wheel.

The car was inexpensive, indestructible and easy to maintain. Citroen cars benefitted from nimble handling and a fuel economy of 50 miles per gallon! Several models succeeded with improved power and the same traditional qualities of simplicity, robustness and economy.

The Traction Avant, the 2 CV and the DS 19 (born in the mid-1950s) were considered avant garde without any concession to the conservative approach of the marketing specialists of other companies.