The Citroën Traction Avant was advertised with the slogan “The Traction Avant tames the centrifugal forces”.
It is questionable whether the slogan is completely true, but it is clear that this French classic car had revolutionary approaches and set new standards. The name simply stands for front-wheel drive, at that time revolutionary for serial vehicle construction, though from today’s perspective somewhat banal.
The Citroën Traction Avant was one of the first cars with a self-supporting (ie monocoque, without chassis) body. The car got the nickname “gangster limousine” because of its excellent road holding – suitable for chases – which still makes the Traction Avant a sought-after French classic car. A total of over half a million copies of the gangster limousine were produced before it was replaced by the legendary Citroën DS in 1955.