The Citroën ( Citroen ) is a French automaker , founded in 1919 by André Citroën ( Andre Citroen ) . Today is part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, with its headquarters be located in Paris.
Initially one company car mass production with relatively simple cars , Citroën made ​​the first big surprise in 1934 with the innovative Traction Avant, which remained in production until 1957 . Since then won and maintained the validity of a company with a pioneering and innovative in terms of technology and style models , which is reflected in its current slogan «Créative Technologie» (« Creative Technology" ) .
In fact , the first company started by the foundation, as the founder of the André-Gustave Citroën, introduced for the first time outside the U.S. revolutionary innovation in the production of cars , known as mass production . In 1924 , he introduced the Citroën Type B10, the first all -steel body in Europe . In 1934 , Citroën impressed the entire global automotive highly innovative Citroën Traction Avant, the world's first mass production model with front -wheel drive , independent front suspension and simultaneously one of the first cars to feature monocoque ( single building total) chassis . In May 1954 , Citroën introduced the world's first hydropneumatic suspension system on the same model initially rear wheels. In 1955 , it launched the legendary Citroën DS (Déesse, ie goddess in Greece known as Frog ) , with impressive futuristic , streamlined appearance , standard hydropneumatic suspension on all 4 wheels and the first worldwide in wide production model , disc brakes . In September 1967 , introduced for the first time on DS steerable front headlights (Directional Headlamps), who twist depending on the direction of the steering wheel following the direction of the turn to illuminate the inside of the turn. In 1989 introduced in the Citroën XM Hydractive, a more advanced form of the hydropneumatic suspension of the Citroën DS and CX, and in 1993 an even more advanced version , the Hydractive 2, the XM and Xantia. From the first generation Citroën C5, in 2001 , introduced the Hydractive 3 and even more advanced Hydractive 3 + ( 3 + the standard in Citroën C6, released in 2005 ) .
Other famous historical models of Citroën, including the Citroën H Van (1947 - 1981, HY), the Citroën 2CV (1948 - 1990, The Ugly Duckling ) and Citroën CX (1974 - 1991). In 2009 , the company celebrated its 90 - th anniversary by creating a separate internal luxury brand , produced alongside the standard palette of models . This sub- company called DS, the name of the historical Citroën DS of 1955 , although this time the DS acronym means Different Spirit ( Different Spirit ) .