In 1919, Citroen was founded, one of the largest automobile companies in Europe. The brand's first model became one of the most popular cars of the 20th century. The compact Citroen A was equipped with a 1.3-liter power unit, the power of which was 18 horsepower. The combination of a light body, a powerful and reliable engine, as well as a low price model, ensured the great popularity of Citroen cars.

After the first success, the brand began to create several cars at once, the company's founder Andre Citroen was passionate about the idea of ​​​​creating such a car that could become a platform for creating several models. At the same time, the production of Model A exceeded one hundred copies per day. However, in 1921, the Citroën 5 CV Trefle was introduced, which replaced the Model A in a timely manner, as its sales rate gradually fell.

In parallel with this, it was Andre Citroen who became the first in the world to apply PR solutions in the automotive sector, which led to the brand gaining popularity far beyond France. By the end of the 20s, Citroen had representation in all major European countries.

In 1929, two models were presented at once - B12 and B14, which won the title of the most comfortable cars of their time. This was confirmed by sales of Citroen cars, which sold 135 thousand in just two years of production. And in 1931, the next Citroen Grand Lux ​​model was introduced, which became the company's first premium car. The car was equipped with a 2.7-liter power unit, revolutionary for the European market, with a capacity of 53 horsepower. By 1933, Citroën, under André's leadership, had become the largest car manufacturer on the continent, surpassing Italy's FIAT and bringing car production to 1,100 cars a day.

However, already in 1934, the demand for Citroen cars suddenly fell, which by that time had invested all its assets in the creation of new factories and technology centers, so the company was on the verge of bankruptcy. One of the reasons for such a rapid collapse was the global economic crisis. 2 months after the start of the bankruptcy proceedings, 60% of the shares were bought out by the Michelin automobile rubber manufacturer.

A few months later, the founder of the company Andre Citroen passes away. Nevertheless, the heirs of the automotive legend tried to rectify the situation, which took them two decades. In 1955, the Citroen DS model was introduced, which became very popular in the automotive market in France and Italy. The company was able to make a profit for the first time, something that had not happened for more than twenty years. However, the period from 1955 to 1969 did not become successful for Citroen. In 1976, the Citroen brand became part of Peugeot, the largest automaker in France at that time.

In the first half of the 90s of the twentieth century, the Citroen brand produces such models as Santia, Saxo and Berlingo, gradually returning to its former greatness. In addition, active preparations have begun for participation in several racing series. At the same time, several models of different classes are born at once. The first of these was the Citroen C4 model, which belongs to the compact class C according to the European classification, followed by the C3 - B class, and C5 - D class.

In 2004, just two years after entering the World Rally Championship, French driver Sébastien Loeb, driving a Citroen Casara, becomes the winner of the general classification. This was followed by his victories in the C4, C3 and DS3 cars, bringing the total number of victories to 9. Thus, taking part in 12 seasons of the championship, a record was set for the number of victories in the history of the WRC.

The model range of the company, against the backdrop of success in automobile competitions, was replenished with sports versions of famous models, and in 2007, the first Citroen crossover, built on the Mitsubishi Outlander platform, was introduced. In 2011, another compact crossover model was introduced, which became one of the most popular cars in the French market in 2012.

The new direction of the company was the creation of a unique design. Due to the fact that all technological developments were carried out jointly with Peugeot, they did not require huge investments.

In 2013, the Citroen C4 Picasso (five-seater version) was released, which soon, already in 2014, found its “big brother” Citroen Grand C4 Picasso with increased capacity (seven seats). The upgraded version was a real leap forward and gave all subsequent models a completely new sophisticated design. The car is designed on the EMP2 platform, thanks to which the drivers of the novelty have reduced the amount of harmful emissions into the atmosphere. This model was distinguished not only by its perfect appearance, but also by the introduction of a huge number of modern technologies. For example, a convenient touch display that allows you to control all on-board systems.

It is worth noting that the versions of 2013 and 2014 were able to collect more than 65 thousand orders. Cars began to be in great demand in large families.

Recently, a well-known European manufacturer presented to the public its new city car called "C3 Citroen". The manufacturing country (France) plans to win new ones based on the modern design of the novelty, its good technical characteristics and reasonable price. Also, according to the company, the hatchback changed the finishing materials to better ones. But whether she will be able to achieve her goal, we will find out a little later, but for now let's take a closer look at the machine and find out what the manufacturing country wants to win.

Citroen C3: design review

If you look at the appearance of the novelty, you can see that the front of the car has gone through the main changes. In front, the hatchback has a new impact bumper, inside it the manufacturer has provided a place for LED headlights, which are called Fog lights, they are also present here - they are located just below. also changed its design and became more voluminous. And this is not all the innovations that the Citroen C3 manufacturing country wants to conquer the market with. The moldings on the side of the car are finished mainly in chrome, and from below you can see small reflectors that signal drivers about the appearance of an oncoming car at night.

Specifications

The Citroen C3 manufacturing country decided to focus on economy and environmental friendliness, completely replacing the 4-cylinder engine line with a three-cylinder one. From now on, the base engine is a 68-horsepower unit with a working volume of 1000 cubic centimeters. Such a motor really turned out to be economical - it consumes about 4.3 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers. The average is a 1.2-liter engine that peaks at 82 horsepower. With such a unit, the novelty consumes a little more (4.5 liters) of gasoline per 100 kilometers. The top-end engine with a capacity of 120 "horses" and a volume of 1500 "cubes" consumes no more than 6.5 liters of fuel per hundred. By the way, the last engine is not included in the list of 3-cylinder engines - it was borrowed from the 208th Peugeot and will be available both on the Russian and European markets. The company also has 3 diesel units, but they will not be delivered to Russia. All engines are aggregated either with a 4-speed "automatic" or a 5-speed manual. But not the fact that the first option will survive until next year. In the future, the company plans to replace it with a more progressive 5-speed automatic transmission.

Price policy

The country-manufacturer "Citroen C3" decided not to overestimate the cost of its novelty. So, the restyled version of the hatchback will rise in price by only 15,000 rubles and will cost about 500 thousand. As for the most expensive configuration, it will cost customers 635 thousand rubles, but this is far from a budget cost. At about the same price, a similar small car called the Citroen C4 is offered, the manufacturing country of which also intends to conquer the entire world market.

French car manufacturers have not always sought to take a place in the top ten in the world. Today, these are ambitious corporations that, despite financial problems, offer quite adequate cars with good prices and successful technologies. But confidence in the French car market has not yet been established at the proper level. In Europe, these cars are considered a budget class, comparing their performance and reliability with the Germans or even the Czechs. Because the Citroen Corporation was not so popular these days. However, there is some success in sales, especially in the new model line with an extensive range of cars for a wide variety of customers.

The company's offer has a lot of interesting cars with exciting powertrains and unusual design features. But the company does not seek to promote cars on the Russian market. We have an extensive network of dealers and even have a model made especially for our market (C-Elysee). But the Citroen Corporation was not particularly popular. This is due to the instability of the manufacturer, with a large number of questions about the factory assembly and a number of other unpleasant moments. But let's talk about everything in due order.

Citroen productions - an established network around the world

The development of the French brand began in 1919, that is, the brand is almost 100 years old. In the 80s of the last century, the Peugeot-Citroen joint corporation was created, which continues cooperation to this day. However, the brands have remained distinct, with separate budgets and a range of personal technologies. But most of the equipment is used on the machines of both companies at the same time.

PSA Peugeot-Citroen has dozens of production and assembly plants around the world. There are production facilities on four continents (the company is not represented only in North America and Australia). The network of enterprises is especially widespread in Africa and Latin America, as well as in China. The features of the corporation are as follows:

• compliance with the quality of production and assembly of cars, despite such a wide geographical representation;
• control of each produced car by means of a multi-level check of transport according to an established automatic scheme;
• execution of the most important parts and assemblies only at French enterprises with increased quality control;
• production of flagships under the guidance of the world's best engineers in the field of automotive production;
• attraction of professional employees around the world, search and creation of a team of professionals;
• solving financial issues and difficulties together with the largest corporations in the automotive industry;
• active cooperation with German and Italian manufacturers, development of joint technologies.

Such features allow Citroen to keep leadership in some segments, presenting cars at exhibitions and auto shows around the world. Many people know that Citroen today is going through far from the best of times in the financial sense, the concern has become a victim of the financial crisis. Nevertheless, the company continues to update its lineup and produce quite presentable and competitive cars for the European market. The French company is actively conquering the Chinese market and the countries of South America. All this allows us to hope for an improvement in the financial condition of the corporation in the auto world.

Model range and features of the equipment presented by the company

Many developments of the technical features of modern Citroen cars occur with the help of engineers from major European companies. Recently, cooperation with the Japanese corporation Mitsubishi has been frozen, but this cooperation also gave a certain shift in terms of the model range. Even in Russia, despite the rather cold attitude towards French cars, it is fashionable to meet a lot of vehicles with the Citroen badge on the roads. Among the presented models, the following types of transport can be distinguished:

• C-Elysee - a new budget sedan with good design and simple engines, created specifically for Russia, the starting price is 470,000 rubles;
• C1 - the smallest hatchback in the manufacturer's offer with little potential and cute appearance, costing 520,000 rubles;
• C3 Picasso - an unusual volumetric hatchback with a custom design and impressive performance with a price of 850,000 rubles;
• C4 Sedan - a new model for the Russian market with a modern design and good technology under the hood at a price tag of 670,000 rubles;
• C4 Hatchback - a beautiful and stylish compact car with high build quality and materials at a cost of 820,000;
• C4 Aircross - a crossover built on a common C4 base with an expressive appearance and quite productive engines, the price is from 1,000,000 rubles;
• C4 Picasso - in some way even a futuristic car with a huge interior and equipment unusual for the French for 1,145,000 rubles;
• Grand C4 Picasso - an even more impressive car with a spaceship design, especially inside, the cost starts from 1,210,000 rubles;
• C5 Sedan - a large luxury car with excellent performance and business class in the cabin with a price of 1,070,000;
• C5 Tourer - station wagon based on C5 with huge interior space and amazing technical characteristics for 1,230,000 rubles;
• C5 Tourer XTR - a special station wagon equipped with the most powerful technology and with certain changes in design, the cost is from 1.6 million;
• Berlingo Multispace is one of the brand's most popular cars with huge competition but very high sales, starting at 800,000;
• Jumpy Multispace is a passenger minibus with premium space inside and costs from 1.4 million rubles.

Here is such an immodest lineup offered by Citroen in the passenger car segment. You can also list commercial vehicles, which have become quite an adequate alternative for many enterprises. In particular, many companies for urban transportation use Berlingo and Jumpy in cargo version. French transport is not without quality, even if its reliability is far from ideal. If there are no violations of operating conditions, it is easy to increase the potential life of the machine and enjoy every trip.

Plans for the future and real prospects for Citroen

A company with significant debts is not so attractive to investors, so the development of the Citroen lineup is still rather sluggish. You may have noticed that the corporation is actively using the C4 base and developing this area of ​​​​its activity in all possible directions.

Also, several models from the corporation's proposal are built on the C5 platform at once. This means saving money to create an individual technical look for each car. However, in the future of the corporation, positive features are also seen:

• the lineup is developing very quickly, updates keep pace with the times;
• the company always manages to present new products on a level with competitors, without being left behind;
• many new cooperation contracts with Italian and German corporations give a chance for cheap and high-quality developments;
• making cars in developing countries makes the company's products cheaper;
• successful solutions in terms of design allow you to always keep the lineup on top, offering modern cars.

In the plans for the future, the concern has a lot of interesting projects that can only be implemented if there is sufficient funding. The joint cooperation of two large French companies allows you to stay afloat and sell more and more cars every year after the crisis. But while there is no way out of a difficult situation, Citroen cars remain not the very first choice on the wish lists of Russian motorists. We offer you to see a test drive of one of the most technologically advanced Citroen cars - C4 Aircross:

Summing up

The French corporation Citroen has a fairly high quality of cars, despite the production of all parts in different parts of the world. The company conducts a worthy quality control of every detail and assembly of its vehicles, offers quite adequate models and design solutions for its products. However, Citroen's successful solutions are actually based on the same platform. This is the basis of all models with the C4 index in the title. The comfort class platform has become the basis for the creation of many interesting cars from the manufacturer.

The development and recovery from the crisis of the Citroen Corporation is hard to miss. But while investments and investments are extremely difficult to pay off. The popularity of the C-Elysee and C4 Sedan, specially designed for Russia, rolled back after the growth of the exchange rate, and production in our country stopped the active production of models. The same situation has become the main closure of a number of factories in China. Despite all the difficulties, the company continues to work and offer its customers high-quality transport. What do you think about the proposals of the French corporation Citroen?

France (1919)

general information

There are historical car brands, there are cult brands - but for a car brand to be both historical and cult, it is only CITROEN. Machines that have always surprised, and sometimes amazed contemporaries.

Citroën is a French automobile company specializing in the production of passenger cars. Part of the Peugeot Corporation.

The headquarters is in Neuilly-sur-Seine.

Corporation History

The company was founded in 1919 by Andre Citroën as "Citroën Joint Stock Company" (Societe anonyme Andre Citroën) with the aim of mass production of inexpensive cars.

In fact, the first Citroën was also the first mass-produced car in Europe. Model "A" had a 4-cylinder engine with a power of 18 hp, was distinguished by its lightness and ease of operation. She had a wonderful soft suspension, which later became typical of all Citroëns. The engine and clutch were combined in one block. All this has given Citroen a reputation for being very simple and easy to drive.

Following the first 10CV model comes the 5CV, a 4-cylinder subcompact without front brakes and capable of driving on unimportant rural roads. In the production of cars, the company used the Henry Ford method. The first Citroen taxis appeared in 1921, later 90% of Parisian taxis were of this brand.

In 1923, a small number of sports cars "300 B2 Cuddy" were manufactured. This elegant three-seat model was and is a great success with both the drivers of those years and today's car enthusiasts.

In the spring of 1922, production began on the popular two-seat Roadster C. Because of its bright yellow color, it was affectionately called "lemon". It was also modified with a "Cabriolet" body.

In June 1924, Citroën was producing over 250 cars a day. The Javel factory grew and occupied the entire territory of the 15th arrondissement of Paris. In addition, the company had branches in Belgium, England, Italy, Holland, Denmark and Switzerland. Citroën was the first in Europe and one of the first in the world to use steel bodies instead of wood.

This is how the B12 and B14 models appeared, which, thanks to an excellent dashboard and adjustable seats, became the most comfortable mass-produced cars. In just two years, 132,483 cars were manufactured.

In 1931, the CGL ("Citroen Grand Lux") appeared, the basis for which was the C6F. The car had a 53 hp engine. and first-class bodywork with rich interior trim.

During the famous motor rally through Asia, which ended in the Himalayas, AC 4 and AC 6 showed their best side.

At the 1933 Paris Motor Show, Citroën presented its entire range of products: models 8, 10, 15 and lighter versions of models 10 and 15.

In April 1934, a fundamentally new Traksion Avan model was created, created with the decisive participation of Ki Javel. The disproportionately large financial costs for the period of the Great Depression to promote this successful one, which was sold until 1957 in various modifications, led Andre Citroen to lose control of his own enterprise. The company falls under the control of the Michelin group. Thus began the era of front-wheel drive cars.

In 1955, the historic DS car was presented at the Paris Motor Show. This car, spacious enough to carry a generation of baby boomers, inexpensive and safe, was a success with the broadest sections of the population and even with General de Gaulle. Both Fantômas and Inspector Juve drove this people's car.

In 1966, Citroen and the German company NSU jointly develop a car with a Wankel engine, but the established Comotor company did not last long. In 1965, Panar Levassor was merged into Citroën.

In 1974, Citroen became part of the Peugeot concern as an independent branch that retains its brand of passenger cars. The company's engineers make a great contribution to the development of the car. In particular, in 1989, the third generation hydraulic suspension was introduced for the first time, which automatically adapts depending on the road surface and driving style.

The first show of the Citroën Xantia took place in November 1992. The model was put into production in 1993 as a replacement for the Citroën BX. The design of the Xantia model since 1993 has determined the further development of the Citroën style.

The Evasion minivan (a co-production of Peugeot/Citroën - Fiat/Lancia) was first introduced in March 1994 in Geneva.

The compact Citroën Saxo was first introduced in December 1995.

The Citroën Berlingo, a lightweight recreational van, was first introduced in 1996.

The Xsara family appeared in 1997. The restyling that the car underwent in 2000 greatly changed the appearance of this car, and today Xsara is the most popular in the Citroën family.

Another bestseller of the Citroen concern - the Citroen Xsara Picasso model - appeared on the automotive market in 2000.

The “C” line, which started with the C5 middle class sedan, has grown in just a few years to the size of the model range of leading German manufacturers. The C8 minivan, the C4 compact hatchbacks, the C2, the women's dream of the C3, the tiny C1 and, finally, the giant C6 luxury sedan, which may repeat the success of the legendary "Goddess" Citroen DS.

Among the hundreds of car companies that today offer thousands of different cars, Citroën has always occupied and continues to occupy a worthy place. Apparently, the now famous engineer Andre Citroen dreamed about this, in fact, in 1919 he laid the foundations of the French automotive industry.

Citroën in Ukraine

Since April 5, 2005, FranceAuto has been the official importer of Citroën cars. In the same year, the founder of "FransAvto" was the corporation "AIS" - one of the largest companies in the automotive market of Ukraine.

In 2005, one of the largest Citroën auto centers in Eastern Europe was opened.

Since 2008, 23 Citroën dealers have been operating in Ukraine.

The first "logo", as it is now called, with a "double chevron" appeared on the automotive market in 1913, when the workshop of Andre Citroen and his friends began to supply gearboxes to some car manufacturers.
Shortly before the outbreak of the First World War, Citroën purchased a piece of land on the Quai Javel, southwest of the center of Paris. There he built the most modern ammunition factory by the standards of that time, equipped with the best industrial equipment. During the First World War, this plant produced up to 55,000 shells and cartridges per day. Serious and very profitable business, but only in wartime. However, the production of ammunition turned out to be not only a way to earn good money - the technology of mass production of cars was honed on this "material".
In 1912, Citroen, as they say, visited the United States for general development, where in Detroit he was smitten by the Ford plant, which produced 150,000 copies of the now legendary Model T that year - 71 (!) Times more than Renault, the leader in France. Until 1917, about ten cars from various manufacturers were tested on the route between Roanne and the Quai de Javel under normal traffic conditions.
Secretly from everyone, Andre Citroen tested and dismantled such famous American cars as Buick, Nash, Studebaker at his plant, while studying the possibility of mass production, which soon began. In fact, the first CITROEN became at the same time the first mass-produced car in Europe.
Unbelievable, but true: already in the early 1920s, 300 CITROENs were leaving the assembly line of the enterprise on the Javel embankment every day - in those years, the number was unimaginable for Europe. And although Mr. Citroen expressed his desire to start producing cars after returning from America, when his factories were still producing ammunition, and he began preparations for the production of cars, the founding date of the company Citroen Joint Stock Company (Societe anonyme Andre Citroen) is considered to be 1919 , at the end of which the Quai de Javel plant was already producing up to 30 cars a day. Mr. Citroën set as his goal the mass production of inexpensive cars and for this, for the first time in Europe, he applied the "line" (conveyor) method of Henry Ford.
1921 - Citroen creates a special warehouse of spare parts for car owners.
1922 - Clement Bayard's rented factory in Levallois, near Paris, begins production of cars. The production of spare parts, accessories, etc. is also being established there.
citroen_5 cv1923 - The plant in Saint-Charles (Saint-Charles) - 15th district of Paris comes into operation. He starts making gearboxes for the 5CV. At the main plant, on the Javel embankment, the first assembly line is installed, which allows the production of 100 cars per day. The first subsidiary of Citroen Cars Ltd. is registered in London.
1924 - Production begins at the Saint-Ouen factories - model B12 and Epinettes - springs. André Citroën begins to develop an international network for the sale of his cars and creates subsidiaries in Brussels, Amsterdam, Milan, Geneva, Copenhagen, etc. 300 cars are assembled per day.
1925 - Citroen continues to organize a dealer network and begins serious promotions, the first among automobile manufacturers. From this year until 1934, the illumination with his name will burn on the citroen_b_12 Eiffel Tower, the creation of which took 250,000 lamps and 60 kilometers of wires. The total number of dealers reaches 5000 this year! Citroen became the first company in Europe, which already in the 20s had its own dealer network. 1926 - Citroen adopts the Taylor method, whereby each plant will specialize in a particular product. A factory in Grenelle, 15th arrondissement of Paris, begins operations. Citroen publishes for the first time its "standard" dealer service and repair manuals, as well as instructions and lists for replacement parts. parts. At the same time, the first assembly plant in Belgium begins work, the second - in England, and a little later in Germany and Italy.
1927 - Another plant - in Gutenberg (Gutenberg), Paris, created for the production of engines and gearboxes.
1930 - Clichy factory built. Another subsidiary of Norks Citroen A/S is registered in Oslo, Norway.
1931 - The Citroen Transport Joint Stock Company (Societe anonyme des Transports Citroen) is established.
citroen_traction_avant1933 - The global economic crisis has seriously affected the automotive industry in France, but Andre Citroen remains true to his principles. The plan is to produce 1,000 cars a day and launch a completely new front-wheel drive car ("traction avant"), created by Andre Lefebvre and his group.
1934 - The disproportionately large financial costs of the creation and production of the Traction Avant for the period of the Great Depression led Citroen to lose confidence among credit companies and the loss of working capital. The first financial shock hits CITROEN in February 1934. Thanks to the intervention of the Bank of France, commercial banks provide the company with a loan of 10 million francs, but the debt is growing. Between April and September, the company has to pay back 830 million francs to creditors on its old debts. Claims from creditors are starting to come to the courts, and their number is growing like a snowball.
The situation is becoming critical. Under these conditions, in order to prevent bankruptcy, the French government turned to the Michelin company (Michelin) - the main creditor - with a proposal to take the company under its financial control.
From that moment on, Andre Citroen retired and retired to his house. The upheavals of recent years had a strong effect on him and he fell seriously ill.
1935 - In January 1935, Citroen is asked, or rather, forced to transfer a controlling stake in the company and finally removed from business. On January 31, he resigns as president and sole manager of the Andre Citroen Automotive Joint Stock Company. Power at the enterprise passes to a committee consisting of three managers: Pierre Michelin, Paul Franzen and the representative of the suppliers of the metallurgical industry, Etienne de Castel.
Citroen retired to his house, he was no longer seen at the factory - he did not want to play second roles where he had always been the first. In March 1935, Citroen was taken to the hospital with an aggravated ulcer, where he died on July 3 of that year.
And the company named after him was forced to close an assembly plant in Italy due to new customs duties. In the period from 1919 to 1934, Citroen achieved a leading position in the production of automobiles. He was the first in Europe to publish instructions for car repair. This firm was born the idea of ​​providing customers with a one-year warranty and free maintenance during this time, as well as selling cars on credit. Citroen has improved the method of studying sales markets and organized refresher courses for sellers of their cars.
At the same time, care was taken for the image of the brand, which was already flaunted on 185,000 cars. From 1924 to 1934, CITROEN advertisements shone on the Eiffel Tower. Citroen owns the invention of "industrial tourism": he opened the doors of his factories to the public and organized tours of the workshops. Also, a system for the rapid delivery of workers to the plant by buses was created, an automobile insurance company was founded, branches were opened in Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Germany, Great Britain, Sweden and Poland. The last and, perhaps, the main thing that the company is famous for is a series of revolutions that CITROEN made in the world of cars in the 20th century, releasing almost every one of its models. In 1934, CITROEN introduced a fundamentally new model "7cv", now known throughout the world as TA, or Traction Avant (literally in Russian - "Front Drive"). Thus began the era of front-wheel drive cars.
In fact, until 1940, nothing special happened in the company. And this year, a factory on the Javel embankment was bombed and a factory in Belgium was partially destroyed. But still, even during the war, the production of cars did not stop.
In 1947, the restoration of factories after the war was completed and subsidiaries were created in Argentina (Buenos Aires) and Sweden (Stockholm).
Citroen 2cv in 1948 - The Asnieres factory near Paris, purchased from Automobiles Laffly, starts operating. The Levallois plant is completely switching to 2CV production.
1952 - 2CV and H van are assembled in Belgium. A trading company, Citroen Cars Corporation, was established in the United States and another in Morocco.
1953 - A new plant in Rennes-la Barre Thomas, in the province of Brittany, goes into operation. Citroën begins to "decentralize" production. An agreement was signed with Panhard on the partial merger of the distribution network.
1954 - The Asnieres factory starts producing hydraulic systems, primarily for the DS, and from that time on became the main supplier of these systems for all Citroen cars.
1956 - DS assembly begins in Belgium citroen DS
1957 - In Cambodia, start production of vans based on 2CV. Citroen and SCEMM, created in 1950 with the participation of Citroen, sign an agreement on a plant in Mulhouse. Installed the first computer in the company's spare parts department.
1958 - Citroen - Spain opens a plant in Port-au-Vigo and starts producing 2CV. On October 9, the Javel Embankment was officially renamed the André Citroën Embankment.
1959 - Agreements signed with South African companies Atlanta Industries (Pty) Ltd and Stanley Motors Ltd to assemble the DS.
1960 - As part of an intergovernmental agreement between Yugoslavia and France, Citroen signs a contract for the production of 2CV with Tomos. 2CV and Ami assembly begins in Argentina.
citroen AMI 1961 - The plant in Rennes-la Janais, Brittany, begins production of the Ami 6, and in Nonterre (near Paris), at the plant formerly owned by Simca, body parts begin to be manufactured.
1962 Trading companies established in Canada and Austria.
1963 - Caen plant purchased. An agreement was signed with Sedica (Madagascar) on the assembly of 2CV and 3CV. A subsidiary was established in Chile to sell and assemble the 2CV. Type H is beginning to be assembled in Holland.
1964 - In Portugal, the Mangualde plant begins to produce 2CV. An agreement was signed with the German company NSU Motorenwerke on the creation of a rotary piston engine and its production at a joint venture Comobil (Geneva). In Yugoslavia, the Cimos plant (mainly Dayne) starts work.
1967 - Citroen signs an agreement with Berliet. A subsidiary company "Komotor" (Comotor) is created in Luxembourg for the production of rotary piston engines (Wankel engine). One of them will be installed on the M35 prototype in 1969.
1968 - The Citroën Group begins reorganization. The created holding Citroen SA now controls the activities of Citroen, Berliet and Panhard. The holding structure contains more than 20 subsidiaries, including Societe anonyme Automobiles Citroen - production and Societe Commerciale Citroen - sales. Citroen signs a technical and commercial cooperation agreement with Maserati. Agreements are signed between Total (Total) on technical cooperation and with Fiat (Fiat) on the creation of a holding company (PARDEVI), where 49% belongs to Fiat and 51% to Michelin.
1969 - The Metz-Borny plant begins operations, replacing the Saint-Charles plant. Maserati is developing a 6-cylinder engine for the future prestigious Citroen car. The plant in Iran starts assembling a number of models. As part of an agreement with Fiat, Autobianchi products are being sold through the Citroen commercial network, and vice versa in Italy. An international car rental network, Citer, is being created.
1971 - Citroën signs agreements with Inda SA (Paraguay), Quinatar SA (Uruguay) and Aveles Alfaro (Ecuador) to assemble 2CVs and 3CVs. In Steins, he begins to work as a subsidiary of SOGAMM (Societe d "Outillage General Applique aux Moules et Modeles), a former department located at the plant in Clichy. He is entrusted with the task of creating prototypes, components, quality standards, etc. .d.
citroen GS 1972 - In Yugoslavia, Citroen and Tomos sign a production agreement at the Simos plant for the production of 2CV, Dyane, Ami 8, GS and components. A subsidiary is established in Johannesburg. An agreement is signed with STIA for the assembly of 2CV and 3CV. With the Globus Import-Export Company from Iceland for the supply of various models.
1973 - The plant in Aulnay-sous-Bois comes into operation (instead of the plant on the Javel Quay). At that time one of the most modern in terms of equipment. Fiat pulls out of the joint venture and returns its 49% of Michelin, but continues to partner with Citroen in some endeavors.
So the year 1974 came. Probably one of the most significant. Michelin and Peugeot have decided to merge the companies Automobiles Citroen and Automobiles Peugeot. The purpose of this agreement was to create a group that would be competitive in the international market. Berliet withdrew from the Citroen group of companies and entered into an agreement with Saviem, one of the Renault companies. After the production of DS was discontinued, the plant on the Javel embankment, which had been operating since 1919, was closed. 1976 - The Peugeot Group acquired an 89.95% stake in Citroen and created the PSA holding company, which included Citroen SA and Peugeot SA. Citroen entered as an independent branch that retained its brand of passenger cars. In the same year, an agreement was signed on the production of Citroen cars in Romania, with the aim of selling them in Eastern Europe.
1978 - In Spain, the plant in Orence began operation. SMAE (Societe Mecanique Automobile de I "Est) is created in France as a subsidiary of Citroen and Peugeot. A computerized spare parts center is opened to support the Citroen service network. Visa begins to be collected in Belgium. And finally, Fiat, Peugeot and Citroen sign an agreement to develop a new light van.
1979 - Started the Tremery plant for the production of gasoline and diesel engines. It was created on the basis of new principles of organization of production and management. A new computer center for design and production has been launched at the St. Ouen plant. Agreements have been signed in Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, and the Central African Republic.
1980 - Plants in Meudon near Paris and SMAN (Societe Mecanique Automobile du Nord) in Valenciennes begin operations. Factory in Belgium closes.
1982 - For 68 years, the company's head office was located on the Quai Javel, but this year it moves to a new location in the town of Neuilly-sur-Seine (Neuilly-sur-Seine) near Paris.
1984 - In Romania, the Oltcit plant begins operation, which was built on the basis of the Franco-Romanian agreement of 1976.
1985 - Citroen changes colors. Now instead of the blue-yellow scale, white and red are used. In December, the plants in Clichy and Nantre stop working.
1986 - After 6 years of financial losses, the prerequisites for "recovery" appear. Citroen introduces Plan Mercure, which aims to drastically increase the quality of production throughout the value chain. The principle of "complete customer satisfaction" is put at the forefront.
1987 - Citroen acquires the Cray XMP/14 supercomputer. A 5-year warranty against perforation corrosion has been declared. At the Tremery plant, assembly of the XU2 gasoline engine has begun on new lines. These lines made it possible to produce 70 different types of engines, including 16 valves. citroen_zx
1989 - Citroën "rebuilds" its Rennes-La Janais plant for final XM assembly. Investments in development amounted to 7.5 billion francs, including 1.2 billion for development and research. Created together with Mazda (Mazda) dealer network begins to sell cars in Japan Citroen.
1990 - Citroën officially returns to motorsport in July with the ZX Rally Raid. In December, a contract was signed with the Chinese corporation SAW. ZX enters the Chinese market.
1991 - The ZX makes its official debut at the Geneva Motor Show. Citroen announces several programs aimed at improving the quality of work and skills of its employees. Another Cray starts working in the Citroen office. On October 14, Jacques Calvet presents the Citela electric car that REALLY works.
1992 - At the beginning of the year, a new press station is put into operation at the site in Aulnay (6.420 sq.m. 2 pcs. -400 tons and 1400 tons). Basically, body parts for the ZX are made there. In July, the Citroen Institute was opened to improve the skills of the company's employees.
citroen_envasion1994 - The implementation of the Antares project has begun, designed to bring Citroen factories into the top three in their categories in the world. Representative offices in Poland and Hungary are opened in February. In the same month, Xantia wins the 23rd international prize. Evasion appears - a product of cooperation between Fiat, Peugeot and Citroen.
1995 - In January, another project is presented - Magelan. The goal is to sell 100,000 cars outside of Europe in 1997 and 200,000 in 2000. In April, SAME launches the ML gearbox, replacing the ME. At the same time, a new 16-valve 1.7-liter gasoline engine and a compact diesel engine for the Xantia were introduced. The dealer network has 900 points of sale in 77 countries of the world. In September, an agreement is signed on the release of AX with the Malaysian company Proton under their brand name.
citroen SAXO 1996-1997 - The production of cars is increasing. The emergence of SAXO and Xsara. In Poland, SAXO went on sale in November and sold 900 units in one month. Citroen opens its WWW - server. Another agreement is signed with Proton. In December 1997, a license agreement was signed to release Xsara at the Susa plant (Uruguay).
1998 onwards - In January, a new slogan is introduced - "two brands, one group", which, in the opinion of management, more accurately describes the changes in PSA. At the same time, an agreement was signed on the establishment of an assembly plant in Porto Real (Porto Real) in Brazil, designed to strengthen the position of companies in the market of Central and South America. Together with Microsoft and Clarion, Xsara Auto PC was created. The President of Uruguay opened a new line at the assembly plant, where Xsara production began. In Poland, the production of C15 began at the Nysa plant. Berlingo is made in Argentina.
1999 - The millionth Xantia rolled off the production line in Rennes, and the Olney factory produced the millionth Saxo. Historical record - for the first time sold more than 1 million Citroen cars. The HDi engine goes into series on the Xsara. Launch of the joint development of PSA Peugeot Citroen, Renault and Siemens - adaptive automatic transmission (first installed on Xsara 1.6). The long-awaited premiere was marked by Citroen in the luxury segment, C6 Lignage, a prototype of the future flagship, was presented in Geneva. The Pluriel debuted in Frankfurt, the name of this model can be translated as “multiple”, indeed this concept car is one in many faces, it can be a pickup, spider, hatchback and even a convertible. In December 1999, Xsara Picasso was launched on the market with a unique advertising campaign based on the work of the great Picasso (the video "Robot" was highly appreciated by European viewers and experts). Representation of Citroen opens in Russia.
2000 - from February Jumper and Berlingo are equipped with HDi engines. The second generation Xsara is launched into the series, with new 1.6 110 hp engines. and 2.0 137 hp The face of the advertising company was supermodel Claudia Schiffer. Another Citroen record - sales growth amounted to 13.4%. At the Paris Motor Show presented C5, a new model, a new alphanumeric index. The all-new Hydractive 3+ suspension system, a wide range of engines, a spacious and comfortable interior, and a wide range of options led to the advertising campaign being called “100% Useful Technologies”. For the first time for Citroen, this car was equipped with a Tiptronic automatic transmission with manual shifting. A Modutop roof is available for the Berlingo, with additional overhead compartments, a fan and five glass windows. The Osmose Concept is presented, a real city car with sliding doors, compact and agile.
citroen XANTIA 2001 - growth continues, Citroen increases sales for the fifth year in a row. 139.000 C5 sold, sales growth of Xsara Picasso was 56%. Olney-sous-Bois has opened the Conservatoire, a 6,700 m3 museum that houses 300 historic Citroen models and concept cars. Xsara WRC debuts on world rally tracks (participation in 4 races), Sebastian Loeb becomes its pilot for the first time. New Citroen presented in Geneva: C5 station wagon, two new engines for the C5: HPi petrol engine (direct injection, 2.0 liters 143 hp), 2.2 HDi engine (138 hp, diesel particulate filter) , as well as an interesting option for the Xsara Picasso - a panoramic glass roof. C3, beauty and hope of the brand, is presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show. On a new platform, with a phenomenal range of options, a high roof and a spacious trunk, the C3 has become the company's new bestseller. At the same salon, the C-Crosser, a new word in the creation of cars, was presented. All-wheel drive, with all wheels steer, it did not have the traditional pedals and steering column. The control was carried out by a special steering wheel, which was connected to the engine, brakes and wheels only by wire. This allows you to abandon the cumbersome controls in the cabin (unsafe in a crash) and make control easier.
2002 - sales growth was 6.3%. The warranty period for all Citroen cars is now 24 months (there is also a program that allows you to double this period). Sales of the new Jumper and Citroen C3 began (185,000 cars were sold during the year instead of the planned 150,000, C3 received many awards). For the first time within the PSA concern, a new automated gearbox appears - SensoDrive. Combining the advantages of manual transmission and automatic transmission, she found her place under the hood of the C3 with a 1.6 16V engine. At the end of the year, the new Berlingo is presented, the main focus of its development was on safety and the study of the exterior / interior. The C3 Pluriel makes its debut, captivating the public with its versatility and winning the Convertible of the Year award. The C8 appears on the market, the successor to the Evasion minivan, also created in cooperation with Fiat and Peugeot. At an exhibition in Paris, the C-Airdream concept is presented, representing the design developments of Citroen, which was also interesting with a fixed steering wheel hub.
2004 - three major events for Citroen:

Double in the World Rally Championship (Constructors' Cup and Sebastian Loeb's first place in the individual standings);
-launch in the C5-II series;
-appearance in the sale of C4.

Both rookies received excellent press and the best scores from EuroNCAP (the C5 had the best result of any car tested). C2, C3, C3 Pluriel sold around the world with a circulation of 518,000 cars (of which 150,000 C2 and 336,000 C3). The C-Airlounge, a prototype of future Citroen models, is presented in Geneva. In March, the C3 XTR, a recreational vehicle, went on sale. The extraordinary popularity in 2004 of the Xsara Picasso was provided by the new 1.6 HDi 110 hp turbodiesel engine, by the end of the year, the total sales of the Xsara Picasso reached 1 million cars (of which 220,000 were sold in 2004). The longevity record was set by the Citroen C15 commercial model, which has been produced since 1984. By the end of the year, Xsara's combined sales reached 1.5 million vehicles.
2005 - the widest model in the history of Citroen, from the mini C1 to the flagship C6. Both of these cars were presented at the Geneva Motor Show to great public response. C1 is of interest to urban residents, for whom compact size, economy and operating costs are in the first place. In addition, the level of safety (4 stars from EuroNCAP) and high consumer properties put this car on a new level in the supermini class. C6 won the sympathy of Europeans back in 1999, when the concept car C6 Lignage was introduced, which went into the series with minor changes. C6 is interesting primarily for its technology and excellent level of safety (including a record 4 stars from EuroNCAP for pedestrian protection). The C6 embodied a new design of hydropneumatic suspension from Citroen - "flying carpet". Even more functional, it allows you to raise passenger comfort to an unprecedented level. Sales record: more than 1 million 395 thousand cars sold worldwide. The European market share increased to 6.7%, in France Citroen won 14% of customers. Record year for Citroen in Germany, with a growth of 20.3%, sales amounted to 80,000 vehicles. For the third year in a row, Citroen wins the Constructors' Cup in the WRC, Sebastian Loeb wins a second championship title, and Dani Sordo wins the JWRC Junior World Rally Championship (JWRC) in a C2 Super 1600.