French car CITROËN Traction 11CV BL COBI 2265 - Executive edition WWII

You can see higher resolution images in the Files and links section.

You know that:

• In 1933, the development of the car was undertaken by the designer, sculptor, artist F. Bertoni and racing driver A. Lefébvre, whose collaboration resulted in an absolutely revolutionary car that was simply unrivalled at the time of its creation.
• Self-supporting construction, independent front-wheel suspension with torsion bars, the Citroen was a first.
• The design work on the first A7 series cars took a long time and André Citroën was running out of money, so he was forced to bring the car to market early, which resulted in a high failure rate in the first series.
• The Avant actually cost A. Citroën his life when he was forced to lay off several thousand employees and sell shares to tyre tycoon E. Michelin.
• Exhausted and broken, A. Citroën died in July 1935.
• At first, the public distrusted the technical innovations, and the carmaker had to demonstrate over and over again at numerous public events that Citröen cars were safe.
• In front of film crews, Citroen threw a car off an 8 metre cliff to prove that the self-supporting body was safe.
• There were two body styles on offer, the smaller BL and the almost 5m B.
• The 11CV was also used as a command vehicle by French General Charles Delestraint during the Battle of France.
• After the occupation of France, Ch. Delestraint became a major figure in the French Resistance.

Technical parameters:

• dimensions length 4,38 m, width 1,76 m, height 1,54 m
• weight 1070 kg
• power unit 4-cylinder 1 911 cc R4 petrol engine with an output of 41,2 kW
• maximum speed 120 km/h
• range approx. 450 km
• front-wheel drive
• number of speeds 3 forward and 1 reverse 
• fuel tank 50 l
• number of seats 5