Citroene car

In this pioneering spirit, the brand is developing automobiles over the decades that will make an impression: Rosalie, Tranch before, 2 CVs, DS, Méhari, CX, BX … So many models that speak to everyone and are inscribed in our industrial heritage. Madeleine de Proust for several generations, some of these former models whose production has been stopped, are sold at gold prices. In 1955, Citroën unveiled its latest creation, the DS, a concentrate of technology and design. True phenomenon, it appeals to the highest bodies since General de Gaulle, makes it the official car of the presidency.

Used car Citroen

The French Chevrons brand was founded in 1919 by André Citroën. Creativity, daring, avant-garde, characterize the company that has continued for 100 years now, to innovate, surprise and bounce back. Citroën is the source of iconic models that have marked minds and the automaker continues to seduce with new cars in the era of time.

Citroën, a centenary brand

In 2019, the company celebrated its 100 years of existence ! An exemplary longevity which is certainly explained by its technological know-how but also by the pronounced taste of André Citroën for advertising. With a certain sense of communication, the brand also makes children’s toys, indicator panels at the time, organizes crossings in Africa and Asia. Did you know that from 1925 to 1934, the name of Citroën was written in light letters on the Eiffel Tower ?! On the same date, the company was then the first national manufacturer and the second world. Despite this success, the brand met financial difficulties and passed in 1935 under the aegis of Michelin. In 1975, Peugeot bought the company which then became PSA Peugeot Citroën.

Citroën, iconic cars

In this pioneering spirit, the brand is developing automobiles over the decades that will make an impression: Rosalie, Tranch before, 2 CVs, DS, Méhari, CX, BX … So many models that speak to everyone and are inscribed in our industrial heritage. Madeleine de Proust for several generations, some of these former models whose production has been stopped, are sold at gold prices. In 1955, Citroën unveiled its latest creation, the DS, a concentrate of technology and design. True phenomenon, it appeals to the highest bodies since General de Gaulle, makes it the official car of the presidency.

Citroën the daring

The brand has kept the audacity and technological know-how of its beginnings. The design is not lacking in creativity (the cactus for example) and the maneuverability is always there. In the urban environment, Citroën vehicles are particularly present thanks to many compact models.

Citroën city dwellers

Citroën city dwellers have a playful and friendly look but above all they are compact, perfect for park in town in all simplicity. The C1 and C3 models have invaded agglomerations and appeal to few assets and families. Available in 3 or 5 doors, they are ideal for everyday journeys since manerable and access to the trunk is simple.

Citroën family cars

Minivan, compact, ludospaces, multispaces, combi… The range is wide at Citroën ! Whether you need 5, 7 or 9 places, there is necessarily a model for you. The Citroën Berlingo for example, is a very modular car, available in size M (4.40m long) and XL (4.75m long) long). Characterized by its sliding doors, its large glass surface, its retractable seats, it is attracting more and more with its practicality and its load capacity. In this category, we can also cite the C4 Spacetourer model, new version of the traditional C4 Picasso.

The Citroën SUV

For a more sporty choice of vehicle, Citroën offers in this category, the C3 and C5 Aircross models. The C5 is characterized by its suspensions with progressive hydraulic stops (like C4 Cactus), its Advanced Comfort seats and its immense trunk volume (580 liters) Capacity. Launched on the market at the end of 2018, it is currently the third best -selling SUV in France, a guarantee of its reliability.

Citroën sedans

The C4 Cactus of Citroën, does not lack singularity compared to its competitors ! She is played out of the aesthetic codes specific to the sedans, to impose her atypical personality. Airbumps located at the bottom of the doors allow optimal protection in an urban environment, in addition to being originality and technology. Another significant advance, suspensions with progressive hydraulic stops that make it possible to absorb the irregularities of the road.

Where to find a used Citroën ?

Within the distinction network of course ! Leader in France, we are currently offering more than 150 models of Citroën brand vehicles. Zero kilometer or recent, our vehicles offered for sale are verified, certified and payable in several monthly payments. Do not hesitate to contact one of our advisers or go to one of our 120 points of sale.

Citroën

In 1953, an agreement was established between Citroën and Panhard for the partial merger of their two commercial networks. Citroën acquired 45% of Panhard & Levassor company in April 1955. The merger of the two companies was ratified in 1965. Panhard ceased car production in 1967. Citroën thus made one of these competitors disappear.

During the 1960s, Citroën, under the direction of Pierre Bercot, seeked to do external growth rather than developing its own range. Citroën took over the Nanterre Simca factory in 1961 to produce spare parts. In June 1964, Citroën signed with NSU a technical cooperation agreement on the rotary engine. A common company, the Comobil is established in Geneva. A second common company, the Comotor was created in Luxembourg in May 1967 for the manufacture of rotary piston engines. The Vélizy brand study center entered into activity in 1965. In addition, the brand with double chevron takes a majority participation in the capital of the Berliet heavy goods manufacturer in 1967.

But this diversification strategy leads to financial losses. The French state grants improved loans to Citroën in 1966 and in 1968. Despite this, Citroën continues this logic by buying Maserati in March 1968. That same year, the group was reorganized under a new mother company Citroën S.Who presides over the activities of the Citroën, Panhard and Berliet brands.

In September 1968, a technical and financial cooperation agreement was concluded with the Fiat group. The Citroën group was then placed in a joint company, the Pardevi established in December 1968, and whose two shareholders are Michelin for 51% and Fiat for 49%. The losses continue to accumulate despite the launch of the GS which arrived too late. To prevent a merger between Citroën and Fiat, Peugeot and Renault are working with the Ministry of Industry. In June 1973, Pardevi was dissolved by mutual agreement, Michelin redeeming the shares of Fiat. From the cooperation period between Citroën and Fiat, the only concrete result was the C35 utility. Common platform projects for the Citroën CX and Lancia Gamma do not succeed. Citroën also distributed the Autobianchi brand in France, Belgium, Switzerland and Portugal between 1969 and 1975.

In June 1974, François Michelin met François Gauthier, the president of Peugeot. After months of negotiations and with the support of the French government, Peugeot acquired 38% of Citroën in December 1974. Berliet is sold by Citroën to Renault. In 1975, Citroën placed Maserati bankrupt and abandoned the brand. That same year, he left the American market where the brand was present since 1957.

Peugeot increased its participation to 90% of Citroën’s capital in May 1976. Peugeot and Citroën merge. The PSA holding company is made up of the Citroën and Automobiles Peugeot automobiles subsidiaries.
Common companies with NSU, Comobil and Comotor, were dissolved in 1977 with the disappearance of the German brand.

In December 1976 Citroën signed an agreement in Romania for the establishment of a automotive factory in Craiova. It started at the end of 1981 and produced Oltcit and its twin La Citroën Axel.

Citroën managed to sell his first batch of car in China in 1980. In December 1989, an agreement was reached with the country’s authorities for the production of the future Citroën ZX. In May 1992, a common company was established with Dongfeng. Assembly from imported parts began in September 1992. Production with local components started in September 1995 in the Wuhan factory.

In 1995, an agreement was signed with the manufacturer Malaysus Proton for the production of a model derived from the Citroën Ax. Proton Tiara is made in Malaysia between 1996 and 1999.

Within the PSA group, Citroën benefits from cooperation agreements with other car groups such as Fiat, Toyota and Mitsubishi.

The 2000s were characterized by a development of production outside France either to reach new markets (China, Brazil and Argentina), or to reduce costs by relocating (Slovakia).

In 2021, Citroën tackled the Indian market by producing a specific C3 on site.

Citroën leaders from 1919 to today

Name	Origin	Period
André Citroën	Founder	1919-1934
Michelin stone	1935-1937
Pierre Boulanger	Michelin employee since 1922	1937-1950
Robert Puiseux	MICHELIN manager manager	1950-1958
BERCOT Pierre	Citroën employee since 1937	1958-1971
François Rollier	1971-1974
Georges Taylor	Peugeot employee	1974-1979
Xavier Karcher	Employee of Peugeot since 1956	1979-1997
Claude Satinet	Citroën employee since 1973	1997-2007
Gilles Michel	PSA employee since 2002	2007-2008
Jean-Marc Gales	Recruited in 2009	2009
Frédéric Banzet	PSA employee since 1982	2009-2014
Linda Jackson	Citroën employee since 2005	2014-2020
Vincent Cobée	Recruited in 2020	2020-2023
Thierry Koskas	Recruited in 2023	Since 2023

The vehicles

103 Citroën models have been available since 1950 by counting body variants.

The majority of Citroën are in segments A, B and C (mini, small and lower medium). The lower medium segment has long been abandoned before becoming the heart of the brand’s offer. Citroën arrives late in the segments of the upper averages and intermediaries (family).

Despite a long tradition of large roads, Citroën is no longer present in the high -end segment in Europe since the disappearance of the C6 in 2012. The only brand representative on this segment is now the Chinese C6 launched in 2016 and produced a few thousand copies each year.

Finally, Citroën made a foray into the luxury segment in the early 1970s with the SM coupe.

For almost 20 years, the range is characterized by a hole between small twin -cylinder cars (2CV and derivatives) and large roads (traction then DS). The GS compensates for this in 1970. Between the late 1980s and the early 1990s, many models, including 2CV, disappeared to rationalize a range then reduced to only three passenger cars (AX, BX and XM) plus utilities (C15, C25 and C35). Then the number of models is further supported by the introduction of minivans, replaced by crossovers (SUV) during the 2010s.