French Car Company Citroën Celebrates 100 Years

This was a post that I meant to publish back in 2019, when it actually was the 100th anniversary of Citroën. It would have been doubly special to have done it on the anniversary, and during the actual year where, for the first time ever, I got to drive one during my last stay in Paris at the end of the 2019 European trip. But it is better late than never. 

Here's to 100 years (well, 101 now)!

Image courtesy of Martyn Wright's Flickr page - citroen logo 006:
https://live.staticflickr.com/1287/5186970693_94435507c6_b.jpg
Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/








The Citroën Charleston is my personal favorite. It is basically a 2CV, although it is painted in a very different style. Some have different color variations, but I prefer the more classic look of the maroon and black, which in my humble opinion, both makes this look sleek and cool, and yet also allows it to bear a resemblance to antique cars. Here is a picture of one:

 

Image courtesy of Michael Hanna's Flickr page - Citroen  A citroen in the parking lot of the park: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sidha/537791045/in/photolist-Pwjxp-556Hwe-38zj4m-29NWsKG-a6gAEd-2pdt6i-6CX2Yo-PyFEnn-2cSTcW6-97Yib-2b1ByRh-2cEe4ze-QqXkMe-2bvDKwD-2fCoL5Q-6CSUde-P1X8tZ-2aWyeGL-PXo3xn-26QGzRq-2eubeVG-246idmL-57USx9-2axkSSL-NzHQPx-2dSdpeX-KBxy7s-Q3wfpH-2evFuyV-2dYqySm-pF4XSV-7RCPbc-2avT6Aw-2fsjyci-2b1ByQL-2esFrKk-StNe4Q-2cUSghV-2daEXGA-24QinUp-RFsR7M-RZTcZy-2bYXoHj-SaixZ1-2bfpc17-2d1Z1YV-2e4qiPP-2eyT1C5-2f8funB-29J78if

Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/



 

 Image courtesy of Guillaume Vachey's Flickr page -  Citroen 2CV Charleston  1987 Citroen 2CV Charleston at Chalon sur Saone:
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Image courtesy of Salim Virji's Flickr page - Citroën:
Creative Commons License:




 

Image courtesy of Guillaume Vachey's Flickr page - Citroen DS 19:
Creative Commons License:

Meant to publish this a long time ago. Like months ago, before I actually went on vacation in the summer, where I got to actually drive a Citroën for the first time in my life on my last night in Europe, which was in Paris.

It made me happy to be able to drive a French car while in France. Perhaps it gave me newfound respect for Citroëns in general. 

So, here is what I wanted to say about it:

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Citroën automobile company, the French car manufacturer that has made some of the most distinctive cars in history. My personal favorite would be the Citroën Charleston, which essentially is the Citroën 2CV, only designed in traditional looking maroon and black colors. I have long felt that if money were no object, this would be one of the two cars (a lemon yellow Volkswagon Beetle being the other) that I would want to have and drive on casual weekends, if I could. 

Indeed, I always enjoyed seeing a Citroën 2CV - especially the Charleston! - on visits to France, and especially on those rare occasions when I have seen them in the United States, and even once or twice in Canada.

Yet, Citroën has made some other very distinctive looking cars, as well. which was used by French President Charles De Gaulle

Now for the history: André Citroën created his Company "Les Engrenages Citroën" in 1901 in Paris,  yet for certain reasons, it was "on Monday July 7th, 2019, that our brand will have exactly 100 years.''

Here is a bit more from an article on this subject that I encountered:

It is reputed that the young André was inspired by the works of Jules Verne and had seen the construction of the Eiffel Tower for the World Exhibition, making him want to become an engineer.

Citroën founded the Citroën automobile company in 1919, leading it to become the fourth-largest automobile manufacturer in the world by the early 1930s (specifically 1932).

This one-off event will take place from the 19th to the 21st July 2019 in France’s Central Loire Valley region, at La Ferté-Vidame in Perche, an area favoured by tourists for its natural beauty as well as being steeped in the history of Citroën.

Eiffel Tower History

History of advertising No 103: André Citroën's Eiffel Tower ad On the night of 4 July 1925, thousands of Parisians gawped in amazement as 250,000 light bulbs burst into life on the Eiffel Tower, emblazoning the family name of the car-maker André Citroën across the French capital. June 5, 2014:

https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/history-advertising-no-103-andre-citroens-eiffel-tower-ad/1297020





Official 100th Anniversary of Citroën celebration:

INTRODUCTION - by: CITROËN CENTENARY CELEBRATION - 100 years - official website Partage  From 1919 up to 2019, 100 years of CITROËN !


https://en.citroencc.com/

https://en.citroencc.com/blog-detail-citron.php?BlogID=512





CitroënVie! page on André Citroën:

https://citroenvie.com/andre-citroen/