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100 years separate the creation of our online store Alépoc from the birth of the automobile manufacturer Citroën in 1919.
André Citroën was then 42 years old and had a notable industrial past, having led the Mors automobile brand, produced gear systems with herringbone wheels, and manufactured shells for World War I at his factory on the quai de Javel in Paris.
After the war, André Citroën took advantage of this production tool to build his first car, the Type A, whose construction was revolutionary in Europe. It was indeed the first car truly manufactured on an assembly line according to Fordism principles. Citroën developed affordable cars during the first years until a turning point in the mid-1930s.
Then came the launch of the Citroën Traction, the first mass-produced European front-wheel-drive car, which was so costly to develop that it forced André Citroën to sell the company to Michelin. He passed away shortly after and did not witness the direction the brand took after the war.
Indeed, in 1947, a small car was launched, the 2CV, a true economical and robust automobile, suitable for use by almost all French people. The masterstroke came a few years later with the introduction of the legendary Citroën DS and its ID derivative, with a futuristic design and innovative technologies like hydro-pneumatic suspensions.
We later saw the emergence of 2CV derivatives, such as the Citroën Ami 6 and Ami 8, then the Citroën Dyane, while also venturing into the very high-end market with the SM and its V6 borrowed from Maserati.
The Citroën GS and Citroën CX will be the last Citroën cars of the Michelin era. Starting from 1975, Peugeot absorbed the brand into the PSA group.
With these iconic models, vintage Citroën cars are still numerous on our roads. Alépoc offers a wide range of engine parts for classic Citroën cars so you can restore them.
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