Sometimes, after a lifetime in the motor trade, certain cars come into stock that you just fall in love with.

For us at Motodrome, the Citroen Traction Avant remains one of our favourites.

What can you say about these legendary cars? The first mass-produced car with front wheel drive, and one of the first with monocoque construction rather than a separate chassis, they were an absolute sensation when they first arrived in the mid 1930’s.

WW2 saw the progess of car development put aside, but, by the time this one was produced, in late 1954, it was still one of the most advanced cars of it’s age, with hydraulic brakes and independent torsion bar suspension giving a superlative ride. They were only supplanted by the even more impressive DS which replaced them.

This one is a Slough-built example, so RHD, and is the smallest of the 4-door saloon range, known as ‘Legere’ in France, or ‘Light 15’ in the UK.

It has been tastefully modified for use in the present day, with electric power steering,
Electronic ignition, upgraded electrics including alternator, oil pressure and temperature gauges, unleaded head, inertia reel front seat belts, and rear seat belts, and is consequently lovely to drive without having lost it’s intrinsic character.

History-wise we have a massive folder going back to 1955, and it’s odometer reading of 64000 miles is likely correct.

It was initially registered in Jersey, which meant it covered little miles and didn’t go on salted roads for it’s first 40 years, before it came to mainland UK and was re-registered here.

History highlights include a bare metal respray and waxoyl in 1990, another respray in 1998, and a complete retrim in red leather in 2011, and the interior still remains superb.

Recently it’s been looked after by Devon Tractions, who’ve carried out a huge amount of mechanical work to bring it up to scratch, including a full cylinder head rebuild (with hardened valve seats) in 2023, and it’s done few miles since. All the invoices for their work is in the file.

It runs and drives beautifully, and gets admiring glances wherever I park it. There’s a good reason why they remain one of the coolest classics you can own.

On our own website, you'll find our usual 2 videos – a walkaround appraisal, and driving impressions, which form part of the description.

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