1934 Citroen Traction Avant

To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION WITHOUT RESERVE at RM Sothebys Paris event, 4 - 5 February 2025.
Offered Without Reserve 80,000 - 120,000 EUR

• The first front-wheel-drive, monocoque car to enter mass production
• One of the earliest Traction Avants produced; completed in August 1934
• A 1,529-cc four-cylinder engine is mated to a three-speed manual gearbox
• Treated to a 12-year restoration between the end of 2000 and summer 2013
• Presented in two-tone black and burgundy with matching wheels and interior
• Acquired by The Curated Collection in June 2013

The elegant Traction Avant, named in recognition of its drivetrain configuration, holds the distinction of being the first monocoque car featuring a front-wheel-drive layout to enter mass production. A technical tour de force for its time, the model was also an early adopter of independent suspension and a rack-and-pinion steering system.

Despite being so advanced, it did not take long for Citron to introduce a revised model. The Traction Avant only went on sale in April 1934 before the updated 7B arrived in June with its 1,529-cc engine making 35 horsepower via a three-speed manual gearbox. A letter from Citron (available on file) confirms that chassis 016315 was sold on 17 August 1934, thus making this car one of the earliest 7Bs produced.

The Cabriolet was bought in Poitiers at the end of 1999 before a protracted restoration commenced the following summer. The engine was sent off to Paris to be rebuilt, with the bodywork seen to in Uzerche in 2008. Finally, the steering box was reinstalled in the middle of 2013 to complete the overhaul. Chassis 016315 was then sold in October 2013, at which point it was acquired by The Curated Collection. A rare and desirable pre-war car, this Cabriolet would be the perfect car for the summer.
To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/auctions/pa25/.