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The 11
CV was launched in 1935 - longer and wider than the 7CV, it was fitted
with the 1 911 cm3 engine of the 7 Sport and "pausodyne" engine mountings.
The 7
Sport was renamed the 11 Légère and was available as a 4
door berline, a faux cabriolet or a cabriolet.
The 11
was also available as a berline, faux cabriolet, cabriolet and coupé
de ville and also in long wheelbase form as a 5/6 seat conduite intérieure,
7/9 seat familaile (the predecessor of today's MPVs?)and a 5 seat coupé
de ville.
Also in
1935, the V8
22CV was announced but never made it into production.
The 7B
was replaced by the 7C halfway at the end of 1935. Fitted with a
new 1 628cm3 engine and telescopic as opposed to friction dampers, it was
available in berline, faux cabriolet and cabriolet body styles.
In 1936,
all the Traction Avant cars were fitted with rack and pinion steering and
the grille was painted instead of chrome-plated as previously. An
externally opening boot was fitted to the berlines - hitherto access to
the boot was from inside the car.
In 1937,
the 11 Légère became the 11 BL while the 11 became the 11B.
In 1938,
a six cylinder model, the 15 Six was launched although only 90 were sold
in 1938. The body was derived from that of the 11B but the bonnet
was longer and fitted with cooling grilles as opposed to the opening flaps
of the four cylinder models. The chevrons were mounted behind the
radiator air intake. Fitted with a 2,8 litre, six cylinder engine
developing 77 bhp, the 15 Six had a top speed of 130 kph. It was
available as a berline, cabriolet, conduite intérieure and familiale.
Michelin
Pilote wheels were fitted to all Tractions.
Full scale
production of the 15 Six began in 1939.
The 7C
became the 7C Economique in 1939 and was so-named because it was 10% more
economical than its predecessor thanks to changes in carburation.
The 11BL
and 11 B acquired an extra 10 bhp and had the suffix "Performance" appended
to their names in 1939. A conduite intérieure Commerciale
version of the 11B Performance was also launched in 1939 and comprised
the long wheelbase body shell fitted with a fifth door at the rear (the
first hatchback?).
Between
1940 and 1946, production all but ceased. The cabriolets were dropped
and only a few hundred cars were built including ten 15 Six Limousines.
After
the war, production recommenced and Citroën showed three models at
the 1946 Paris Salon - the 11 Légère, the 11 Normale and
the 15 Six with only a berline being available. The 11s acquired
the lateral air vents of the 15 Six. This latter model became the
15 Six D in the summer of 1947 - the rotation direction of the engine was
changed and a new gearbox with a lower second gear ratio was fitted.
The Michelin Pilote wheels were replaced by plain steel wheels with a small
chromed hubcap.
In 1948,
the 11 was available only in black - a state of affairs that would continue
until 1953. A shade of grey remained available on the 15 Six.
A new
grille was fitted to the 11 Normale in 1949.
The range
remained effectively unchanged until 1953 whan an extended boot was fitted
and 11s were available in dark grey.
In 1954,
the 15 Six H was launched, fitted withhydropneumatic
rear suspension .
The 11s acquired an extra 2 bhp. The 11 Normale became available
as an eight seat familiale and conduite intérieure Commerciale and
purchasers were no longer restricted to black coachwork.
In 1955,
the 11D Légère and 11 D Normale replaced the 11L and 11BL.
Fitted with a redesigned "D" engine, power was increased to 60 bhp.
With the
launch of the DS19
, production of the 15 Six ceased. The 11s soldiered on until their
replacement in 1957 by the ID19.
The Traction Avant cars were also built in Slough in England both pre and post war as well as in Belgium.
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