No discussion of 20th century automotive innovation is complete without the inclusion of Citroën. While the sublime DS and utilitarian 2CV tend to be recipients of most of the love, neither would have been possible without the Traction Avant. As its name suggests, the Traction Avant was Citroën's very first front-wheel-drive car, it also boasted monocoque construction and all-round independent suspension.

The 1934 Citroen Traction Avant took all three of these technologies into the mainstream,  wrapping them into a package that was both attractive and accessible, producing it en masse borrowing Henry Ford’s mass production techniques. 

Right-hand drive examples were built at Citroën Cars LTD of Slough in Berkshire, England. The Slough versions of the regular Traction Avant were called the 'Light Fifteen' and the long wheelbase model was called the 'Big Fifteen', as offered here. They're distinguished by their wooden dashboard, an upgrade over French-built examples. 

This low-mileage, low-ownership and highly presentable Traction Avant ‘Big Fifteen’ rolled off the Slough production line in early February, 1955 and received its first UK registration later that month. During the intervening 67 years, the car has been lovingly enjoyed by just five previous keepers.

In UTF 790 we have a healthy and well-presented 1955 example of one of Citroën’s finest creations. It presents superbly throughout, ready for its next custodian.

The front-wheel drive layout and lack of a separate chassis means the Traction Avant is irrefutably sleek and chic for its era; place it next to a conventional model of a similar age and it appears low-slung and positively rakish. There were practical advantages, too – the weight-saving from a separate chassis improved performance and economy and the lack of a transmission tunnel meant the interior could have a low floor and cavernous passenger space.

This car's metallic blue paintwork gleams to a high standard and all the brightwork shines as intended. A cursory glance down each flank of the car shows no evidence of damage and the front number plate, bumper and valance – for all their vulnerability – remain in remarkably good condition. There are a few blemishes to the paintwork, evidenced in the gallery below, but their respective repairs would present little challenge to a professional body shop. The front and rear lights are clear and all electrics are said to be in working order. The astute will have noticed the VW Beetle rear lights fitted by a previous keeper which offer greater visibility and safety than the original units.

The original interior reflects its ‘lovingly and lightly used’ condition throughout its life and promises to be a delightful place in which to spend some immersive road time.

The cabin is swathed in light-cream leather and plush carpeted floor coverings. The full-width wooden dashboard houses a full complement of Jaeger instruments and the leather-clad door cards present remarkably well for their age, as does the very tidy roof liner.

We're informed that this Citroën has been used for weddings on several occasions; a task it has taken in its stride, proving particularly well-suited.

We understand this Citroën to be in good running, driving order, having been well-maintained for many years. These cars are renowned for their usability, especially considering their age. Despite having only three forward speeds, top gear is well-suited to cruising and many Traction Avant owners report that they manage to use their cars a great deal.

The engine bay is very tidy and clean and, like the immediately visible parts of this Traction Avant, the underside of the car presents in good order with the usual degree of natural oxidation that may reasonably be expected on a car of this age and mileage.

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