Automobile, Citroën, Traction Avant

History: The Citroën Traction Avant was a range of mostly 4-door saloons and executive cars, with four or six-cylinder engines, produced by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1934 to 1957. Approximately 760,000 units were produced.
Traction Avant was not the official name and the cars were designated by their fiscal horsepower: Citroën 7CV, 11CV (4 cyl.) or 15CV (6 cyl.). It was available in 3 different wheelbases: short (7 and 11-light), normal (11 and 15) and long (11-long and 15 limousine).

The Traction Avant pioneered mass-production of three revolutionary innovations widely adopted since, and still used today: front-wheel drive, four-wheel independent suspension, and the use of a crash resistant, unitary, monocoque body. Additionally, the car was one of the earliest mass-production adopters of rack and pinion steering.
Although the car's name emphasized its front-wheel drive power delivery ("Traction Avant" literally means front-wheel drive) – the car stood out at least as much by its much lower profile and stance – made possible by the absence of a separate chassis under the car's unitary body – sharply distinguishing it visually from its contemporaries.

From Wikipedia

Railroad/Company: Citroën is a French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group since 1976, founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën (1878–1935). In 1934, the firm established its reputation for innovative technology with the Traction Avant. This car was the world's first mass-produced front wheel drive car (traction avant, in French), and also one of the first to feature a unitary type body, with no chassis supporting the mechanical components.

In 1954 they produced the world's first hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension system then, in 1955, the revolutionary DS, the first mass-produced car with modern disc brakes and, in 1967, they introduced in several of their models swiveling headlights that allowed for greater visibility on winding roads; these cars have received various national and international awards, including three European Car of the Year.

With a successful history in motorsport, Citroën is the only automobile manufacturer to have won three different official championships from the International Automobile Federation: the World Rally Raid Championship five times, the World Rally Championship eight times and the World Touring Car Championship. Citroën has been selling vehicles in China since 1984, largely via the Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën joint venture, which today represents a major market for the brand.