Citroen was founded in 1919 in France. Its founder was the engineer and entrepreneur Andre Gustave Citroen. The plant created inexpensive machines for the general public. The first name of the company was "AO Citroen".

As a rule, historical and iconic brands can be found among car brands. Both terms are applicable to Citroen - its products combined the quality brands traditional for cars, at the same time developing, outstripping competitors. Vehicles of this brand have served not only the people, but also the government of France for decades. Drivers call Citroen cars "sent from above".

Citroen manufactures cars that are available to a wide range of motorists

Founder biography

Frenchman André Citroën was born in 1878. His father, Levi Citroen, was an entrepreneur. He processed precious stones, subsequently selling them. The business was developing successfully - there was enough money to support the family. Yet Levy did not feel influential enough in his field. Andre was 6 years old when the father of the family took his own life. As an inheritance, the father of the family left a large fortune, as well as, no less important, ties with industrial and financial figures in Paris. In the 19th century, a tradition was developed according to which the sons continued to run the family business, but the young Citroen was more interested in technology, including cars.

After graduating from the polytechnic school, Andre got a job with his friends in the workshop. So, at 23, he became a specialist in the production of parts for locomotives. After four years of work in the firm, he invests all the remaining inheritance in the company's securities and becomes a co-owner of the Estenov business.

While in Poland, André drew attention to a small factory, where an unknown self-taught mechanic, among other units, invented gears. Citroen realized that this technology would be promising, so he decided to acquire a patent for its implementation. Continuing his career in the Estenov business, Andre sets up the creation of gears at their plant. This technology was much more advanced than the products of the company's competitors. The new level of production allowed the business to acquire customers outside France in a short time. This brought the business serious profits.

Around the same time, the company developed what the French call the "double chevron". In appearance, it looks like two inverted letters "V", which schematically conveys the image of the tapered ends of the gears.

In the company Andre was engaged not only in commercial activities, but also took on the duties of the technical director. In a short time, he got rid of all competitors - rapidly developing technologies have left no equal in the market. Citroen gained an excellent reputation, which was noticed by the managers of the Mors plant. They invited him to the post of technical director. Andre accepted the application, after which the Mors level began to rise.

During the First World War, Citroen did not stop realizing his entrepreneurial plans. He realized that the French army was short of ammunition at the front. In this regard, André offers the Minister of War a deal, according to which a plant for the production of shells will be created. The large-scale project had to be completed in just three months - there was little time. After much deliberation, the state agreed to work with Citroen, providing it with financing in the form of 20% of the amount that was needed for the construction. The remaining 80% of the funds Andre borrowed from workers in various industries.

Indeed, in three months on the empty banks of the Seine River a large factory was set up, which produced more ammunition than all the French enterprises combined. Citroën saw the high level of organization as the reason for its success.

Creation of the car brand Citroen

After the end of the First World War, production at André's factory ceased. He decided how to use the production facilities - a professional team, premises, machines and his own experience, as well as the proceeds from the shells. One of the most promising areas was the production of transport. Citroen was intimately familiar with cars, so he decided to invest money and time.

Andre's first idea was to create a complex and technologically advanced 18-horsepower car. Later, under the influence of the principle of production he saw at the Henry Ford plant in America, he decided that more success could be achieved by focusing on the mass market. In 1919, with the help of the French designer Jules Solomon (the creator of the car La Zebre), he began to create cars at his factory. Production began with one test model, but the more they grew, the more cars were considered a mass commodity rather than an outlandish technique.

The first model was called Citroen A. It had a volume of 1.3 liters and had a power of 10 horsepower, developing a speed of 65 km / h. The first model in Europe had an electric starter and lighting. Small cars were in great demand - with the production of 100 copies a day, the plant still did not have time to supply everyone with cars. The Type A was priced at 7,950 francs - available at the time. No competitor company could offer motorists the same low price, which inevitably led Citroen to success. They received over 16,000 purchase requisitions in two weeks.

In the same 1919, the company was negotiating the sale of the Citroen brand to General Motors. Both sides agreed, but the deal did not materialize, as the Americans considered such an acquisition too heavy a burden on the budget.

Thus, at 41, André marked the beginning of the transport revolution in France. In order to delve deeper into the technology of car production, as well as to peep the principles of competitors' work, Andre Citroen secretly disassembled American models of cars that were popular at that time at his factory. Among them were Buick, Nash, and Studebreaker. For four years of work, Citroen has developed production, producing 300 cars a day.

By the end of the 1920s, the company had representative centers in every major country in Europe. To make it more convenient for Citroen drivers to service their cars, aggregate warehouses were built throughout France. In 1921, over 3,000 models were exported.

Meanwhile, the company has developed a new runabout called the 5CV. This simple and reliable car has received the status of "people's". He drove well on dirt roads. Without front brakes, the car was equipped with front and rear springs. A few years later, the model was updated to versions B12 and B14. The models have been sold for over 135 thousand euros in 2 years. They have increased the popularity of Citroen.

Further development, difficulties and death of Andre

In 1931, the company introduced a new model - Citroen Grand Lux. This car has become a premium brand. It was equipped with a 2.7-liter engine, which was a real revolution in the mechanical engineering market in France. By 1933, Citroën had taken the first place among all car factories in Europe, ahead of Italian Fiat. In the same year, production reached 1,100 vehicles per day.

In 1934, the demand for Citroen cars fell. This turned out to be a real shock for the company, because quite recently it showed positive dynamics. By that time, all the brand's assets were allocated to the creation of new service centers and factories, so the company was close to bankruptcy. The global financial crisis has become a separate factor. A bankruptcy procedure was initiated, after two months of which the Michelin manufacturer acquired 60% of Citroen's shares. So, the company managed to remain independent from 1919 until that time.

André didn’t see the revolutionary concept of a front-wheel drive car. This technology Citroen adheres to this day. The founder of the great company died in 1935. French journalists circulated three versions that influenced Andre's death: an incurable illness, financial difficulties and the death of his daughter. The contribution to the development of the automotive industry, which the entrepreneur made over 26 years of work in the field of vehicles, immortalized his name in history.

Over the years, Citroen created a new car. The SM was made in collaboration with Maserati and had a 170 hp engine. from. with 6 valves. The model was equipped with disc brakes on wheels on both axles and air suspension. This is how SM earned its position among the best coupes in the GT class.

Over time, Andre's idea became a reality - the company paid more and more attention to the production of high-tech, but expensive models. Such cars were original and had almost no competitors in the whole world. The founder himself believed that with a good idea of \u200b\u200bthe car, its price does not matter. Unfortunately, extravagant cars did not generate much income - most of the drivers were working class. The situation was aggravated by the oil crisis, which seriously undermined the sales of demanding Citroen. The brand had to join the mass market, otherwise they were threatened with ruin. The image of innovators has been lost for years.

In 1974, Citroen teamed up with the Peugeot automobile concern, pursuing pragmatic goals. This finally deprived the company of the title of a technology revolutionary, because now the products were regulated by the interests of two factories. Otherwise, such cooperation allowed Citroen to survive the crisis.

Only by the beginning of the 90s, the brand was again able to "leave" on originality. The trend for unusual cars again went around the world, which allowed the extravagant Citroen models to win the respect of the public again. One of the most important stages of the company's revival in the market was the decision of the director: he concentrated the plant's efforts on the development of various designs for each line of cars. Thus, each series received an appearance that was very different from any other. The new XM model has an excellent chassis system and elegant design.

Citroen's current market position

In the first half of the nineties, the company produced the Santia, Berlingo and Saxo models. In parallel with this, a series of cars for sports competitions were being prepared. Work on different directions yielded results: models C4, C3 and C5 came out, which belonged to the European system.

In 2004, Sébastien Loeb, a racing driver from France, won the WRC racing tournament. He was driving the Casar model. Then Sebastian confirmed his status several times, but at C4, C3 and DS3. Taking part in 12 races and winning 9 of them, the driver set the record for wins in the entire history of the WRC, representing his country and Citroen.

Given the success in the sports car segment, the company has released sports modifications to many of its models. In 2007, the company's first crossover was released, which was created on the basis of the Mitsubishi Outlander. In 2011, another model came out, which took a high place in sales in the French market.

Citroën relied on original design. The development of the cars was supported by Peugeot, so the company was able to reduce the cost of updates. So, in 2013, the five-seater Picasso came out. In 2014, a new version of it appeared - C4 Grand C4 Picasso. The car had seven seats, including the driver's. The model had not only a special appearance, but also a wide electronic functionality and good environmental performance. By 2014, the line has collected more than 65,000 applications with orders - the models have become popular all over the world, mainly with large families.

Advertising moves André

As a seasoned entrepreneur, Citroen understood that making cars and selling them were two completely different tasks. So, the growing pace of assembly (60 thousand copies in 1925 and 100 thousand in 1929) needed an implementation scheme. Andre's first project was the release of toy Citroen models, which were small copies of real cars. In order to increase brand awareness and be in public view, André ordered road signs with the Citroen symbol - a double chevron - for the city transport services.

Thus, a significant part of the budget of the automobile company was constantly in advertising circulation. One of the projects was an "advertising run" - drivers equipped for a trip went on long routes, to
loudspeaker telling the townspeople about the benefits of their company's products. During stops, they made presentations to citizens and held lotteries. André was convinced that a live car demo was the best way to get potential buyers interested. Practice shows that from 3 to 15% of eyewitnesses of the races went home in a newly purchased Citroen.

Back in 1929, Andre created an exhibition hall with a height of six tiers, one of the walls of which was a 21 x 10 meter showcase, entirely made of glass. This design attracted many visitors who could see all the available cars of the firm in one place. André also provided loans on favorable terms for motorists and guided tours of the production facilities.

Once an enterprising businessman heard about an English pilot who, using his plane, painted various images and words in the sky. André decided that his company also needed a similar service. He told the pilot to leave a white trail in the sky in the form of "Citroen". Despite the fact that the inscription remained in the air for a few minutes, word of the car brand spread throughout the world. The huge investment in the pilot's pay quickly paid off.

One of Andre's most massive projects was the idea of \u200b\u200bthe Eiffel Tower. It contained more than 125,000 light bulbs, which, when various levers were turned on, formed ten pictures, among which was the name of an automobile company. Both Parisians and tourists alike - everyone loved this installation.

The campaign in which Citroen supplied cars for racing events such as races in the Sahara and Asia, as well as parcels with gramophone recordings of audio commercials for cars, all this made it possible by 1934 to take the first place in Europe and second in the world in the field of mechanical engineering.

Andre was constantly in debt to various financiers. His projects were risky, but in most cases paid off, after which Citroen started a new advertising campaign. One of the projects, though related to the construction of more services and factories, turned out to be critical in the history of the company. A serious financial crisis deprived Andre of almost all funds. Many attempts to attract material support failed, after which Citroen went bankrupt.

Conclusion

André's work has become a vivid example of the fact that devotion to what he loves can create a real revolution in one or another area of \u200b\u200blife. Of course, he would not have succeeded without the ability to make decisions on time, as well as develop advertising campaigns. Citroen cars in our time are known for originality and broad functionality - factors that Andre himself did not have time to implement.

Serial assembly of Citroen C4 cars. According to the General Director of the Russian representative office of Citroen Henri Ribot, the model produced at the plant was adapted to the road and climatic conditions of our country. In particular, she received a retuned suspension and a ground clearance increased by ten millimeters.

Especially for the domestic market, Citroen has prepared an Optima package, which includes climate control, 16-inch wheels, side airbags, curtain airbags, and leather steering wheel trim. Optima prices start at 590 thousand rubles, and the cheapest version - Confort - will cost 559 thousand rubles. In addition, this car is attractive because it can be purchased under a recycling program for old cars.

Meanwhile, Russian buyers are more interested in whether Russian-made cars differ in quality from foreign analogues? We tried to figure it out during a visit to the plant.

Were not mistaken with the timing

The plans of the PSA Peugeot Citroen alliance to build a plant in Russia became [known] (/ news / 2006/06/06 / psarus) in 2006. At the same time, [Russian officials] (/ news / 2006/09/06 / psarus) of various levels and [representatives] (/ news / 2007/05/03 / psaru) of the alliance said that the new enterprise could be located in Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, St. Petersburg, Pskov, Moscow region, Saratov region and the Republic of Tatarstan.

The exact location was not known during the [signing] (/ news / 2007/06/10 / peugeot) agreement between PSA and the Ministry of Economic Development in June 2007. The French were satisfied with the territory that the Nizhny Novgorod region could provide, but the regional authorities soon [refused] (/ news / 2007/12/27 / psa) to cooperate, considering that PSA requests are changing "with alarming frequency and regularity." What exactly frightened Nizhny Novgorod was not reported, but the government of the Kaluga region was loyal to the same requests, where the construction of the plant began in June 2008.

A month earlier, in May, Mitsubishi, which planned to assemble Outlander SUVs on site, had [announced] (/ news / 2008/05/19 / joint) its participation in the construction of the plant. In early 2009, when the car markets around the world were showing a sharp decline, the Japanese decided to temporarily withdraw from their participation in this venture. Meanwhile, PSA did not intend to deviate from its plans and during 2009 continued construction of the plant, [promising] (/ news / 2009/02/09 / psaru) that from the second half of 2010 the enterprise will start producing cars.

As a result, the French managed to complete the construction ahead of schedule. And they did it at an extremely successful moment for automakers: the car market in Russia just began to revive. The main reason for this, of course, was the state [program] (/ articles / 2010/06/04 / util) recycling old cars, but analysts in March began to note an increase in demand for those cars that were not covered by the program.

Already in March 2010, the PCMA Rus plant started a test assembly of cars, and since April the first serial Peugeot 308 has left the assembly line (/ news / 2010/04/23 / psa).

In five hours

Currently, the PCMA Rus plant, which assembles two models - Peugeot 308 and Citroen C4, operates in screwdriver assembly mode. Here from the French PSA plant in Mulhouse, car kits come with a finished body and a fully equipped interior. Front axle with engine, rear axle and transmission are delivered separately in wooden boxes.

After a batch of bodies arrives at the plant, they are inspected for damage that may have occurred during transportation. The defective cars are sent back to France, the rest are sent to the warehouse, from where they are delivered to the conveyor. Moreover, in winter, the bodies and engines must stand in a heated room for at least three hours so that their temperature equals the temperature in the workshop.

On the conveyor, the car goes through several stages, each of which takes the workers no more than five minutes: first, the front axle with the engine and the transmission are screwed onto the car, then the rear axle, then electrical wires are laid, and so on. Finished cars are sent to the post, where an automated computer system checks the camber alignment of the car, as well as the setting of the headlights.

The next stage is quality control, during which the car is searched for damage to the body that may have occurred during the production process, as well as during transportation of the car. Cars with scratches are sent to a small paint shop, after which the car is checked again. The final stage of production is testing at the test site, where the work of the technical "filling" of the car is checked.

As a result, it takes 4-5 hours of net time to assemble one car from the moment of unloading its components from the container to loading the finished product onto the auto transporter. When working in two shifts, the plant produces up to 150 vehicles per day. On July 19, the third shift was introduced here, after which the productivity increased to 200 cars per day.

So far, the plant produces only French brands, and with the launch of the assembly of the Mitsubishi Outlander SUV in autumn, it will account for 20 percent of the total production. The rest of the time the conveyors will be occupied by Peugeot and Citroens.

Like in France

According to the general director of the plant, Didier Alten, the French understand that even with a screwdriver assembly, the human factor plays an important role in the quality of a car. If unskilled employees work at the plant, then Russian-assembled machines will be worse than their foreign counterparts, which means they will be unclaimed by buyers.

In order to avoid such a problem, all new employees, before starting work at the plant, undergo training at a specialized center located in Kaluga. Here employees are told about the main stages of car assembly, and then they are trained in practice how to properly assemble cars. For this, the center has test models that are already being produced and which are planned to be put on the conveyor in the near future. The training lasts five weeks. During this time, employees must learn to perform actions in a specific sequence and in a strictly allotted time, as required by production. At the plant, there is no "specialization" among shop operators: the same worker must be equally good at screwing bolts and laying electrical wires.

The teachers who follow the students' progress are French, who have previously worked in other Peugeot and Citroen training centers around the world. In addition, at the PCMA Rus plant itself, the work of the assembly shop operators is monitored by French specialists who are entrusted with supervisory functions.

In addition to quality checks, which are carried out on all vehicles after they have rolled off the assembly line, the French regularly carry out quality audits. They select eight cars every day and find out if the inspectors missed any assembly defects.

Currently, 70 percent of the plant's products do not need to be refined after they leave the assembly line. For a young plant, this is a good indicator, says Didier Alten, but in the future, as the experience of the workers grows, it should increase and strive for one hundred percent.

Full cycle

Since September 2010, the plant plans to establish a screwdriver assembly of the Citroen C-Crosser and Peugeot 4007 crossovers, a little later the Mitsubishi Outlander SUV will join them. In total, in 2010 the plant plans to produce 20 thousand cars, and in 2011 - up to 45 thousand.

From the second quarter of 2012, the enterprise will start production of a full cycle, when body painting and equipment of the car interior will be produced on its own territory. Currently, new workshops are being built next to the existing site, which are planned to be commissioned by the end of 2011.

In two years, the total area of \u200b\u200bthe plant will be one hundred thousand square meters, and the number of employees will be increased to three thousand people. The production capacity at the first stage will be 120 thousand vehicles per year, in the future it can be increased to 300 thousand. The investment is estimated at 500 million euros.

At the same time, the cars of these three brands have every chance to withstand the test: even now the PCMA Rus plant is called one of the most technically advanced and favorable for work - along with the Volkswagen plant, which is located several tens of kilometers from the French-Japanese plant.

In 1919, Citroen was founded, one of the largest car companies in Europe. The first model of the brand became one of the most popular cars of the 20th century. The compact Citroen A was equipped with a 1.3-liter power unit with a capacity of 18 horsepower. The combination of a light body, a powerful and reliable engine, as well as a low price of the model, ensured the great popularity of Citroen cars.

After the first success, the brand began to create several cars at once, the founder of the company Andre Citroën was fascinated by the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating such a car that could become a platform for creating several models. At the same time, the production of Model A exceeded one hundred copies per day. However, in 1921, the Citroën 5 CV Trefle was introduced, which timely replaced the Model A, as its sales rate gradually fell.

In parallel, it was André Citroën who became the first in the world to apply PR solutions in the automotive field, which led to the brand gaining popularity far beyond France. By the end of the 20s, Citroen had offices in all major European countries.

In 1929, two models were presented at once - B12 and B14, which won the title of the most comfortable cars of their time. This was confirmed by the sales of Citroen cars, which sold 135 thousand in just two years of production. And in 1931, the next model, Citroen Grand Lux, was presented, which became the company's first premium car. The car was equipped with a 2.7-liter power unit, revolutionary for the European market, with a capacity of 53 horsepower. By 1933, Citroën, under André's leadership, had become the largest car manufacturer on the continent, surpassing the Italian FIAT and bringing car production to 1,100 units per day.

However, already in 1934, the demand for cars of the Citroen company unexpectedly dropped, which by that time had invested all its assets in the creation of new factories and technology centers, thus the company was on the verge of bankruptcy. One of the reasons for such a rapid collapse was the global economic crisis. Two months after the start of the bankruptcy procedure, 60% of the shares were bought by Michelin, a rubber manufacturer.

A few months later, the founder of the company, Andre Citroen, dies. Nevertheless, the heirs of the legend of the automotive industry, tried to rectify the situation, which took them two decades. In 1955, the Citroen DS model was introduced, which became very popular in the automotive market in France and Italy. For the first time, the company was able to make a profit, which has not happened for more than twenty years. However, the period from 1955 to 1969 was not successful for Citroen. In 1976, the Citroen brand became part of the then largest car maker in France - Peugeot.

In the first half of the 90s of the twentieth century, the Citroen brand produced models such as Santia, Saxo and Berlingo, gradually regaining their former greatness. In addition, active preparations have begun for participation in several racing series. At the same time, several models of different classes are born at once. The first of these was the Citroen C4 model, which belongs to the compact C class according to the European classification, followed by the C3 - B class, and the C5 - D class.

In 2004, just two years after starting the World Rally Championship, French driver Sebastien Loeb, at the wheel of Citroën Casara, becomes the winner of the general classification. This was followed by his victories on cars C4, C3 and DS3, bringing the total win to 9. Thus, taking part in 12 championship seasons, was the record for the most victories in the history of the WRC.

The lineup of the company, against the backdrop of successes in car competitions, was replenished with sports versions of famous models, and in 2007, the first Citroen crossover, built on the Mitsubishi Outlander platform, was presented. In 2011, another compact crossover model was introduced, which became one of the most popular cars in the French market for 2012.

The new direction of the company was the creation of a unique design. Due to the fact that all technological developments were carried out jointly with Peugeot, they did not require colossal investments.

In 2013, the Citroën C4 Picasso (five-seater version) was released, which soon, already in 2014, acquired the “older brother” Citroën Grand C4 Picasso with increased capacity (by seven seats). The modernized version was a real leap forward and gave all subsequent models a completely new and sophisticated design. The car is designed on the EMP2 platform, thanks to which the drivers of the novelty have reduced the amount of harmful emissions into the atmosphere. This model was distinguished not only by its perfect appearance, but also by the introduction of a huge number of modern technologies. For example, a user-friendly touchscreen display that allows you to control all on-board systems.

It is worth noting that the 2013 and 2014 versions were able to collect more than 65 thousand orders. Cars began to be in great demand among large families.

The French company Citroen, which produces passenger cars, although it does not lead the ratings of world car markets, presents in Europe models that find many of its admirers. Citroen cars are characterized by chic design and decent technical stuffing at a quite reasonable price.

The cars are highly reliable: engines, braking and control systems are made at the highest level. The engine starts easily at temperatures down to -30 degrees. Most models have a convenient climate control system that works in several directions. The driver and passengers can set their own suitable mode. A comfortable armrest is mounted between the front seats, the position of which can be adjusted. The premium models are equipped with a modern audio system, massage seats, cruise control and air conditioning.

Citroen history

The history of Citroen will soon celebrate its centenary, and it can be conditionally divided into several eras.

Its creator, Andre Citroën, spent several years studying possible methods of mass production of cars, conducting tests on cars of famous brands and studying their design.

As the technical director of the automobile company Mors, Citroen brings together a group of engineers with the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating a new high-performance car. In 1919, Citroën founded the Citroën joint-stock company and produced the first and inexpensive serial car produced in Europe at the Paris plant.

This model was successful for its simplicity and ease of handling, was equipped with a soft suspension and a four-cylinder engine.

Further, Citroen is rapidly developing, new car models are being developed, subsidiaries are being created in Europe, an international dealer network is being developed, the number of factories producing cars is increasing.

In 1934, the revolutionary Traction Avant was released, which opened the era of front-wheel drive cars. However, its costly production during the Great Depression led the company to financial failure and Citroen came under full financial control of Michelin.

In 1948, the company, for the sake of the villagers, produces a budget car that is not remarkable either in design or in power, but at the same time it is inexpensive and highly economical. This model has gained popularity for many years due to its simplicity and low cost of maintenance.

The next stage in the development of the Citroen company began in 1976, when the PSA holding was created on the basis of Citroen and Peugeot companies, but at the same time Citroen retained its car brand.

Where Citroen is assembled

The desire of the future car owner to know where Citroen is assembled is quite justified, because the quality and the country of production are currently interconnected.