In the case of The Manor of the Automobile – or Le Manoir de L’Automobile – looks can be deceptive. Arriving from the pretty Brittany village of Lohéac – and ignoring the obvious clue of the circuit on the right-hand side – you might think you’ve arrived at a farmhouse for Cidre Breton and crepes.
But behind the pretty facade is one of the most remarkable car museums in Europe, with more than 400 vehicles of all types, ages and nationalities on display. Our recent visit to the Conservatoire Citroen presented us with the perfect excuse to drop in on this magnificent museum.
The French connection
Through the dimly-lit reception area and past the obligatory shop, you’re presented with a hall of French veteran and vintage cars, appropriately named the Hall of Ancestors.
Around thirty years ago, The Manor of the Automobile was still a farm. Michel Hommell, who had been collecting cars since the age of 18, purchased the site with a view to housing his ever-growing collection in one place. It took 15 years to complete, with the vehicles displayed in 15,000m2 of exhibition space.
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Citroen Traction Avant
Turn the first corner and you’re greeted with the sight of a pair of Citroen Traction Avants. It’s considered to be the godfather of the modern automobile and was the first mass-produced front-wheel drive car.
A pair of Panhards
Today, the Panhard name exists as a part of Renault Trucks Defense, but the French carmaker stopped building cars in the late 60s. Some 130,000 PL17s were sold, before production ceased in 1965.
Alpine
The display of Alpine cars is the first hint that the museum might be about to send your jaw hurtling towards the polished floor. It’s a sea of Alpine Blue and yellow headlights, flanked by backlit dealership logos.
Alpine A110
The Alpine A110 was based on the Renault 8 Gordini and proved to be a formidable force on the world rally stage. A new version was unveiled at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show and will hit the roads before the end of the year.
Jaguar XJR-11
From the days when tobacco sponsorship was still permitted and delivered a number of iconic deliveries. The Silk Cut Jaguar XJR-11 must be up there with the Marlboro McLaren and John Player Special Lotus.
Audi Quattro S1
The Manor’s Group B display is worth the $12 entry fee alone. If the Audi Quattro S1 doesn’t grab you…
Nissan 240RS
How about this Nissan 240RS? The rear-wheel drive Group B rally car was powered by a 2.4-litre engine and was Nissan’s entry from 1983 to 1985.
Lancia 037
It’s a Martini Racing overload, with Markku Alén’s Lancia 037 and a Lancia Delta S4. Alén and Lancia were joined at the hip throughout the 1980s.
Renault 5 Maxi Turbo
In 1986, Carlos Sainz and Antonio Boto finished second in the Spanish Rally Championship in this Renault 5 Maxi Turbo. Check out the videos on YouTube for the vehicle in action.
MG Metro 6R4
Also in 1986, Didier Auriol won the French National Championship in this MG Metro 6R4.
Ford RS200
Kalle Grundel drove this Ford RS200 to third place in the 1986 Swedish Rally, his best ever Group B finish.
Peugeot 205 T16
It needs no introduction, does it? The Peugeot 205 T16 won the World Rally Championship in 1985 and 1986.
Le Manoir de L’Automobile also includes halls dedicated to Ferrari, Lamborghini, French cars, Formula 1 and more. Look out for our full gallery on MSN Cars soon.
Consumer interest in electric vehicles has resulted in used car values increasing by 7% this year, according to Cap HPI. Alternatively fuelled vehicles (AFVs) took a record market share of 4.4% in June, with more than 10,700 of them hitting the roads.
That’s a rise of 29%, with the surge in interest having a knock-on effect on the secondhand market, as supply struggles to keep up with demand.
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Chris Plumb of Cap HPI said: “Interestingly, it appears to be the range-extender models driving the recent strong performance, as values of pure electric have struggled of late. The BMW i3 is a popular choice and is a great secondhand buy. It brings a good level of specification and badge prestige.
“The optional range-extender can increase the range of the BMW i3 in Comfort mode from up to 125 miles to a total of 206 miles. The small, rear-mounted, quiet two-cylinder petrol engine powers a generator that maintains the charge of the battery at a constant level, so that the BMW i3 can continue to drive electrically.”
The BMW i3 and Nissan Leaf are named as Cap HPI’s used electric vehicle best buys, with a longer range the key to higher values.
Range
Model/trim
Cost new
15/15 20,000 miles
BMW i3
5-dr Auto (13-16) [170]
£30,925
£14,650
BMW i3
Range Extender 5-dr auto (13-16) [170]
£34,075
£18,400
Nissan Leaf
Tekna 5-dr Auto (15–) [109]
£30,535
£9,900
Nissan Leaf
Tekna 30kWh 5-dr auto (15–) [109]
£31,435
£12,200
A Nissan Leaf with the 30kWh battery pack offers a claimed range of 155 miles, which is 31 miles more than the smaller capacity – but cheaper – 24kWh version. But while there’s a saving of around £1,000 at the point of purchase, the 30kWh Leaf retains more value on the secondhand market.
Aston Martin has presented its Valkyrie hypercar, designed by F1 legend Adrian Newey, in near-production form, and also treated us to a look at the production-intent interior for the first time. Expected to cost well over £2 million, with just 150 to be built, the Valkyrie is set to go into production late on in 2018.
Until then, Red Bull’s Newey is going to continue tweaking the design as part of his obsessive approach to perfecting aerodynamics: the Valkyrie is likely to be the most extreme F1-inspired road car the world has ever seen, one that will produce unprecedented levels of downforce at speed.
Aston Martin exterior design director Miles Nurnberger said: “I would say we’re around 95 per cent of the way there with the exterior design. Much of what you see is actually the structure of the car, so this had to be signed-off relatively early in the project. The remaining areas of non-structural bodywork are still subject to evolution and change as Adrian [Newey] continues to explore way of finding more downforce.”
One of the biggest changes to the Valkyrie compared to earlier models are the openings in the body surface between cabin and front wheelarches. While crunching the numbers and running umpteen computer models, Newey found they delivered significant improvements in front downforce. So he insisted they were included: over to the design team to integrate them…
“Ordinarily the last thing we’d want to do to one of our surfaces is cut a hole in it, but these vents work the front wings so much harder that they’ve found a significant gain in front downforce,” said Nurnberger.
“The fact that they are so effective gives them their own functional beauty, but we’ve finessed them without impacting on their functionality. That they also serve as windows through which to view the fabulous wing section front wishbones is a welcome bonus!”
Inside the Aston Martin Valkyrie
The Valkyrie’s interior sits within a teardrop-shaped upper surface and accessed via twin gullwing doors. It’s shaped around two venturi tunnels either side, within which great quantities of air are drawn through the car to feed the massive rear diffuser and create “extraordinary” levels of downforce.
Perhaps inevitably, it’s thus not going to be the largest hypercar interior in the world, but Aston says it will still take two 98th percentile adults, helped by space-saving seats being mounted directly to the tub, and occupants sitting in a laid-back, ‘feet-up’ driving position similar to an F1 racer.
Aston’s interior design director Matt Hill admits “we’ve been fighting for millimetres everywhere, but the battle has been worth it, as it’s been fantastic seeing customers try the interior buck for size. They love the ritual of getting in and how it feels to be sat behind the wheel.
“They’re also genuinely surprised at how the car just seems to swallow them. You really do have to sit in it to believe there is genuine space for two large adults.”
Like a racing car, all the controls are mounted on the steering wheel, and there’s just the one OLED infotainment display in the centre of the car. To make getting in and out easier, and give Valkyrie owners the ultimate desktop trinket, the steering wheel is removable.
Panoramic visibility has been a big focus of the design team, which is why you’ll see two additional screens in the images: these are fed by rearward-facing cameras and replace traditional door mirrors. They’re absolutely essential, too – because of the wraparound cockpit, the Valkyrie doesn’t have a rear window (so legally doesn’t need to have a central rear view mirror either).
Aston Martin Valkyrie: the details
Befitting a genuine Adrian Newey design, the Valkyrie is packed with exquisite details. Take the centre high mounted stop light: it’s set within the tip of the Valkyrie’s central shark fin aero device, and is a tiny 5.5mm wide and 9.5mm high. Or, as Aston proudly points out, the world’s smallest centre high mounted stop light.
Aston Martins always have the ‘wings’ badge on the nose. But Newey felt a normal badge was too heavy, while Aston reckoned a sticker wasn’t posh or high tech enough for the Valkyrie.
The solution? A chemical etched aluminium badge, one 70 microns thick that’s 99.4 percent lighter than a normal badge. 30 percent thinner than a human hair, the badge is stuck on the painted body then covered with smooth lacquer.
Headlights are also up to 40 percent lighter than the world’s lightest headlights currently in production. That’s because they’ve been minimised down to just low and high beam units attached to an anodised aluminium frame – one that, as it’s exposed, is a work of art in itself, says Aston.
The one thing we don’t yet know much of is the Valkyrie’s engine power. The Cosworth V12 will be paired with an electric hybrid drivetrain, to produce well over 1000hp. Given how the target kerbweight is 1000kg, this means performance is likely to be sensational: add in the Valkyrie’s amazing aerodynamics for what could be the most amazing driver’s car the world has ever seen.
Cabbies could save £100 a week by switching to the new, greener black cab. That’s the claim made by the London EV Company (LEVC), the firm behind the TX range-extender taxi.
LEVC, formerly known as the London Taxi Company, says the TX will “transform city living and provide taxi drivers with an average weekly fuel saving of £100 compared with our outgoing diesel model.”
The TX features a battery-electric powertrain paired with a small petrol generator to provide a 400-mile range, including 70 miles of zero-emissions driving. During development, the TX has been tested in the heat of the Arizona desert and freezing temperatures of the Arctic Circle. So it should be fine handling a trip ‘south of the river’ at 3am.
LEVC will start taking orders in August 2017, which is perfect timing given Transport for London’s decision to ban new diesel taxis from the capital from 1 January 2018. All taxis presented for licensing for the first time will need to be zero-emissions capable and emit up to 50g/km CO2 with a minimum 30-mile zero-emission range.
Crucially, a zero-emissions capable taxi must be petrol if an internal combustion engine is used, signalling the beginning of the end for diesel-powered black cabs. TfL will provide grants of £3,000, on top of the Office for Low Emission Vehicle’s plug-in car grant, towards the purchase of a zero-emission capable taxi from mid-2017 to 2020.
Geely, which owns Volvo, has invested £325 million in the LEVC TX and has used the unveiling to announce details of an initial order for 225 vehicles from RMC, one of the Netherlands’ largest taxi operators. The company will also act as importer for the Netherlands.
Safety first
Unsurprisingly, given the Volvo connection, the TX has been designed to be one of the safest vehicles on London’s streets, and the interior will be familiar to anyone with experience of the Swedish firm’s current range.
The larger, portrait-style central touchscreen is present, along with Volvo’s digital instrument cluster, steering wheel and switchgear. The cabin looks a world away from the taxis of old.
The rear-hinged passenger door opens 90º to provide easy access and exit for passengers, while aluminium bonding has been used to offset the weight of the battery, while maintaining vehicle strength.
LEVC is also promising less vibration and noise in the cabin, along with smartphone charging points, on-board wifi and space for six passengers. A retractable integrated ramp will make it quicker and easier for drivers to load passengers in wheelchairs.
But LEVC is keen to point out that the driver will feel just as at home in the TX, with CEO Chris Gubbey saying: “From our heritage as the manufacturer of the iconic London Taxi, we have unparalleled insight into the needs of commercial operators.
“Drawing on the best of British design and engineering as well as technical expertise from our sister company Volvo, our products will help transform city living and provide taxi drivers with an average weekly fuel saving of £100 compared with our outgoing diesel model.”
A ‘fare’ deal?
Prices have not been announced, but various outlets are reporting figures of around £50,000 for the TX. Alan Filsell, a black cab driver, told the Guardian: “They’re talking to us about £50,000 [for the new car]. These are about £43,000,” he said of the TX4 he was driving. “It’s bigger than a mortgage. They [other cab drivers] reckon if the batteries go wrong, it’ll cost £8,000. I do like the look of it, don’t get me wrong.”
Filsell also raised concerns over the charging infrastructure, although 80 dedicated charging points are expected to be installed by the end of this year. For its part, LEVC said the expected increase in vehicle finance will be offset by the lower running costs, along with less maintenance.
From 1 August, LEVC will be providing personalised purchase propositions to drivers, commencing with those who have registered an interest via the TX website.
“Watch this,” says Richard Hammond at the end of the 38-second trailer for the second series of The Grand Tour. He is about to go hillclimbing in the all-electric Rimac Concept One hypercar, and if you’ve been paying attention to the news, you’ll know what happened next.
He could, of course, be referring to the second coming of Amazon Prime’s flagship motoring show, which is returning for a new season later this year. Amazon will be hoping to flog a shed-load of subscriptions off the back of Messrs Clarkson, Hammond and May, and we doubt that the powers that be would have lost too much sleep over the Hamster’s close shave with the Rimac.
There’s no such thing as bad publicity, right? Especially when you’re hoping to shift Amazon Prime membership at £79.99 a year.
The trailer – which is available exclusively to Prime disciples – reveals very little but says quite a lot about the second season. It’s chaotic, manic, OTT and promises more of the same. Oh, and the goat has gone, to be replaced by a monkey.
“A second round of monkey business is just around the corner,” proclaims the frenzied teaser, as it builds up to Hammond’s Swiss incident. It’s not quite the infamous Top Gear’s Patagonia special, complete with H982 FKL number plate and pelting rocks, but it’s sure to put bums on sofas come the autumn, when The Grand Tour is set to return.
Living up to its name, the show will visit the four corners of the globe, dropping in on Switzerland, the grasslands of Mozambique and the world’s largest shopping mall in Dubai. Oh, and let’s not forget the UK’s Eboladrome.
Arctic Monkeys
As for the cars – this is a car show, after all – the trailer reveals the following: Mercedes-AMG GT R, McLaren 720S, Audi TT RS, Lancia 037, Jaguar XJ6 and the Rimac Concept One. Did we mention the Rimac?
Clarkson posted a photo of the Jaguar XJ6 on his Instagram account, with the caption: “My Easter Sunday”. The runway is located in Colorado, and the trailer would suggest he was about to head up into the snow-capped mountains.
The appearance of the Lancia 037 would suggest some kind of Group B tribute, as highlighted by Clarkson’s DriveTribe post, featuring the rally legend lined up alongside an Audi Quattro. Needless to say we doubt these cars will end up being crushed/drowned/torched/wrecked (delete as applicable).
Monkey Man
Aside from that it’s as you were. If you like your motoring show served with tanks, aircraft, pick-up trucks and uncontrollable laughter, you’re in for a treat. If you weren’t a fan of the last series, we doubt this will change your mind.
Over a third of the trailer is devoted to a monkey wandering across the screen before exiting stage right with a number two in his hand. That’s the figure 2, for those with a filthy mind.
With Hammond’s crash, we expect the season premiere to be delayed, with The Grand Tour landing in November 2017.
The new 2018 Audi A8 has been revealed at the glamorous Audi Summit event in Barcelona.
The new rival for the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class is, unsurprisingly, loaded with tech, including a fully autonomous mode that uses Audi’s piloted driver system to control the car entirely at speeds of up to 37mph. This makes it the first car to reach ‘Level 3’ autonomy – ahead of the S-Class and even groundbreaking start-up Tesla.
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Unfortunately, legislation is yet to catch up, so we won’t be able to use all the car’s autonomous features when it arrives in the UK. To counter this, the A8 also uses lower levels of automation to provide a smoother drive. When stopped in traffic, for example, the stop-start system uses sensors to detect when vehicles in front are beginning to move, then starts the engine ahead of setting off.
Smooth operator
Another clever feature is the A8’s electromechanically actuated suspension. This uses a front-mounted camera to monitor the road ahead 18 times a second. If it detects a bump coming up, it prepares the dampers to provide a smoother ride. Sensors can also detect an imminent side-impact crash and raise the A8’s body on one side by as much as 8mm in half a second – transferring the force of the crash to the car’s strongest areas (i.e. the floor and side sills).
Styling is typically Audi, influenced by the Prologue concept revealed at the 2014 LA Auto Show. Despite a coupe-esque roofline, designers say there’s an extra 20mm of headroom in the rear versus the outgoing model, while a higher beltline than previous Audis gives it a more purposeful look. Although its design is far from shocking, it’s quite a handsome car in the metal.
Light fantastic
At the front, the A8 gets Audi’s clever laser lighting, while at the rear an LED light strip with OLED tech performs trick illuminations as the driver approaches the car.
The A8’s bodyshell is a hybrid construction using four different materials: steel, aluminium, magnesium and carbonfibre. This adds up to 282kg minus running gear – 51kg more than the outgoing model. As for the kerb weight… Audi will reveal that in due course.
As seen on screen
The interior is suitably luxurious, and a marked improvement over its ageing predecessor. Audi has paid great attention to detail, while also keeping things simple. A 10.1-inch touchscreen dominates the dash, helping clear it of buttons and switches, while a secondary touchscreen provides controls for the air conditioning and other comfort functions.
Buyers will initially get a choice of two V6 turbocharged engines carried over from its predecessor in the form of a 286hp 3.0-litre diesel and a 340hp 3.0-litre petrol, while an eight-cylinder 4.0-litre turbodiesel producing 435hp will follow next year.
Plug-in planned
A 6.0-litre W12 will eventually top the range, while a plug-in hybrid powertrain combining a 3.0-litre petrol engine with an electric motor to produce 449hp will be launched in future, too. This will provide an electric-only range of 31 miles, while recharging can be carried out using wireless tech.
Prices are yet to be confirmed, but expect a small increase on the A8’s current £63,520 start-price when orders open later in 2017.
Ford has announced the facelifted 2018 Mustang range will feature the tyre-smoking Line-Lock function on all models, including the eco-optimised 2.3-litre EcoBoost turbo. Previously, Line-Lock was only available on the 5.0-litre V8 GT.
What’s more, Ford is also introducing a new 12-inch digital instrument display – complete with an animation of a spinning wheel creating plumes of smoke when Line-Lock is engaged. Proudly, Ford calls this an “industry first”.
The detail of the animation is exquisite: note how the smoke even drifts over the rev counter bar and speedo…
Also note the big red ‘Track Use Only’ disclaimer: Ford insists this is not a feature for road use.
The facelifted 2018 Mustang range, which is headed to U.S. customers first before rolling out in the UK later, will also offer a 10-speed automatic gearbox for the first time, alongside the six-speed manual: again, you can have Line-Lock on either. There’s a smoother new look front and rear, engine power upgrades and, for the GT, both MagneRide adaptive dampers and active valve performance exhaust options available.
The 2018 Mustang will continue to offer the driver-assist functions that recently improved its Euro NCAP rating from two stars to three stars. There’s a possibility this facelifted model could lead to further improvements if and when it’s retested by Euro NCAP at some point in the future, too.
Ford recruited Vaughan Gittin Jr. reigning Formula Drift Champion, to demonstrate Line-Lock. “You’ve got to love these rad things Ford is doing,” he said. “Who would have thought that we would see an EcoBoost Mustang producing 15 seconds of fury like this?”
What is Line-Lock? A tradition of drag racers, that’s what: ahead of the start line, the furiously spin their rear tyres to heat the rubber and gain extra traction. Ford argues it’s useful here for amateur racers competing in drag races, helping them clock more consistent times.
Really, though, it’s just one big, wonderful, smoke-laden showcase.
It’s operated by the steering wheel buttons: scroll through menus to activate it and the all-electronic system first builds up pressure in the front brakes. Press another button to hold this for 15 seconds and the driver can then hit the accelerator pedal and spin the rear wheels with abandon, while the car itself remains firmly in place.
Perhaps check your local tyre fitter has a set of fresh rear rubber in stock before you indulge, though.
The world’s first Tesla Model 3 has rolled off the production line – and Tesla chief Elon Musk himself is the lucky owner of the historic electric car.
This isn’t the company boss pulling rank, either: a customer called Ira Ehrenpreis actually had rights to the first Model 3, but then passed them on to Musk for his 46th birthday present. “Tks Ira!” said Musk.
Tesla has a hard rule, says Musk: the first car always goes to the first person to pay full price for it. “I have [the] first Roadster and [Model] X, but not first S,” he tweeted.
Angel investor Jason Calacanis owns the first Model S, and later jokingly tweeted to offer Musk the inaugural S:
Now it’s been built, the first Model 3 is going through final quality control checks, later to be joined by 29 other first-run Model 3s. They will be handed over to their new owners in a special ceremony planned for 28 July.
Tesla’s highest-volume car yet, 500,000 preorders have already been placed for the Model 3: buyers in the UK can put down a £1000 deposit to secure their place in the queue.
In order to meet them, Tesla is going to ramp up production quickly: by the end of the year, Musk is targeting an assembly rate of 10,000 Model 3 a week.
In the same week Volvo announced plans to launch only electrified new cars from 2019-on, Toyota Motor Europe has released sales figures showing how far ahead of everyone it is: already in 2017, 40 percent of its European new car sales are electrified hybrid models.
That’s 208,300 units – already more than one-fifth of the total electrified cars Volvo aims to have built by 2025, in 2017 alone. Restrict things to Western Europe and the richness of the hybrid mix goes up further, to one in two of all new cars sold.
It’s even richer for Lexus. On average, 63 percent of Lexus sold throughout Europe are hybrids… and in Western Europe, the hybrid mix is a whopping 99 percent.
Toyota and Lexus hybrid sales are growing rapidly as well, adds the firm. They’re up 44 percent year-on-year, driven by cars such as the new C-HR crossover: 80 percent of sales are hybrid, says Toyota – it’s Europe’s favourite hybrid Toyota, with 52,400 units sold so far. Meanwhile, Yaris Hybrid sales are up seven percent, and RAV4 Hybrid sales have gone up 75 percent.
“Our sales increased by a remarkable 11 percent,” said Toyota Motor Europe president and CEO Dr Johan van Zyl. “Our hybrid line-up of 15 Toyota and Lexus models, the largest in the automotive sector, drove this double-digit sales increase.”
The best-selling Toyota in Europe so far this year is, by a clear margin, the Yaris, on 108,658 units. Next up is the Toyota C-HR, followed by the Auris and RAV4. Lexus’ best-seller is the NX, on 13,387 units, then the RX. Both the CT 200h and IS range have faded away dramatically though, given both models’ focus on high-volume premium car sectors. Lexus has sold only 3,324 IS models so far in 2017 – despite a recent facelift.
Nestled between the appropriately named Boulevard Andre Citroen and the sprawling 170-acre Aulnay-sous-Bois site, where 8.5 million vehicles rolled off a busy production line, stands a rather anonymous looking building. Within the grey walls sit more than 400 old Citroens, preserved for future generations and maintained by a man in blue overalls.
His name is Yannick Billy and the cars form part of the Conservatoire Citroen: the largest collection of Citroens in the world. For a company with such a proud history, Citroen is reluctant to throw open its doors to the general public. Which only served to make our visit to the house of Citroen all the more special.
Conservatoire Citroen isn’t open to the public, so it cannot be classed as a museum. Instead, entry is via invitation only: not even a sheik armed with two million bucks could rock up and demand entry, said the Citroen UK press man, perhaps flippantly. Indeed, when we turned up at the agreed time, the reception area was cloaked in darkness and nobody was answering the door.
We wandered around to the back door, where we were greeted by Yannick Billy, a long-standing member of the Citroen Heritage team. Our lack of French was matched by Yannick’s lack of English, but eventually we were guided through the workshop – enriched by an intoxicating and evocative blend of oil and petrol – and to the doors to the collection.
A feast for the eyes
As a Citroen fan it’s almost impossible not to be initially overwhelmed by the spectacle of 400 Citroens in one very large room. But even a non-car person would be amazed by the sheer scale of the place. Citroen’s complete history is here, from the Type A to the latest production models and concept cars.
We were given until noon before we’d be shown the door and told to leave. A little over three hours to immerse ourselves in the history of the world’s most innovative and eccentric car brand. So where do you start?
Top gear wheels
You start, much like Andre Citroen, with the Type A. Citroen’s first vehicle was launched in 1919, but the company’s roots date back to 1905, with the creation of Citroen et Cie. Back then, the company manufactured double-helical gear wheels with V-shaped teeth, the design of which inspired the famous Citroen logo.
Andre Citroen had first seen gear wheels such as these during a visit to Poland in 1900, and he returned to Paris where he took out a patent for their design. A factory was built to house the production facilities and soon his gear wheels were being used across the world. Famously, his wheels formed part of the steering system in the Titanic.
Andre Citroen
In 1912, Andre Citroen went to America where he met Henry Ford and marveled at the production facilities used to build the Model T. He returned to Paris with the aim of building a car of his own, but his plans were put on hold by the outbreak of the First World War.
But from adversity came an opportunity. As an officer, Andre Citroen witnessed his army running out of shells, and he approached the government with plans to mass produce them. He won the contract and by the end of the war he had built 23 million shells from a factory in Paris.
Citroen Type A
With the experience gained through the production of gear wheels and shells, not to mention the capital and production facilities, Andre Citroen was well-equipped to build his first motor car. The Type A arrived in 1919 and was, quite simply, a revelation.
Not only was it Citroen’s first car, but it was also the first mass-produced European vehicle. For the first time, motorists could buy a car ‘ready for the road’. Little wonder, then, that Citroen managed to shift 12,000 Type As within the first two years.
Andre Citroen: industrialist and marketeer
But Andre Citroen was more than simply an ace industrialist. He knew the power of promotion, which is why his name was displayed on the Eiffel Tower at night. Once a month he took out a full page advertisement on the back of France’s biggest newspaper, while aircraft were sent into the skies to write the Citroen name in smoke.
In 1926, Citroen opened a new showroom in London’s Piccadilly, reported to be the grandest and most expensive ever built. The interior was clad in marble and the place felt more like a cathedral than a car showroom.
The icons: Citroen Traction Avant
In 1934, Citroen launched the Traction Avant, widely considered to be the godfather of the modern motor car. Three years earlier, Andre Citroen had travelled to the US to visit the Budd Corporation in Philadelphia, where he was shown a front-wheel-drive car featuring a monocoque bodyshell.
He knew that it would be possible to build a shell capable of holding the engine, transmission and suspension together, freeing up space and reducing weight. The Traction Avant was the first mass-produced front-wheel-drive car and it changed automotive production forever. But the cost of development crippled the organisation and Citroen was declared bankrupt in 1934. Seven months later, Andre Citroen died, having lost his health, company and the rights to his name. Michelin Tyres took the reins, with the Traction Avant helping to return the company to profitability.
The icons: Citroen 2CV
In 1935, Citroen started working on the idea of a ‘people’s car’, the so-called TPV, as it was then known. The idea was simple: to create a basic French car for the masses, with Citroen’s chairman, Pierre-Jules Boulanger, describing the design as “a deck-chair under an umbrella”.
Prototypes were built in 1939 and then hidden away during the Second World War, with the French keen for the Nazis not to discover their revolutionary little car. It would arrive at the 1948 Paris Motor Show, with production continuing until 1990, by which time more than 30 different versions had been built.
The icons: Citroen DS
The one other Citroen worthy of the icon tag is the DS. The ‘Goddess’ was unveiled at the 1955 Paris Motor Show and such was the response, 12,000 orders were taken on the first day of the show.
It was the first production car to be equipped with front disc brakes and featured revolutionary hydropneumatic suspension. The car pictured is a DS 21 Pallas, showcasing the restyled front end complete with innovative directional headlights.
The legends: Citroen SM
Take the technology found in the Citroen DS, add a Maserati V6 engine and house them in a streamlined body and this is the result: the delightful Citroen SM.
On the right is an original press car from 1970, built at the start of production. On the left is a later, fuel-injected model. Production was short-lived, partly because of the fuel crisis, partly because of reliability issues, and most certainly as a result of Peugeot’s takeover of Citroen in 1974.
The legends: Citroen GS
Imagine being at the Paris Motor Show in 1970. Not only was the achingly beautiful SM first shown to the public, but Citroen also unveiled the brilliant GS. A year later, the GS scooped the European Car of the Year award, leaving the Volkswagen K70 and Citroen SM to finish second and third, respectively. Oh, what a time to be alive.
The GS was designed to slot between the Ami 8 and the DS in the Citroen range, delivering hydropneumatic technology to the everyman. The air-cooled flat-four engine gave it an evocative soundtrack, but a hatchback wouldn’t arrive until 1979, with the launch of the GSA.
The legends: Citroen CX
The CX had the unenviable task of following the iconic DS, but while it wasn’t a game-changer like its predecessor, it certainly captured the true spirit of Citroen. Unveiled at the 1974 Paris Motor Show, the CX featured a futuristic and achingly cool dashboard, hydropneumatic suspension and a concave rear window.
A facelift was introduced in 1985, as showcased by this stunning GTI of 1989. Earlier, in 1975, the last Citroen DS had rolled off the production line: vehicle number 1,330,755.
The presidential cars: Citroen DS 21
Nothing can prepare you for the sheer scale of this thing. Designed by the Citroen style department, the DS 21 Presidentielle was built by Henri Chapron and was used by Charles de Gaulle and Georges Pompidou.
Its dimensions are: 6.53m length, 2.13m width and 1.60m height. Oh, and it weighs 2,660kg. The gearbox is designed to maintain a speed of 6 to 7km/h for several hours.
The presidential cars: Citroen SM
Unsurprisingly, the Citroen SM Presidentielle of 1972 is far more elegant and less imposing than the car it replaced. Once again, Henri Chapron was tasked with handling the build of two majestic presidential cars.
They were delivered in May 1972, just before Queen Elizabeth’s visit to Paris. Her Majesty was pictured in the back, travelling with Georges Pompidou.
The presidential cars: Citroen DS5
A classic case of ‘they don’t make ‘em like they used to’, this is the Citroen DS5 used by Francois Hollande in 2012.
Today, DS Automobiles has separated from the mother brand.
The concepts: Citroen Project L
The Project L was the final Citroen designed by Robert Opron and was intended to be a replacement for the DS. It features what’s essentially an SM dashboard with a GS steering wheel, and Citroen called for enough space under the bonnet to house Maserati’s V6 engine.
The concepts: Citroen Activa
The Citroen Activa of 1988 featured four-wheel drive, four-wheel steer and active suspension, the latter of which would appear as the Hydractive system in the XM. The original Activa concept could also boast ABS brakes and traction control, both of which were considered to be high-tech at the time.
The concepts: Citroen Eole
This is the Citroen CX-based Eole of 1986, which claimed a drag coefficient of just 0.19Cd, around half that of the CX. Note the covers over the wheels, which are linked to the car’s hydraulics to lift them clear when steering. The design was intended to showcase the estate car of the future.
The concepts: Citroen Karin
The Karin of 1980 presented the idea of a three-seater, with the driver positioned centrally and ahead of the passengers, some 12 years ahead of the McLaren F1. It was designed by Trevor Fiore but never made it beyond the concept stage. Shame.
The crazy stuff: Citroen RE-2
Yes, Citroen really did build a helicopter. It was designed by Charles Marchetti and first took to the skies in 1971. It used an evolution of the rotary engine found in the Citroen GS Birotor, but flew a mere 38 hours before Peugeot pulled the plug on the project. The RE-2 was grounded.
The crazy stuff: Citroen U23
The Citroen U23 was produced between 1935 and 1969. This particular bus was built in 1947 by the Besset facility in Annonay, France. The 18/20-seater was found in Corsica in 2006 and subsequently restored to former glory.
The crazy stuff: Citroen 2CV 007
Remember the Citroen 2CV from the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only? It was powered by an engine from a GS and reinforced with a host of safety features, including a roll cage, reinforced plating and raised suspension. Legendary stunt driver Remy Julienne was the man behind the wheel.
The crazy stuff: Citroen Evo Mobil
Looks a little out of place in these surroundings, doesn’t it? Look again and you’ll see that it was inspired by the design and build of the Traction Avant. Clever, eh? French designer Ora-Ito used an icon of the past to present a vision of the future. Or something.
The racers: Citroen MEP X27
The X27 was the final development of the Citroen-Panhard racecar produced from 1964 to 1975. It competed in the final years of Formule Bleue, which ended in 1975.
The racers: Citroen BX 4TC
The Citroen BX 4TC is one of the least successful rally cars of all-time, managing just three races before Group B was banned in 1986. The project was so disastrous, Citroen attempted to buy back all road-going versions in order to have them destroyed.
The racers: Citroen ZX Rallye Raid
You’re unlikely to see more Citroen ZX Rallye Raid cars in one place. In the 1990s, these were formidable machines, taking no fewer than four Paris-Dakar victories and winning the World Cup for Cross Country Rallies for five consecutive years.
The hot hatches: Citroen ZX 16v
The Citroen ZX 16v is an increasingly rare sight in Britain, with a mere seven registered as being on the road. Thanks to passive rear steering, it’s a genuine delight to drive on a B-road.
The hot hatches: Citroen AX Sport
The Citroen AX was a hugely successful car, with around 2.4 million cars produced over a 10-year period. The AX Sport was introduced in 1987 and was a prelude to the more familiar GT and GTI models.
The hot hatches: Citroen Visa GTI
According to the DVLA, there are just five Citroen Visa GTIs on the roads of Britain. Which is a shame, because the Visa GTI is a genuinely good hot hatch, with powered sourced from the same 1.6-litre engine you’d find in the Peugeot 205 GTI. And quad headlights are cool, right?
In the case of The Manor of the Automobile – or Le Manoir de L’Automobile – looks can be deceptive. Arriving from the pretty Brittany village of Lohéac – and ignoring the obvious clue of the circuit on the right-hand side – you might think you’ve arrived at a farmhouse for Cidre Breton and crepes.
Aston Martin has presented its Valkyrie hypercar, designed by F1 legend Adrian Newey, in near-production form, and also treated us to a look at the production-intent interior for the first time. Expected to cost well over £2 million, with just 150 to be built, the Valkyrie is set to go into production late on in 2018.
“Watch this,” says Richard Hammond at the end of the 38-second trailer for the second series of The Grand Tour. He is about to go hillclimbing in the all-electric Rimac Concept One hypercar, and if you’ve been paying attention to the news, you’ll know what happened next.
The new 2018 Audi A8 has been revealed at the glamorous Audi Summit event in Barcelona.
Ford has announced the facelifted 2018 Mustang range will feature the tyre-smoking Line-Lock function on all models, including the eco-optimised 2.3-litre EcoBoost turbo. Previously, Line-Lock was only available on the 5.0-litre V8 GT.
The world’s first Tesla Model 3 has rolled off the production line – and Tesla chief Elon Musk himself is the lucky owner of the historic electric car.
In the same week Volvo announced plans to 
Nestled between the appropriately named Boulevard Andre Citroen and the sprawling 170-acre Aulnay-sous-Bois site, where 8.5 million vehicles rolled off a busy production line, stands a rather anonymous looking building. Within the grey walls sit more than 400 old Citroens, preserved for future generations and maintained by a man in blue overalls.
