..Hercule Poirot...

[ian Stanbury]

..We have had to call in my friend Hercule to investigate a small case of theft at Le Moulin Bodin - somebody stole the last bit of our favourite chocolate cake - and guess what he arrived in - a fab Citroen Traction Avant Familiale - 9 seater - Wow, what a car and what a nice detective!!

 

[malcolm]

That's a very cool machine. English Reg too. Must be great fun to tour gently around France in an elderly Citroen, though if it's as hot and sunny as it looks over there the little false moustache could cause a lot of trouble.

 

[bantamallan]

not Poirot but Maigret surely!

 

[ian Stanbury]

..Well well well...

You are correct and well spotted - my mistake but I can promise you that the chap driving this car looks a lot more like Poirot than Maigret but he own a mac, but not one that would be good in a rainstorm - he would find it difficult to 'log on' I suspect!!

The car is a 1955 french made version, and so is this 4cv Renault - Which one would you prefer?

Right, we are of to rob our local bank in it today - just like Bonnie and Clyde - anyone remember them?

 

[Greeney in France]

For me the Traction wins hands down a superbe piece of engineering and very forward thinking for its age just like the DS that succeeded it with Front wheel drive.
I own a DS and I may be buying a Traction shortly as there is one nearby and the man whom started it as a project can no longer afford to convert it.
My collection has risen (this week) to a 2CV6 and a Renault Dauphine.
I pick up the R3 saturday by the way so look out for photos:roll:
I think I am obsessed.

 

[angel]

I would prefer the Renault 4CV! Many people accuse Renault that they copied the 2CV when designed the 4CV, but the R4 copies some Traction engineering (torsion bar suspension, front wheel drive with gearbox ahead of the left-hand turning engine).

 

[Greeney in France]

Are you confusing 2 cars? The renault 4 is not the same as the 4CV.
Citroen actually tried to sue Renault over the R4 "quatrelle" as it was so much like the 2CV design brief particularly raised was the "deck chair" seating, the column change, and the floor chassis and separate body.

This is the 4CV very nice car my dauphine was a follow on from this design

 

[angel]

Oops! I wrote "...when designing the 4CV..." instead of R4!
The tubular seat design is actually a Renault patent from about 1936. The dashboard gearchange was originally Traction. So maybe Citroen was right about the separate chassis...but back then, most cars had a separate chassis. In my opinion, Renault was planning to make an "answer" to the successful 2CV and many features had to be the same. This is not "copying". It is like Jeep accusing Land Rover for stealing the off-road vehicle design. From an engineering point of view both the R4 and 2CV are very original (and totally different!) designs.

 

[Greeney in France]

absolutely I agree, the lawsuit was dropped once renault revealed designs PREdating citroens they shut up very quickly and got on with it.
I have both cars and I do wholeheartedly prefer the R4, the 2CV is "for me" missing something, quirky, yes but also pretending to be something its not. It reminds me of that song you hated when you were a kid but now as an adult its memories linger and make it desirable. Wow look at me all philosophical!!