Citroen

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Citroën

"Créative Technologie"
Type	Marque[1]
Industry	Automotive
Founded	1919; 98 years ago
Founder	André Citroën
Headquarters	Saint-Ouen[2], France
Area served	Worldwide, except United States, Canada, Mexico, and South Asia
Key people	Linda Jackson, Director
Products	Automobiles, Commercial Vehicles
Services	Citroën Insurance
Number of employees	13,900[3]
Parent	Groupe PSA
Website	www.citroen.com

Citroën (French pronunciation: ​[si.tʁɔ.ˈɛn]) is a major 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".^[4] This car was the world's first mass-produced front wheel drive car, but also one of the first to feature a unitary type body, with no chassis holding the mechanical components.^[5] In 2009, the company celebrated its 90th anniversary with a celebration on 3 October.^[6]

In 1954 it had produced the world's first hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension system^[7] then, in 1955, the revolutionary DS, the first mass production car with modern disc brakes^[8] and, in 1967, it introduced in several of its models, swiveling headlights that allowed for greater visibility on winding roads; these automobiles have received various international and national level awards, including three European Car of the Year.

With a successful history in motorsport, it is the only automobile manufacturer to have won three different official championships from the International Automobile Federation: the World Rally Raid Championship five times,^[9] the World Rally Championship eight times^[9] 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. In 2014, when PSA Peugeot Citroën ran into severe financial difficulties, the Dongfeng Motor Corporation took an ownership stake.