"The Citroën Traction Avant was manufactured from 1934 to 1957. The Traction Avant, French for 'front-wheel drive', was designed by André Lefèbvre and Flaminio Bertoni in late 1933. While not the first produced front-wheel drive car, it was the world's first front-wheel drive steel monocoque production car and successfully pioneered front-wheel drive on the European mass car market. This method of construction was viewed with great suspicion in many quarters, with doubts about its strength. An unusual type of crash test was conceived taking the form of driving the car off a cliff to demonstrate its strength. Left hand drive versions were built in Paris, Belgium and also Denmark; right hand drive cars in Slough, England. The Slough version was called the Light Fifteen and the long wheelbase the Big Fifteen. This confusing terminology referred to the British fiscal tax rating of the time which was higher than the French. Models assembled in Slough had to be 51% UK parts to make them exempt from import duty, to protect the British vehicle manufacturers from foreign competition. The Slough built cars used 12 Volt Lucas electrics, headlights, dynamo and starter motor with Jaeger instruments and a walnut dashboard.
The accompanying copy of the registration ledger reveals that the car was first registered in March 1950. Being a Slough built car, it is the more desirable specification and with the added benefit of being a ‘small boot’ car. Maintained to a high standard throughout its life, there are receipts for considerable work carried out throughout the 2000’s including an engine rebuild in 2011. The car presents very well in black and is reported by the vendor to run and drive very well. Only for sale to free up some room at his home, the car has been lovingly maintained and dry stored during his ownership along with his other classic cars.
Supplied with its UK V5C registration document, MoT test certificates and various bills and invoices for restoration and maintenance work carried out. These right hand drive, Slough built, small boot cars are the most desirable Light 15’s and are versatile and immensely enjoyable classics."