Citroen Cars - A Frontrunner in European Vehicles
By Fei Lim

Throughout Europe today, no doubt you will see a variety of different Citroen cars on the road. While this brand of vehicles has been around for some, they still have a name for being a great deal and a great ride throughout Europe. While the company is fairly old, the styles offered today are new and modern and they offer a great new look for a price that most people are able to easily afford.

History of Citroen Cars

Started many years ago, in 1919, the Citroen company was started in the country of France by a man named Andre' Citroen. During World War I, Citroen was building armaments for the war effort; however, after the war was over he began to turn his attention toward the world of the automobile. With a variety of automobile firsts to his name, one of his most well known firsts was that he made the first car to be made of an all steel body in Europe in 1928.

While Citroen was a very successful company to start out with, after a few years the company lost popularity as other car manufacturers were presenting a newer look and feel to their cars and Citroen was still building the same kinds of cars as before. At this point the company started dealing with very difficult financial losses. In order to stay above water as a company, with Edward G. Budd's help, they were able to come up with some new innovations in the automobile industry. Sadly the projects were too expensive and Michelin took over the company in 1934.

With various ups and downs along the way, Citroen had partnerships with various others in the automobile industry, including Fiat, Chrysler, Maserati, and Peugeot. Now after various disastrous ventures in the past, Citroen has seemed to find it's footing and is quite popular in the European market, especially in the United Kingdom.

Available Models

Currently there are a variety of different models being produced by the Citroen car company. One very popular vehicle that was first produced by Citroen in 1996 is the Berlingo, which is a panel van that is a very practical choice for those who have children. Another model that is still being produced today is the Citroen C1, which is a type of city car. This car was produced with the help of Toyota comes as a hatchback, with either 3 or 5 doors, depending on your preferences.

If you are looking for an executive car from Citroen, the C6 is an excellent choice to consider. The EuroNCAP gave this car a four-star rating, and was first produced in 2006. With a variety of great engine choices and some excellent features available, this is a great car to drive. Those who are looking for a larger family car may want to take a look at the Citroen C5. This car was developed to replace the Xantia, and you can purchase it in a station wagon or a five door lift back. Those who want a small car in the form of a convertible may want to check into Citroen C3, which is basically a super mini car. First produced in 2002, this car can be purchase with either petrol or diesel engines, depending upon your preference.

The Future of Citroen

With it's feet now firmly on the ground, and some very great success in recent years, Citroen is now looking towards the future. They already have some great concept cars, which show what Citroen plans to do in the next few years as a company. Some of the concept cars that Citroen boasts include the C-Metisse, C-Airplay, C4 Sport, C-Buggy, C2 Sport, C-Airlounge, and C-Airdream. These are all excellent concept cars that are working to implement new technology with amazing new features.

The popularity of Citroen is far from over and they have a bright future ahead of them. With increasing popularity across the UK and other parts of Europe, this company may even start marketing in North America again in the future. With their great prices and innovative vehicles, anything is possible for this company in the next few years.