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1936 Citren Traction Avant 11L Faux Cabriolet Photos, engines & full specs

Segment: Coupe Cabrio
Production years: 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939

CITROEN Traction Avant 11L Hard-top Cabriolet 1936-1939 2 Photos
CITROEN Traction Avant 11L Hard-top Cabriolet (1936-1939)CITROEN Traction Avant 11L Hard-top Cabriolet (1936-1939)

When the French automaker introduced the Traction Avant in 1934, the world was stunned since the car offered quirky features for those times, and that included the unibody construction and the front-wheel drive.

But the small-sized TA (Traction Avant) was not enough for many customers. Thus, André Lefèbvre and Flaminio Bertoni went back to the drawing board and penned the larger 11 L version. In addition, they made it also as a faux-cabriolet. This type of bodywork was often mistaken for a Coupe Cabriolet, although Citroën didn't have that yet. Only Peugeot managed to create the 402 Eclipse with a retractable hard top. Even though the Faux Cabriolet (fake cabriolet) was produced in just 15 units.

The car's look was indulged by a new, revised front fascia that sported a black grille with chromed surrounding adorned by the "double-chevron" trim. Strangely, the headlights were mounted on stacks supported by the engine compartment, not by the fenders. But the most intriguing part of the car was its profile. The greenhouse was short, with two doors, and abruptly sloped down behind the cabin. Finally, at the back, the automaker installed the spare wheel onto the trunk's lid.

Inside, Citroën installed two seats on the flat floor. Since there was no transmission tunnel to cross the cabin, the legroom was not a problem. In addition, the gear lever was mounted on the dashboard, so there was a free passage between the left and right doors. Also, Citroen placed the speedometer and other gauges next to the gear stick in the midsection of the dash.

Under the hood, the revised version of the TA featured a two-liter gasoline engine paired with a three-speed manual gearbox that sent its power, obviously, to the front wheels.

CITROEN Traction Avant 11L Hard-top Cabriolet 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939
  1 gasoline engine
  • 1.9

CITROEN Traction Avant 11L Hard-top Cabriolet
1.9

ENGINE SPECS - 1.9
Cylinders:L4
Displacement:1911 cm3
Power:34 KW @ 3800 RPM
47 HP @ 3800 RPM
46 BHP @ 3800 RPM
Fuel System:Carburetor
Fuel:Gasoline
PERFORMANCE SPECS
Top Speed:66 mph (106 km/h)
TRANSMISSION SPECS
Drive Type:Front Wheel Drive
Gearbox:Manual, 3 Speed
TIRES SPECS
Tire Size:155 X 40
DIMENSIONS
Length:175.2 in (4450 mm)
Width:63.8 in (1621 mm)
Front/rear Track:52.8/52 in (1,341/1,321 mm)
Wheelbase:114.6 in (2911 mm)
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