20 French Cars Auto Fans Forgot

2. Citroen Traction Avant

Citroen was always famous for its quest for innovation and avant-garde designs, making it one of the quintessential French automotive symbols. The first car ever to materialize all of Citroen’s ways of thinking was the famous Traction Avant, a mid-size family sedan they introduced in 1934.

In the 1930s, Citroen was one of the biggest car factories in Europe, but the company wanted more than just market success. They wanted to revolutionize the concept of family transport and the construction of the automobile. Citroen hoped to offer much more than their competitors. So, in 1934, they introduced the Citroen 11 CV Traction Avant. It was one of the most advanced production cars in pre-war Europe.

First, the Traction Avant had an unusual front-wheel drive; hence, the name. Second, it had a unibody construction at a time when all cars had a heavy, ladder-type chassis. Third, it came with an independent suspension on both axles, which was an extremely advanced design for the times. Suddenly, all other cars on the market looked outdated compared to the Traction Avant.

Fortunately, the market responded well, making the Traction Avant a sales hit, lasting in production until 1955. Most of their cars were four-door sedans, but Citroen also produced some cool-looking coupes and convertibles, as well.

3. Voisin C25 Aerodyne

Citroen wasn’t the only company looking to produce cars featuring innovative systems or designs. Most French car manufacturers were on the same path. But the small luxury brand, Voisin, went as far it could with the avant-garde and unique C25 Aerodyne, which they presented in 1934.

The Avions Voisin was the brainchild of Gabriel Voisin, an aircraft constructor and businessman who turned to car production in the early 20’s. He incorporated many aircraft technologies into car production, producing special cars in low volumes.

The C25 Aerodyne was his masterpiece that showed all the Voisin quirks and cues. The car had a straight six engine and a sliding sunroof. It came with lightweight bodywork, adjustable dampers and the definitive Art Deco styling of the 1930’s. Unfortunately, the C25 was expensive, so Voisin only produced approximately seven of them.

4. Talbot-Lago T150C SS

At the dawn of the Second World War, the French car industry was incredibly active. The most interesting were the luxury manufacturers, most of which discontinued production after the war. This was due to the changing economic climate and different market circumstances. But in the late 30’s, the Bugatti, Delage, Delahaye, Hotchkiss and Talbot Lago were competing with each other in style, speed and elegance.

One of the most striking cars that perfectly describes the era is the gorgeous, extremely rare Talbot-Lago T150C SS. They built it on a racing chassis with a 4.0-liter straight eight-cylinder engine and 140 HP. They created the voluptuous body with the prime Parisian coachbuilding company, Figoni et Falaschi, Talbot-Lago earned the nickname, “Teardrop” and a place in automotive history as one of the most beautiful pre-war cars.

5. Citroen 2CV

After the Second World War, France was faced with a different economic reality, because the enthusiasm of the fantastic 1930’s was gone. The market couldn’t afford those luxury models, so manufacturers were forced to design basic transportation and inexpensive cars. But, in the typical French fashion, inexpensive cars didn’t have to be dull and boring vehicles. One of the best examples was the legendary Citroen 2CV.

The idea behind the Citroen 2CV was to present the most affordable family car possible. It would be totally minimalistic and utilitarian, but it would still have a certain level of comfort. It also would provide enough space for four occupants and their luggage. The construction was extremely simple and durable, and all 2CVs had canvas tops.

They presented the first Citroen 2CV in 1948. It soon became a best seller, not only in France but also in the rest of Europe. Early models had a diminutive flat twin engine with only 375 ccm or 21cid. They only delivered nine HP, but later versions grew to 600 ccm or 40cid and 29 HP.

Despite its diminutive power and performance, the Citroen 2 CV was immensely popular in the whole world and they sold almost four million copies. They also briefly sold it in the U.S., but it didn’t attract a lot of attention from car buyers. They ended production in 1990, which was late for a car like this.

6. Citroen DS

Imagine being transported back to the year 1955, to the Paris Auto Show. There were many cars on display, but most of them were warmed-up pre-war designs. They all had common engines and drivetrain choices, but nothing interesting. Suddenly, at Citroen’s booth was the new DS. It came with a self-leveling hydropneumatic suspension, front-wheel drive and a futuristic interior. It also had an aerodynamic design, and a lightweight aluminum hood and plastic roof.

For all visitors to the 1955 Paris Auto Show, the Citroen DS wasn’t just a car, but a vision of the future landing in France. This was exactly what Citroen intended. They designed the DS as a family sedan, but it was also the most innovative car in the world. Customers accepted the futuristic model and by the end of the first day of the car show, they placed over 18,000 orders for the new DS model.

Citroen also sold the DS in America where consumers considered it a technical marvel, giving it some modest success on the market. Despite all the advantages of its basic design, Citroen had problems with the underpowered four-cylinder engine and complicated mechanics, so American sales were slow. However, in all other parts of the world, they received the DS well, selling over 1.5 million of the before ceasing production in 1975.

7. Renault R4

By the early ’60s, the French and European market had recovered from the Second World War. The average customer needed a bigger, more capable machine than the Citroen 2CV. Renault realized that buyers loved the utilitarian character of the 2CV, but they wanted more space and power. After a string of successful but ordinary economy cars, Renault decided to introduce a modern, bigger and more practical model.

They gave it an unusual station wagon-like body in the form of the Renault 4, which they presented in 1961. Immediately, the car was a success and buyers loved it since it was more capable and modern than the Citroen 2CV. It also offered more space and practicality. The power was diminutive with a base 700 ccm or 45 cid four-cylinder engine powering the front wheels.

Eventually, the power grew to 1.1-liter or 67cid, but still, the performance was weak. The Renault 4 was a globally-successful car they sold and assembled all over the world. Production ended in 1994 after 33 years and over eight million R4s.

8. Matra Djet

Virtually unknown outside of France, the Matra was an innovative and influential car manufacturer. Originally, the company was dedicated to airplane and military production. But they also built cars and developed concepts for various manufacturers like Renault, for example. In 1965, Matra took over the Djet project from racer Rene Bonnet.

Matra introduced the Djet to the public as the first mid-engined production car in the world. In those days, the concept of mid-engined cars was reduced to racing prototypes. So, Matra decided to introduce similar cars for the road. The custom-built chassis with a diminutive Renault 8 engine may look slow now, but since the car only weighed 1,455 pounds, it was fast for the standards of the day.

The Matra Djet was an influential car since it showed the world a new engineering concept. Later, most leading sports car manufacturers accepted Matra’s manufacturing concepts.

9. Renault 16

Today, the hatchback body style is common. In fact, almost all car companies produce at least one model in this configuration. But, what was the first car to feature the third/fifth door layout? Was it the Volkswagen Golf Mk1? No, it was the Renault 16 from way back in 1965.

Renault introduced it as a modern family sedan. The Renault 16 took the concept of a semi-station wagon from the smaller Renault 4. They added more glass and a bigger hatch to create the world’s first hatchback body style. They marketed it as a practical yet stylish compromise between a sedan and a wagon. It proved popular and extremely influential.

Besides being innovative, the Renault 16 was also a good family car delivering impressive performance, solid suspension and impressive handling. It was popular in the domestic and other European markets, even selling in Canada.

10. Citroen SM

One of the coolest looking, most exclusive Citroen cars was the gorgeous SM, which they introduced in 1970. This elegant coupe had some interesting features. When they presented the SM to the public, it made the competition look and feel outdated and old. In the late 60’s, Citroen was successful, so through various stock market transactions, they became the owner of the famous Italian sports car manufacturer, Maserati.

Citroen’s management thought it would be great if they could use Maserati’s powerful engines and sports car know-how to produce a luxurious, fast coupe with their signature design and style. That is how the Citroen SM was born. The aesthetics were clearly French, with a hydro-pneumatic self-leveling suspension and front-wheel drive. However, instead of an underpowered four-cylinder engine, they used a 2.7-liter V6 Maserati developed to provide enough power for a lively performance.

They marketed the Citroen SM in the U.S., and in fact, more cars were sold in America than in Europe. In the U.S., the SM competed against the Mercedes SL and the Cadillac Eldorado in the personal luxury segment. Buyers praised the ride quality, smooth engine and style. Unfortunately, the oil crisis and economic recession killed the model. Production stopped in 1974 after they made more than 12,000 of them.

11. Renault Espace

The Chrysler Voyager might be the first minivan, but the Renault Espace was a close second, introducing the trend to European buyers with much success. Matra developed and built it using composite materials for low weight and fuel efficiency. They introduced the Espace in 1984 to an audience that expected another station wagon but got much more.

The Espace was innovative with its materials and build process, but also with ergonomics, the use of space and updated interior equipment. Through the deal with AMC, Renault wanted to offer Espace to U.S. buyers in the early 80’s. However, the bad reception of Renault models due to their poor quality and reputation doomed this venture.

12. Renault 5 Turbo

The ’80s started with a bang in the hot hatch world when Renault introduced the crazy R5 Turbo. It looked like a regular Renault 5 compact city car, but it was a serious performance machine. This was the first time a car company presented this outrageous hot hatch. It delivered the same performance of a supercar, as well as the technology of one.

The essence of the R5 Turbo was a mid-mounted 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivering 160 HP. They redesigned and re-engineered the whole car, moving the engine from the front hood to the space behind the driver. The rear track was much wider and they added side scoops to cool the engine.

Such an extreme car lost one main hot hatch characteristic, and that is practicality. It was basically a pure racing car they built for homologation purposes. However, it deserves an important place in car history as one of the craziest hot hatches they ever produced, as well as one of the coolest cars of the ’80s.

13. Peugeot 205 GTI

When Peugeot introduced the compact 205 model in 1983, a performance GTI version wasn’t in the cards. Soon, realizing that a hopped-up model could have some success on the market, Peugeot presented the 205 with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder and 115 HP.

The combination of a lightweight body, precise steering, a rev-happy engine and lively performance proved extremely popular with global buyers. Peugeot even considered selling the 205 GTI in America. But since it pulled out of the market in 1991, U.S. buyers never got the chance to experience one of the best affordable compact performance cars of the ’80s. The 205 GTI was practical, economical and affordable, attracting a cult following in Europe.

In the late ’80s, the 205 GTI got a 1.9-liter engine upgrade that delivered 136 HP and improved performance. In addition to the sales success of the regular model, Peugeot even presented a homologation version called the 205 T16 with the engine in the back. It participated in the World Rally Championship and in the famous Group B.

14. Renault Avantime

Enjoying the success of the Espace minivan gave the Renault a chance to explore the concept and try something new and interesting in the typical French way. Renault saw that buyers of the Espace minivan were inclining towards more powerful, luxurious versions over the baseline models. So, their managers thought they should offer a luxury minivan to the most discriminating car consumers.

But, filling the car with updated equipment wasn’t enough. Their vehicle needed to have a distinctive feature to be recognizable and popular. So, they thought of a unique minivan coupe they named the Avantime, introducing it in 2001. The Avantime was the answer to a question nobody asked, so it was received with mixed reviews.

The car was an engineering success with a massive hardtop roof and a problematic structural stiffness Renault engineers managed to keep under control. The Avantime was also expensive and came with only the most powerful engines and a high level of standard equipment. Although the Avantime was a chic, interesting car, it failed to attract customers. So, Renault discontinued the model after only two years after producing a little over 8,000 of them.

15. Citroen C6

After decades of relative mediocrity throughout its lineup, the Citroen was back in 2005. It returned with an executive sedan worthy of its predecessors, which they called the C6. Behind this simple name was the best of Citroen’s technology. It also had the latest generation of hydro-pneumatic suspensions with electronic control and damper setups. They built it in a special construction with a range of powerful engines.

It also had a glorious design that drew inspiration from their legendary past. They pitted the Citroen C6 against Europe’s heavy hitters in the form of the Mercedes E Class, Audi A6 or BMW 5 Series. Despite being the least popular, the C6 was arguably their best car, featuring the most elegant interior, sophistication and ride quality, second to none.

Unfortunately, it was also a sales flop because Citroen managed to sell just over 20,000 cars in seven years. But it showed that the company still knew how to produce a unique French sedan that can hold its own against the competition.

16. Peugeot RCZ

They sold the last Peugeot in the U.S. back in 1991 and the company left North America without any plans to return. Most car enthusiasts had forgotten the brand, but in the rest of the world, Peugeot is still an active, popular manufacturer with lots of interesting cars. The one most car fans wish they could buy here is the gorgeous RCZ. They based this little sports coupe on Peugeot’s line of economy compacts.

With an incredibly sexy body, bubble-top roof and powerful turbocharged gasoline and diesel engines, the RCZ is a proper compact sports car. The best version is the 1.6 turbocharged four-cylinder with 270 HP and a 0 to 60 mph time of just 5.9 seconds. On the American market, the Audi TT has been popular. However, drivers are sure this Peugeot could beat it as the most stylish and cool-looking small coupe on the market.

17. Alpine A110

If you are familiar with the classic Alpine, you will instantly recognize the shape and the idea behind this fabulous car. It’s a small, lightweight sports coupe, with a rear-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive. It is also able to provide exceptional driving excitement and an unparalleled road holding and feel. That was the idea behind the new Alpine A110.

This small coupe weighs just over a ton and has a 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder behind the driver powering the rear wheels. The power is more than adequate at 252 HP running through its seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The specifications sound fantastic and acceleration times are under five seconds. They just released this car, so U.S. buyers are afraid it will not come to their shores anytime soon.

18. Simca Matra Rancho

If you are familiar with Matra Rancho, then you are one of the few who remember this brave model and the innovative concept it presented. The Rancho was ahead of its time. Today it is one of the first true SUVs with a rough appearance, but car-like technology and interior features. They introduced it in 1977, and the Rancho was a product of Matra.

It was a French car company famous for developing concepts and producing cars for Renault, Simca, and Talbot. The Rancho looked like it meant business. However, with its front-wheel drive and a 1.4-liter engine, it didn’t have significant off-road capabilities.

But it was good enough to serve as a camping or leisure vehicle. After the release, the Rancho proved to be popular, selling over 50.000 copies during its eight years of production. Unfortunately, the Simca was experiencing financial difficulties, so they didn’t want to keep producing the Rancho despite the fact it was profitable.

19. Peugeot 504 Convertible

Peugeot was always less avant-garde than Citroen but more elegant than Renault and the 504 series proves it. They introduced it in 1968, and the 504 was a modern, advanced family sedan. However, the coupe/convertible version is the most popular for obvious reasons.

In those days, the Peugeot design team did the sedans and wagons. But they asked the Italian design house Pininfarina to style and produce a coupe/convertible combo. The result was one of the most elegant models of the ’70s and a classic of the French car industry. You could get the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. However, the best option was the 3.0-liter V6 with 170 HP with enough grunt to cruise down the French Riviera.

20. Renault Twingo

Renault presented the Twingo in 1993. It was a supermini and an answer to traffic jams and the lack of parking spaces in major European cities. The Renault engineers’ idea was to produce a small car with lots of room inside. It even featured seats you could fold into a full-size twin bed.

The success was immediate and the Europeans loved Twingo’s compact dimensions, cute styling and dependable mechanics. Although most models came with a diminutive 1.1-liter four-cylinder engine producing around 60 HP, the performance was good as long as you stayed in the city. On the highways, the little Twingo was best to stay in the slow lane.

Fans of France have the French kiss, French fries, and some pretty groovy French cars, although some have never reached U.S. shores. That is too bad because France has some fast, attractive cars to offer American car fans.