1950 Citroën 11 Berline Walkaround and Overhead Views

As best I can tell at the moment, there's nothing special about 1950 Citroën 11 Normale (standard size) cars.  However, I came across a nice set of images of a Berline (sedan) for sale, so I thought I'd pass some of them along.

For general information about Traction Avant (front-wheel drive) Citroëns, click here.  My post "First and Last: Citroën Traction Avant" is here.

Citroën's 11 CV (cheval vapeur, the French term for horsepower, in this case, a tax-related number) was in production 1934-1957, longer than the other versions.  There were two varieties of the 11.  One was the Normale, the other was the Légère, or "Light" 11.  The latter, in production 1937-1957 was based on the smaller 7 CV car, produced 1934-1938.

The basic design of Citroën Tractions changed little over time.  By model year 1950, some exterior details had been changed in an effort to maintain sales while the company put most of its effort into its recently-released 2CV and forthcoming DS-19.

Images below are of a 1950 Citroën 11 Normale berline listed for sale by Albion Motor Cars in Belgium.

Gallery

Hood louvres first appeared by 1947.  Before the war, TAs had pivoted hood doors to provide engine compartment air flow-through.  Doors are hinged on the B-pillars.

That large trunk first appeared on 1951 models, according to a reference in my library.  So this car might actually be a 1951 model that was sold before the end of 1950, assuming that's the timing of '51 cars.  Or maybe the car is a '50 retrofitted with the larger trunk.

Traction Avants never had running boards linking front and rear fenders.

During the mid-late 1930s French car beltlines tended to fall downwards from front to rear, as seen here.  Note that the rear axle line is abaft of the back passenger seat.  This positioning can result in a smoother ride for back seat passengers.  1934 Chrysler Airflows are often cited as launching this feature, though TAs also had it in 1934.

Citroën introduced the Traction Avant for model year 1934, so its styling was probably developed in 1932 or perhaps 1933.  This was before "streamlined" cars were marketed in Europe and America.  This basic design was continued through the 1957 model year, old-fashioned as it was in the age of "envelope" bodies and tail fins.  On the other hand, its engineering was advanced when production began.  The body with its old-fashioned features sits low to the ground compared to nearly all 1932-vintage cars thanks to front wheel drive eliminating the need for a drive shaft below passenger compartment floorboards.

The grille is little-changed from 1934.  Freestanding headlights were archaic in 1950.

The solid roof is one modernization; early TAs roofs had the fabric inserts common in 1934.  But Traction Avants were getting all-metal bodies soon after.

Both 7 CV and 11 CVs had 4-cylinder motors, so the hood is not lengthy.