Citroën Car Production By Model : 1970-79

Things went pear shaped for Citroën in the 1970's. The SM model, a touring car with a Maserati V6 engine sold in limited numbers and was soon gone. The small GS model was successful, and the CX ably replaced the DS. However the 1973 energy crisis hit its joint venture Wankel engine operation with NSU. The middle range above the GS was profitable and yet Citroen wasn't even there. Heavy spending on development wasn't getting the returns required.

In 1974, Citroën went bankrupt and was taken over by rival Peugeot. Maserati was sold off and a truck manufacturer it bought in 1967 was sold to Renault. The LN/A model was released (based on the Peugeot 104) and the Visa replaced the Ami. production went from 425,000 in 1969 to over 730,000 in 1979. 130,000 units were added from 1974 to '79. Things were quickly turning around.

Below is production by model and then a brief summary of each car released in the period.

	GS	Visa	CX	2 CV	Dyanne	LN	Méhari	Ami	DS	SM
						LNA		8
70	12,620	-	-	121,096	96,546	-	11,246	124,962	103,633	868
71	158,675	-	-	121,265	97,091	-	10,175	105,018	84,585	4,988
72	195,138	-	-	133,530	111,462	-	11,742	96,716	92,226	4,036
73	223,067	-	-	123,819	95,535	-	12,567	107,339	96,995	2,619
74	170,829	-	11,759	163,143	126,854	-	13,910	74,556	40,039	294
75	218,005	-	96,778	122,542	117,913	-	8,920	63,695	847	115
76	231,927	-	112,339	134,396	118,871	5,215	9,569	49,846	-	-
77	248,118	-	112,718	132,458	113,474	65,100	9,645	34,700	-	-
78	259,787	31,000	132,675	108,825	102,958	67,200	8,467	17,400	-	-
79	225,732	155,300	123,391	101,222	77,605	38,600	8,995	1,400	-	-

Data source: Freyssenet.com
Visa picture: classiccarcatalogue.com

Cafe patrons nearly sent scattering by wayward GS driver

GS: As European Cart of the Year in 1971, it was class leading in its day. Yet the production numbers didn't reflect that and for all the money spent on it sales were not high enough.

CX: A large luxury car that was voted European Car of the Year in 1975. It had excellent aerodynamics and the last true Citroën in style, being technically advanced as bigger Citroëns were.

LN/LNA: A new super mini with a Peugeot 104 body showed how Citroën was going to be handled by Peugeot. A more frugal way of operating was needed but this would mean Citroën cars would become similar to Peugeots. The LN was just for France but the more powerful LNA exported too. It did the job but not a big seller.

Visa owners turn up for car parking course. Some work needed then

Visa: This was a better attempt than the LN and was reasonably popular. It had that idiosyncratic 'Frenchness' about it which was more Citroën than Peugeot.

Summary: In the 1970's business reality arrived at Citroën and costs would be managed better. While Peugeot promised to keep the character of each brand separate, it made more economic sense for Citroën to become more Peugeot and that is what started to happen.

Other years: 1945-59, 1960-69, 1980-89, 1990-99, 2000-09.