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Citroën Traction 15 Six Cabriolet – 1946
French historic registration title
One of the most important French cars in the automotive history
One of only three examples authenticated by model experts
Fascinating history, ex-Michelin Family and then Denys Joannon
Very good general condition, optimal working order, nearly €80,000 in invoices since 2015
A piece of Citroën history not to be missed!
The genesis of the Traction 15 Six Cabriolet is one of the great mysteries of French motoring, and has been the subject of a great deal of ink over the years... Brand historian Olivier de Serres has devoted 5 fascinating pages to the subject in his book Citroën Traction, Au Panthéon de l’Automobile, and acknowledges that only three 15 Cabriolet models survived out of the handful produced.
Citroën’s line-up logic from the beginning of the Traction meant that a Cabriolet would be added to the catalogue after the
announcement of the Saloon and 6-seater versions of the new 15 Six, dubbed the Queen of the Road thanks to the performance offered by the new 2.8 litre in-line 6-cylinder engine and its exceptional road-holding qualities. André Louis, who was in charge of Citroën’s special orders at the time, testifies that three prototypes were assembled by the research department in 1939 for testing on the Montlhéry circuit. According to the same source, a total of 7 bodies were produced at the instigation of the Michelin family, 3 of which were actually delivered just before the war: one for Madame Michelin, one for the Countess de Portes (lost), and a third for the French ambassador to the United States (also missing). Technical problems arose during the assembly of these cars, and it was decided to shelve the project, especially as France entered the war... According to André Louis, the 4 remaining ‘’ferrées‘’ bodies were stored in the basement of the Quai de Javel factory in Paris, awaiting better days...
Our car is one of this series of bodies, found at the Liberation. It was assembled and registered by the Service des Mines in
1946, as can be seen from its identification plate, which can still be seen on the body. The authenticity of the body has been
certified by the brand’s historians, and it is likely that it was assembled on the 18th of May 1939, as indicated by a stamp
on the windscreen frame| this date is important as it can be reconciled with the delivery date of Madame Michelin’s Cabriolet, the 20th of May 1939. Its early life is not known, and we trace it back to 1964 when this exceptional Cabriolet arrived at the home of Raoul Wander, head of Ovaltine, the famous chocolate powder, who claimed to have bought the car from a member of the Michelin family. At that time, the car already bore the registration number 8400 KD 75, dated around August 1960, which it would keep until 2015. It remained in his garage for two years, before Denys Joannon bought it in February 1966: the car was then fitted with a 15 Six D engine from the 1950s, and painted in the same shade of red as today. At that time, traces of grey were visible underneath the red paintwork, a detail of great value for the authentication of this car, since it corroborates the testimonies of relatives of the Michelin family, who attest having used a grey 15 Six Cabriolet in the 1950s. A recent testimony from a member of the Michelin family further confirms this information, adding that the car was very quickly repainted red and sold to be replaced by a Lancia Flaminia.
Denys Joannon, a famous Citroën dealer but also and above all a great collector of the marque aux Chevrons (he owned one of the five SM Chapron Mylord, DS Cabriolet, etc.), used his Cabriolet 15 very regularly for almost 50 years before selling it in 2015 at a previous public auction: after a very fine bidding battle, the car changed hands for more than €600,000, becoming the most expensive Citroën road car in the world!
The current owner, a keen collector and connoisseur of French cars, took possession of his dream Traction Cabriolet in what he considered to be an inadequate state of repair: he carried out almost €70,000 worth of work between 2016 and 2018. Nothing was left to chance: restoration of the engine and running gear, complete overhaul of the upholstery and soft top, and a full paint job. In 2024, just before the sale, a major overhaul was carried out (at a cost of nearly €10,000) at the garage Tilly & Fils, experts in the model, with the sole aim of offering the next owner a car in concours dockside condition and in perfect mechanical condition (invoice on request).
The car we are offering for auction today is one of the most important and rare French cars, and is sure to be the centrepiece of the future collection it will form part of. A once in a lifetime opportunity, as our English friends say...
“The most legendary of all Tractions, with the famous 22 CV| a major monument to the history of the world car...”
French historic registration title
One of the most important French cars in the automotive history
One of only three examples authenticated by model experts
Fascinating history, ex-Michelin Family and then Denys Joannon
Very good general condition, optimal working order, nearly €80,000 in invoices since 2015
A piece of Citroën history not to be missed!
The genesis of the Traction 15 Six Cabriolet is one of the great mysteries of French motoring, and has been the subject of a great deal of ink over the years... Brand historian Olivier de Serres has devoted 5 fascinating pages to the subject in his book Citroën Traction, Au Panthéon de l’Automobile, and acknowledges that only three 15 Cabriolet models survived out of the handful produced.
Citroën’s line-up logic from the beginning of the Traction meant that a Cabriolet would be added to the catalogue after the
announcement of the Saloon and 6-seater versions of the new 15 Six, dubbed the Queen of the Road thanks to the performance offered by the new 2.8 litre in-line 6-cylinder engine and its exceptional road-holding qualities. André Louis, who was in charge of Citroën’s special orders at the time, testifies that three prototypes were assembled by the research department in 1939 for testing on the Montlhéry circuit. According to the same source, a total of 7 bodies were produced at the instigation of the Michelin family, 3 of which were actually delivered just before the war: one for Madame Michelin, one for the Countess de Portes (lost), and a third for the French ambassador to the United States (also missing). Technical problems arose during the assembly of these cars, and it was decided to shelve the project, especially as France entered the war... According to André Louis, the 4 remaining ‘’ferrées‘’ bodies were stored in the basement of the Quai de Javel factory in Paris, awaiting better days...
Our car is one of this series of bodies, found at the Liberation. It was assembled and registered by the Service des Mines in
1946, as can be seen from its identification plate, which can still be seen on the body. The authenticity of the body has been
certified by the brand’s historians, and it is likely that it was assembled on the 18th of May 1939, as indicated by a stamp
on the windscreen frame| this date is important as it can be reconciled with the delivery date of Madame Michelin’s Cabriolet, the 20th of May 1939. Its early life is not known, and we trace it back to 1964 when this exceptional Cabriolet arrived at the home of Raoul Wander, head of Ovaltine, the famous chocolate powder, who claimed to have bought the car from a member of the Michelin family. At that time, the car already bore the registration number 8400 KD 75, dated around August 1960, which it would keep until 2015. It remained in his garage for two years, before Denys Joannon bought it in February 1966: the car was then fitted with a 15 Six D engine from the 1950s, and painted in the same shade of red as today. At that time, traces of grey were visible underneath the red paintwork, a detail of great value for the authentication of this car, since it corroborates the testimonies of relatives of the Michelin family, who attest having used a grey 15 Six Cabriolet in the 1950s. A recent testimony from a member of the Michelin family further confirms this information, adding that the car was very quickly repainted red and sold to be replaced by a Lancia Flaminia.
Denys Joannon, a famous Citroën dealer but also and above all a great collector of the marque aux Chevrons (he owned one of the five SM Chapron Mylord, DS Cabriolet, etc.), used his Cabriolet 15 very regularly for almost 50 years before selling it in 2015 at a previous public auction: after a very fine bidding battle, the car changed hands for more than €600,000, becoming the most expensive Citroën road car in the world!
The current owner, a keen collector and connoisseur of French cars, took possession of his dream Traction Cabriolet in what he considered to be an inadequate state of repair: he carried out almost €70,000 worth of work between 2016 and 2018. Nothing was left to chance: restoration of the engine and running gear, complete overhaul of the upholstery and soft top, and a full paint job. In 2024, just before the sale, a major overhaul was carried out (at a cost of nearly €10,000) at the garage Tilly & Fils, experts in the model, with the sole aim of offering the next owner a car in concours dockside condition and in perfect mechanical condition (invoice on request).
The car we are offering for auction today is one of the most important and rare French cars, and is sure to be the centrepiece of the future collection it will form part of. A once in a lifetime opportunity, as our English friends say...
“The most legendary of all Tractions, with the famous 22 CV| a major monument to the history of the world car...”