What was the name of the 1934 Citroën model that pioneered mass-produced front-wheel drive and unitary construction?

The 1934 Citroën Traction Avant pioneered mass-produced front-wheel drive and unitary construction.

Citroën launched the Traction Avant in 1934 with engineering led by André Lefèbvre and styling associated with Flaminio Bertoni. Its front wheels both drove and steered the car, while the body used unitary construction rather than a separate frame. The design also featured independent front suspension and a low-slung profile.

“Traction Avant” means “front-wheel drive” in French. The model's advanced layout improved handling and interior space, but its development and production costs contributed to Citroën's financial difficulties. Michelin became Citroën's owner in 1935.

The Traction Avant was not the world's first front-wheel-drive car; earlier experiments and limited-production models existed. Its importance was bringing the configuration into sustained, large-scale production and helping establish front-wheel drive as a major modern automobile layout.