Citroen 2011 vans

From the timeless charm of the DS saloon to the oddball simplicity of the 2CV, Citroen has created more stand-out cars than most. From its beginnings in 1919, it's a company that has followed its own rules. Owner Andre Citroen showed characteristic boldness early on when he commissioned an aircraft to write his company's name in the skies during the Paris Motor Show in 1922.

To imbed the name further into the national psyche, the company also donated 150,000 road signs, each bearing the Citroën name to the government, a bold and inspirational advertising move at a time when long distance travel was becoming more common.

Citroen can claim its share of motoring firsts. Ever wondered why so many modern cars are driven via their front wheels? Well, Citroen pioneered the idea with the Traction Avant, launched back in 1934. This model was the first of its kind and so technically advanced that it remained in production for 23 years.

The company developed quickly, basing itself in Paris but at various stages also building cars in the United Status, Holland, Spain, Portugal, The Ivory Coast and Vietnam. It even assembled cars in the UK for several years, using a factory in Slough, Berkshire. Citroen moved so fast because it quickly learned production-line methods first used by Ford and adapted them. The 2CV is the make's most famous car although the 3.8m made is modest considering that the little four-door formed part of Citroen's model line-up for 42 years.

The 1960s, 70s and 80s saw the company produce one individual design after another - the Dyane, the GS, the BX, CX and XM. Many of these featured an innovative gas-fluid powered suspension system that gave the cars a supple, free-floating ride no rival could equal. Many also had the single-spoked steering wheel that appeared on the DS and became a Citroen hallmark. During the 1970s, Peugeot and Citroen merge and soon the two makes are sharing engines, suspension and other components.

But the 1990s saw the make build a string of more conventional cars such as the AX, ZX, Xantia, Xsara and Saxo as the drive for profits became paramount. But the flair has returned and today the make spans the market, showing notable strength in low emissions cars, such as its C1 city car and C3. Citroen also markets the biggest range of MPVs currently available: the Berlingo, C3 Picasso, five- and seven-seat C4 Picasso, and C8.