Between The Wars
Europe On The American Model


In 1918, the Great War has ended, but industries are very vulnerable, factories destroyed, weakened economies. Therefore, Europe follows the U.S. model to recover. André Citroën is one of the industry's most successful at this time, having learned to imitate and improve the American model. In 1919, he founded the firm Citroën source of many automotive innovations that will cause the rapid success of the brand. This is an admirer of American methods and visit to Henry Ford, on the one hand for him to sell his system-tracks-Kégresse Hinstin, secondly - and most importantly - to learn more about production methods in automobile factories américaines.


But also the methods of manufacture, the American model is particularly important for understanding the importance of developing a "popular car", as was the Ford T. Several European manufacturers launch into this category. France's tax exempt manufacturers who are committed to building cyclecars; Peugeot then produces "Quadrilette" and Citroën, the famous "Little Lemon".