Citroën Rosalie Classic Cars for Sale

The Citroën Rosalie was developed as a light-weight racer and was sold between 1932 and 1938, replacing the Citroën C4 and C6 cars. Designed and built by the French Citroën car company, the Citroën Rosalie was available in three different engine sizes. Citroën were the leading European car manufacturer to use assembly line construction during the 1930s.

The Citroën Rosalie Designs

The Citroën Rosalie was originally launched as three sizes – the 8CV, 10CV and 15CV models. The smaller two models had four-cylinder engines with the 10CV car being physically slightly larger and with a faster recorded top speed. The 15CV Citroën Rosalie was fitted with a six cylinder engine and was the largest and fastest of the three car models. Each model could be dressed with a variety of body styles, notably the Citroën Rosalie Légère which proved the most popular car. In 1934 the 10CV and 15CV models were replaced by the 7UA and 11UA models respectively. Both of these cars were fitted with the innovative Citroën Traction engine which was designed for front-wheel drive. These engines were rotated through 180 degrees to act as rear-wheel drive engines in the Citroën Rosalie cars. These latter two models were known as "MI" for Moteur Inversé, or rotated engine.

Success of the Citroën Rosalie

The Citroën Rosalie was raced at the Montlhéry racing circuit where it achieved a run of records. The cars themselves were designed for a more upmarket customer than the previous C4 and C6 cars that they replaced, as during the 1930s Citroen as a company appeared to take a step away from the smaller car market that they had pursued in the 1920s. André Citroën, the founder of the company, had visited Henry Ford in America and brought back to Europe the use of assembly line car manufacture. This meant that the Citroën Rosalie cars could be competitively priced and yet still make a profit, which was necessary as the company went through bankruptcy in 1934. Between 1932 and 1938 there were 88,090 four-cylinder and 7,230 six-cylinder Citroën Rosalies built. This success was only over-taken by the Citroën Traction Avant cars that replaced the Rosalies.