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John Beech
Experienced User
Username: jbeech

Post Number: 24
Registered: 10-2016
Posted on Tuesday, 15 November, 2016 - 03:15:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

My wife and I are fans of public television and as such, we watch a fair bit of foreign films and mystery programs.

Lynn's favorite is Australian author Ken Greenwood's series about Phryne Fisher, a detective called 'Miss Fisher'. I rather like it too but mostly because of the period automobiles and superb attention to detail. Really good stuff.

While my personal favorite is the French series called Maigret starring deceased actor Bruno Cremer, this is in part because of their use of Citroen CV 11 automobiles. Reason being my father once had one. Note, he inverted the bumper to preclude damage to the grill because of how low-slung it was.
Jack and his Citroen CV11 in 1956
- My debonair father in 1953, three years before I was even a gleam in his eye!

Meanwhile, we've recently been enjoying a French take on Agatha Christie novels. These are a series called The little Murders of Agatha Christie in which Police Detective Swan Laurence drives a car unknown to me, hence this thread. Does anyone know which automobile this is? Unfortunately, these photos are snapped directly off the television screen and thus, are of poor quality (though they should be fine for ID purposes).

Unknown auto1

Unknown auto2

Unknown auto3
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Jonas TRACHSEL
Prolific User
Username: jonas_trachsel

Post Number: 101
Registered: 2-2005
Posted on Tuesday, 15 November, 2016 - 03:51:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

This is a Facellia of the early 1960ies, the late small brother of the mighty Chrysler-powered Facel Vega. Google it for more information.
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Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov
Grand Master
Username: soviet

Post Number: 639
Registered: 2-2013
Posted on Tuesday, 15 November, 2016 - 04:10:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

And the green one is a Simca I think.
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Geoff Wootton
Grand Master
Username: dounraey

Post Number: 1470
Registered: 5-2012
Posted on Tuesday, 15 November, 2016 - 04:14:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Hi John

The Citroen was a very advanced car. Hard to believe it dates back the the 1930s. It had a unitary body, front wheel drive and independent suspension on all wheels. All this in 1934. That's a really cool picture of your dad. Shades of the American dream.

Geoff
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Patrick Ryan
Grand Master
Username: patrick_r

Post Number: 662
Registered: 4-2016
Posted on Tuesday, 15 November, 2016 - 06:20:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Hi John,

That is a stunning pic of a very handsome young man who is clearly very proud of his car. I am guessing it was unusual amongst his friends as well.
Tack sharp original film B&W photos are hard to beat for detail and depth.
The camera was probably just a point & shoot with zero things to adjust.
Great image.

I agree with Geoff,
Citroen was always at the forefront of design & technology.
I wonder why they just ended up just being an also ran?
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Brian Vogel
Grand Master
Username: guyslp

Post Number: 2107
Registered: 6-2009
Posted on Tuesday, 15 November, 2016 - 14:03:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Patrick,

Citroën is an "also ran" depending on where you are in the world. They never made a dent in the US market and not many French makers ever did, Renault and Peugeot being exceptions, and even then they were minor players.

They appear to be doing quite well everywhere but North America (http://www.citroen.com/en) and their concept cars are routinely striking. I would have loved to have been able to have a Metropolis, which was a concept produced for the Chinese market. One of the most beautiful modern cars I've ever seen.

Brian
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John Beech
Experienced User
Username: jbeech

Post Number: 28
Registered: 10-2016
Posted on Tuesday, 15 November, 2016 - 16:45:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Wow, that was fast, Jonas! Per your suggestion I Googled it and earned it was quite an interesting car. FWIW, a local mechanic has a Facel Vega HK500 equipped with a Chrysler engine for restoration in his shop.

Geoff, the American dream photo was taken in 1953 (actually predating me by 5 years, not three) and snapped in the parking lot of Balboa High School (in the Panama Canal Zone) where I too graduated (1975).

Patrick, my father has always been a car-guy. When this photo was taken, ca 1963-ish, we had just traveled cross country in his Jaguar XK140 (where I traveled on the parcel shelf). This, as a recent grad (EE) from the University of Miami (FL) to LA where he took work with NASA. And yes, both of my parents are photogenic (me, not so much).
Snowtime in 1963
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Benoit Leus
Prolific User
Username: benoitleus

Post Number: 270
Registered: 6-2009
Posted on Tuesday, 15 November, 2016 - 20:10:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Valdimir,

the green car is actually a Peugeot 403.
I understand the confusion as the Simca Aronde has a similar look from the back.

Benoit
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Robert Noel Reddington
Grand Master
Username: bob_uk

Post Number: 1184
Registered: 5-2015
Posted on Wednesday, 16 November, 2016 - 06:04:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

I notice that the Citroen Traction Avanti is LHD meaning photo back to front and car is RHD and made in Slough UK or is LHD and made in France.

The Facal is a similair idea to the Monterveredi.

Liked the 500 series of cars I have had a few Peugeots and they were ok cars.
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Patrick Ryan
Grand Master
Username: patrick_r

Post Number: 664
Registered: 4-2016
Posted on Wednesday, 16 November, 2016 - 07:42:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Hi Brian,

Thanks for your response.

I should clarify my "also ran" comment.

Geoff mentioned that Citroen were ahead of their time. I also have done much reading as to the engineering advances that Citroen made right from the start, they were leaders in advanced technology and always trying something different.
They have also made some of the best fit for purpose cars such as the 2CV range and their amazing light commercials. These to were game changers as to technology and out there thinking.
A lot of Citroen ideas have certainly filtered down through the times into almost every make of car world wide.
Of course we all know the tie up with Rolls Royce.

What I was getting at is that their truly amazing suspension technology, engine technology and interior trail blazing, has turned into McPherson struts, and simple rear suspensions that we find in any car these days. This is what I mean by also ran.

I agree, the FIRST concept cars I look for each year are Citroen. I just wish more would come to market.
I have inspected many of their concepts on the Champs-Élysées boutiques along with Renault on previous trips to France.