Wednesday 4th October 1922

On the opening day of the seventh Paris Motor Show, an aircraft flew over the city, writing Citroën’s name in letters 3-miles long as the Citroën 5HP was presented. Its 856-cc engine developed 11 bhp at 2,100 rpm. This highly economical vehicle marked the beginning of the ‘democratisation’ of the motor car. It was so easy to drive and maintain that it became the first ‘ladies’ car’. No fewer than 80,759 were built between March 1922 and December 1926. 81 French automobile makers in total exhibited at the show (plus 1 French commercial vehicle manufacturer, 7 “Coach-builders” ) and 25 non-French automobile industry businesses, 113 exhibitors in total.