While the fortunes of the conventional auto show wax and wane – but mostly wane – the rearward-facing focus of Paris’ Rétromobile Show has never been in greater demand. 2026 marked the 50th anniversary of this classic car extravaganza, held at the city’s Expo Porte de Versailles (28 January – 1 February).
As well as the usual cluster of specialist restorers, high-end auction houses, memorabilia and spare-part stores, and longstanding enthusiasts’ organisations, the show featured a number of contemporary manufacturers.
The new Citroën ELO Concept made its public debut in France
The reason? Having a heritage is an important differentiator in a global car market dominated by brand-new names. The massed nameplates of China are making a substantial dent in the European car market.
Faced with bold design, new technology and unassailable prices, the old guard is fighting back by keeping one foot in the past. Peugeot was on hand to showcase the history of its soon-to-be-revived GTI nameplate, whereas Stellantis stablemate Citroën took a different tack.
Citroën Xanae, C 10 and C-Cactus concepts at Rétromobile 2026
Citroën’s display focused on the creativity of concept cars, highlighting the pipeline from design dreams to production reality. With eight key cars on display, dating all the way back to the 1939 Traction Avant 15-6 Cabriolet and including the recently released ELO Concept Car – making its French debut – Citroën is on a mission to reclaim its crown as both leftfield innovator and king of the mass market.
Citroën Traction Avant 15-6 Cabriolet from 1939
Admittedly, the pipeline analogy becomes a little more stretched in the modern era, where design and prototyping techniques allow for flights of fancy and fantasy that often go way beyond production realities.
To Citroën’s credit, some of the cars here, resplendent in their polychromatic 1980s and 1990s liveries, went on to influence key production models, although the rough and ready prototype of the 2CV, the 1939 2CV A, was more about engineering proof of concept than a statement of futuristic form.
Citroën 2CV A from 1939
The Traction Avant Cabriolet is one of only three prototypes, and is returning to the show after being exhibited at the very first Rétromobile in 1976. It’s joined by its 2CV A sibling, the pair making a remarkable statement about Citroën’s diversity of style in the late 1930s. Just four examples of this first series of 2CV survive.
With the ELO representing the modern day, the marque’s other concepts include the 1956 C 10, an exploration of aerodynamics in a teardrop-shaped form that wouldn’t look out of place in a Jacques Tati film.
The C 10 is starkly contrasted with Trevor Fiore's Citroën Karin, revealed at the 1980 Paris Motor Show. This brown wedge, with its three-abreast seating and pyramidal form, is perhaps the ultimate expression of 1970s-era design. Inside, the driver sits in the middle of a plushly carpeted cabin, with a multi-functional steering wheel and binnacle housing all the controls.
A few years later, Citroën was attempting to capitalise on its reputation for suspension innovation – the hydropneumatics system introduced in the legendary DS went on to define the company’s large cars for decades.
The 1988 Citroën Activa 1 marked the debut of ‘Hydractive’ suspension, which paired the original system with electronic control systems and went on to feature in the XM and Xantia models. The prototype was built by Bertone, a long-time collaborator, and was followed by 1990’s Activa 2.
The jazzy pastel hues and patterns of the Xanae mark it out as peak 1990s design. This lozenge-shaped minivan had a multifunctional interior and went on to influence the form and functionality of the original Citroën Xsara Picasso, launched in 1999.
The 2007 C-Cactus brings us practically to the modern era. The Cactus name made it to production as the C4 Cactus in 2014, sharing some of the concept’s stance and absence of conventional grille. The concept was a showcase for recycled materials, amongst other innovations, just as this decade’s Oli and ELO concepts have pointed to new manufacturing, material and layout arrangements.
‘For nearly 107 years, Citroën has continuously reinvented itself while remaining faithful to its fundamentals: meeting individual mobility needs, cultivating closeness with people, and offering comfort and design that are uniquely ours,’ Citroën’s CEO, Xavier Chardon, said before the show.
The Citroën ELO is the company's newest concept car
As well as bringing these models back into the public eye, the company also used Rétromobile to promote L’Aventure Citroën, a non-profit dedicated to company heritage. It’s where one goes to pick up spare parts, a Citroën toy and other merchandise, as well as engage knowledgeable restoration advice.
The Citroën ELO alongside the 1939 2CV A
Citroën.com, @Citroën, Boutique-Laventure-Association.com, @CitroënHeritage, Retromobile.com