India Intrigue: The Story of a Traction Avant — Raced in Calcuttta by a Chinese Lady

The subject of this article caught our attention thanks to a tip from Citroënvie member Greg Millard. It appeared in deRivaz & Ives, India’s beautifully produced vintage and classic automobile magazine.

They featured a 1952 Traction Avant 15-6 that was well known in Calcutta’s famous racing scene in the 1950s and 1960s. What’s more, it was raced by an indomitable woman, a Chinese lady by the name of Minnie Pan who also used the Traction as her daily drive.

Its history goes from her to her boyfriend, then through a buy and buy-back again path to prominent restorer Rahul Sircar in the city of Kolkata (the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal), who sadly passed away on the morning of the December 1, 2021. The article is a tribute to him, but delves into the history of the Traction Avant, and how this outstanding 15-6 has survived in India for nearly 70 years!

It’s a great read that you can find here: https://magazine.derivaz-ives.com/the-citroen-that-minnie-raced-and-which-beat-the-boys-regularly/