About
The self-taught hydraulics expert
Paul Magès (1908-1999) is one of the most significant engineers in the history of the French automobile — without ever having had an engineering degree. Destined for the Academy of Arts and Crafts of Marseille but coming from modest parents, he had to leave high school at 17.
He joined Citroën in August 1925, at 17 and a half — the date appears in his autobiographical notes kept in the collection. Self-taught, he read every technical manual he could get his hands on, became a technical writer, then assistant manager of Super-Control. In 1939-1940, tasked with correcting the braking of the TUB van, he invented a pressure limiter that led him into the design office: he would become 'Mr Hydraulics' there.
As early as 1944, he designed a hydropneumatic suspension with automatic levelling — the plan dated 17 February 1944 is kept in the collection. Tests on 2 CV in 1946, first application on the Traction 15-Six H in 1954, then consecration with the DS presented on 6 October 1955. He left Citroën in September 1974, after forty-nine years with the company.
A technical legacy documented piece by piece
The collection preserves the material traces of his inventions and their development:
- The hydropneumatic suspension with automatic self-levelling (plans from 1944, 2 CV tests 1946, 15-Six H 1954, DS 1955)
- The load-sensitive brake limiter, born on the TUB van (1939-1940)
- High-pressure power braking and its "mushroom" control
- The DS power steering, then the Diravi with variable-assist return (SM, CX)
- The hydrostatic transmission, experimented with from 1955 to the 1970s (2 CV, Mont Ventoux 1960)
Retired in Ramatuelle, he was elected municipal councillor there in 1977 and then deputy mayor — his fellow citizens nicknamed him "the Professor". He passed away on 22 September 1999, at the age of 91.
1925
Joined Citroën at 17 ½ — he would remain there for 49 years, until September 1974.
1944
First preserved blueprint of the self-levelling hydropneumatic suspension.
1955
The DS reveals his work to the world, at the Paris Motor Show.