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 Citroen 2CV anniversary infographic
Graphic shows 2CV designed by Piere Boulanger.
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MOTORING

Citroen 2CV -- from peasants and potatoes to the city

By Duncan Mil

September 26, 2008 - Designed by Pierre Boulanger and unveiled at the Paris motor show in 1948, the Citroen Deux Chevaux would enable two farmers to transport 100kg of produce to market on France’s country roads at up to 60km/h.

The Citroen 2CV, celebrating its 60th anniversary at the Paris Car Show, was designed to carry four farmers and 50 kilos of potatoes over unmade roads at up to 60km/h, but ended up as a fashion icon notching up sales of over five million.

Borne out of the economic crisis of the 1930s, legendary Citroen designer Andre Lefebvre was asked to create a basic, cheap and practical car for France’s farmers. Lefebvre, who also sired the Citroen Traction Avant and the amazing, advanced, drop-dead gorgeous DS saloon, borrowed innovations from the aircraft industry to make the car’’s body light and relatively strong.

The 2CV was scheduled for launch in 1939, but the Second World War intervened. Citroen was said to have buried the prototype cars and designs to make sure the invading Germans couldn’t use the vehicle in their war effort.

The car was finally launched three years after the end of the war, in October 1948. Citroen sold 5.1 million versions of the car until production stopped in 1990, and the range swelled to include two-door versions, vans, pickup trucks, an all-wheel drive front and rear powered derivative, and a convertible (or at least a version with a canvas roof which could be rolled back). Its lack of performance wasn’t a problem in many rural areas of France, because bad roads meant high speeds were impossible anyway. Later versions speeded up a bit.

Over the years, the 2CV moved out of the countryside and into the city, where its quirky looks made it a favourite among young people seeking cheap, cheerful, reliable and eventually fashionable transport.

The 2CV, or Deux Chevaux, originally called the Toute Petite Voiture, had extraordinarily flexible suspension which allowed it to go off-road. Part of the design specification also called for the car not only to reach 37mph on unmade roads, but for the suspension to be able to carry a farmer’s eggs without breaking them. The trend-setting independent suspension connected the front and rear units to allow unprecedented wheel flexibility for good ride quality even over the worst of surfaces.

The original 2CV was powered by a flat, twin-cylinder, air cooled engine driving the front wheels, and used the body to add strength to the vehicle, like an aircraft. The original design called for the use of much aluminium and magnesium, another aircraft-like innovation, but this proved too expensive so steel was substituted. The first versions only had hand-powered windscreen wipers.

Citroen built up a reputation for brilliant new ideas in the 20th century. The Traction Avant in the 1930s was the first front wheel drive car. The marvellous 1950s DS introduced aerodynamic styling, disc brakes and “hydropneumatic” suspension which replaced the metal springs of conventional suspension with a hydraulic system using liquids. Unfortunately, the company was less impressive at making profits, and was taken over by Peugeot in 1976.

Citroen 2CV
Engine - 375cc 2-cylinder
Power - 9bhp @ 3,500rpm
Drive - front wheels
Gearbox - 4-speed
Suspension - independent
Top speed - 65km/h / 37mph
Fuel consumption - claimed combined - 4.5 litres per 100 kilometres / 62.8mpg
C02 - 115g/km
Length - 3,800mm / 150.8ins
Width - 1,480mm / 58.3ins
Height - 1,600mm / 63.0ins
Weight - 560kg-1,235-lbs
Price about $650, 50% less than the VW Beetle

Sources
PUBLISHED: 26/09/2008; STORY: Neil Winton
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