The Citroën 2CV Story

French author Guy de Maupassant regularly ate on the first level of the Eiffel Tower even though he hated the sight of the thing. When asked why he said it was not for the quality of the food, but it was the only place in Paris where he couldn’t see the Eiffel Tower! Some were also put off by the look of the Citroën 2CV, but like the Eiffel Tower it’s grown to become a beloved symbol of French engineering success, and about as French as a croissant. It’s no accident this French biscuit tin has a picture of a 2CV on it. In development for 13 years, and in production for over 40, Citroën’s “upturned pram” produced two offspring, but outlasted both of them. Why did it take 13 years to develop, and why did it last more than 40 years in production with almost no changes?

Sources:

#bigcar

[Brera]

My aunt had one. She used the gearstick for hanging her umbrella and handbag. Never got further than second gear. She had never a problem with traffic jams, she was always in front.

[andygriffiths]

I bought one off a farm in the midlands in the 1990s. Never went wrong. Used less than £10 per week fuel. It was a car you could connect with it was so simple to work on and live with. It was kinda genius.

[TTTzzzz]

From experience I can say that the 2CV was one of the best cars ever made. As an off-road adventure car it was fantastic. It could cross fast flowing French streams and deep pools (it floats), it could cross the Pyrenees via goat paths (causing me to pray a lot), transverse beaches, sand dunes and the Sahara desert with ease even with 4 passengers plus luggage. And it never ever gave up!
All it's quirks just made it more lovable.
My respect for the little bugger and it's designers is infinite.
I have owned, amongst others, a Saab Turbo, Lotus Elite, Mercedes S- and E-class and even a WW2 US army Jeep. The 2CV is my favourite.

[Deepthought-]

I had a 3 week holiday to the south of France with a girlfriend in the 1980s.
We had the choice of travelling in my Ford or in her 2CV. We chose the 2CV and travelled along the D roads and staying wherever we could get each day.
Always well received with a smile - best holiday I ever had 👍❤️

[gaborcsuzdi]

Instead of China, the tooling finally ended up at the 2CV-Méhari Owners' Club in Cassis, in the south of France. Thus they have every imaginable part available, so much so, that even building a brand-new 2CV from scratch is possible. They also work on improving the parts (such as rustproofing) using modern materials. Recently they even introduced and homologated the electric versions: 2CV R-Fit and Méhari Eden. So the 2CV platform is still far away from saying its last word...

[BreezyE-dn]

In 1994 I drove around Europe in one of these with my Dad during the summer for 2.5 months. We drove thru France (Strasbourg), Germany, Hungary (Budapest and Lake Balaton), Croatia (to the island of Cress), Italy (Venice), Switzerland and Stopped off in Paris before we went back to the UK. We took out the passenger seat for extra storage and used to take out the back seat for a little sofa when camping. One night we camped in a deserted camp site overlooking a huge reservoir a few ks from Zagred. In the morning we tried to start the car but the battery was dead and we didn't have a mobile phone. Any other car and we would have been in trouble. But my Dad just lifted the hood and hand cranked the car and we were back in business. When we got up to 60/70km/h the thing would be vibrating like the Star Ship Enterprise under attack, when it was raining a fine spray would come in thru the window whenever a vehicle passed the other way and once the soft top got ripped off when a big truck passed us, but apart from that the little thing was awesome. It was great off road going down little dirt tracks to hard to reach camping spots. Not bad for a few hundred quid!

[vumba]

We lived on the French Ivory Coast in 1959 and they were there in numbers along with the Panhard, both with 2 cylinderengines, very distinctive beat. When the rains came the 2CV was the only vehicle that could make it through the muddy, unsealed roads, and if it got stuck in the mud, you just got out, lifted it out onto firmer ground, and drove on! The other big cars all got bogged down including the 4 wheel drive Jeep. Loved them.

[willke]

I was stopped for speeding on a main road in Spain about forty years ago in our 2CV.
After the paperwork the Civil Guard returned my licence and insurance papers and said; "you should be proud of that car, it's a jewel."

[MrSebfrench]

French here
Former owner of an Ami 8.
Congrats. This vid is brilliantly made, just like are your others.
You're showing respect to this car . Clarkson should learn from you 👍

[claudiopereyra]

En Argentina a finales de la década del 60 el 2CV evolucionó al 3CV... Yo tengo un 3CV modelo 1967 en perfecto estado de conservación que lo uso actualmente y lo disfruto. (Aún posee la capota de su techo original). Cuando nos cruzamos en las carreteras con otro Citroën nos saludamos como si fuésemos amigos de toda la vida. 🙂 Conducir un 3CV ¡¡Es una experiencia mística!! Siempre digo que nadie quien conduzca debe privarse en esta vida, del placer de manejar un Citroën 2CV o 3CV aunque sea una única vez... 🙂

[magnatarbeing]

French automotive design, engineering and technology has always been ( and probably will continue to be ) superb, incredibly innovative and unique.

[BigCar]

Errata: It's not a three cylinder engine, it was only two!
The Sahara had two transmissions, not one. The French Wikipedia site said the noise level in the cabin was unbearable!
Also, the 2002 Citroën C3 was also intended to harken back to those 2CV looks.

[flemmingsorensen]

Absolutely love Citroens from this era - they were so bonkers, yet so cool. Great video 👍👍👍

[all]

One of the most amazingly engineered cars and sorry to have been put away. It was far better than most cars today!

[JUSTENization]

I was born in Vietnam in the 60s and love watching those fancy black Citroen driving down the streets. This video is very enjoyable and your narrative is excellent. Now that i am an aerospace engineer, and while watching this I find myself still learning into the unknown. The spring connect front/rear suspension was very interesting, even modern day engineers wouldn’t have thought of it. Beautiful cars. Lots of memories.

[catjudo]

I had read about the 2CV in a Road & Track editorial in which the author and a friend took a 2CV Truckette camper on a long road trip. When I saw one in the teacher's lot at my university, I left a note on the windshield asking him if he might like to talk about the car with me. Not only did he reply, but he offered to meet at a coffee shop and talk for a while. He had seen the car in Europe and was blown away at how different it was, then found out that street legal versions existed in America. He bought one and loved it. The special bonus was that he took me for a ride in the beast, and it was a real treat. Now that I'm a bit older, I live near a large retirement community in Florida that has a car show each month. Sometimes a lovely restored/customized 2CV appears, and I have been known to pass the muscle cars and hot rods to get a look at it first. I love these cars, so thank you for this video!

[tommyfred]

i had two 2cv's in the 80s. i loved them. i used them off road as i worked on farms at the time. i even drove a sick ram to the vets in one. a fantastic car in the snow too.

[stephenberry]

Such a great history of this French Icon.
My 3rd new 2CV6 is an 1989/90 RHD Charleston which I ordered for Paris delivery and imported to Australia after the minimum of 3 months use and possession to get an import license.

Now in the 75th anniversary year of the 2CV and my 45th year of 2CV ownership, my current Charleston has covered 285, 000 kms. Time for an upgrade, so I imported a Burton 652 cc Big Bore engine from Holland along with a Power Tube, rebuilt kit for carbie, larger jets, stainless exhaust, ss heater boxes, ss suspension tubes, LED tail lights, new clutch, new front & rear brakes, new steering wheel and other new goodies...

With a throaty roar I now charge around Sydney and the country side, unable to use the old excuse... "But officer, I have a credit for all the uphills I cannot reach the speed limit."

Huge fun. Makes friends everywhere you go.
More smiles per Mile...

[HappyDaysNI]

I had a 2CV, a 1989 variant. I’d have another in a heartbeat. Brilliant wee cars, but the kids were seriously embarrassed by it! My first convertible as I described it.

[golic]

3:08 - I love that ability to provide just what people needed - the simplicity & ingenuity of the time was astounding & so welcomed . . . . People who could afford them were lucky, indeed