The 2CV - In the middle of the 1930s,
Pierre-Jules Boulanger decided to build the first mass-produced
car. His aim was clear: to design a spartan and inexpensive
car that could carry several passengers and their luggage
across all types of terrain. The first prototype was built
in 1937 with the TPV, the abbreviation of "Trés
Petite Voiture". The public only finally got to meet the
2CV at the 1948 Paris Motor Show. And it proved an unprecedented
success as crowds flocked to the Citroën stand to
place orders. The French production line made its last
2CV in February 1989 and, after 3,868,633 cars sold worldwide,
the very last rolled out of the Mangualde plant in Portugal
at 4pm on 27th July 1990. [From www.citroen.com]
Did you know that the 2CV is referred to as an animal in
various countries? For example, in Holland and Germany,
the 2CV is referred to as 'duck', in France as 'two horses'
(which is what 2CV litteraly stands for) and in Belgium
as 'goat'. Welcome to the animal farm. |
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The Ami - In the early sixties the strange
carbuilder Citroën had 3 extraordinaire looking cars
in production: the 2CV, the DS and the square HY-van. To
fill the gap between the "duck" and the "goddess" they
introduced a fourth: the AMI6. This was technically based
upon the 2 cilinder 2CV and it's outlook was dominated
by the extraordinary lookung "rainfree" rear window. With
the AMI6 the French carmaker had a car which was attractive
to the biggest group of customers. The 1961 AMI6 model
had the first 602 cc. air-cooled flattwin engine, with
20 bhp at 4.500 rpm. The AMI6 was in production from April
1961 until March 1969, the Break version was introduced
at the Paris Motor Show and was in production until July
1971, a total number of 1.039.384 Ami6's are built. [From hans
tacq's AMI6 page] |
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The DS - The most advanced car in the
world in 1955, the CitroÁn DS continued in production for
twenty years and even then was ahead of its contemporaries.
Revolutionary in appearance, it became a symbol of French
technological leadership. Among its most startling innovations
was a self-levelling, hydro-pneumatic, fully-independent
suspension, replacing conventional springs and shock absorbers.
When the engine was started, the close-to-the-ground DS
would magically rise so that driver and passengers might
easily climb aboard. Once underway, the driver could adjust
the system's ride height by as much as six inches. Fully
raised, it could easily climb curbs and negotiate obstacles.
At minimum height the CitroÁn DS reduced air resistance,
lowered the center of gravity, tackled curves with the
precision of a railway train. This same system was also
used to provide power assist for gearshift and clutch.
Spotting one on the street today is rare but it happens,
for the CitroÁn DS is a French classic that begs to be
driven.
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