Pierre Jules Boulanger took charge of Citroën in 1935 and had the idea to create a car for social classes with low income. He wanted something simple and practical that could transport people and their goods on any terrain in an economical way. The project was called "Toute petite voiture" ( very small car).
In October 1948, the first 2CV was presented at the Paris Motor Show. It was quickly nicknamed the "ugly duckling" in the Netherlands, because not everyone liked the exterior, but eventually it became the star of the show.
The idea of minimalist motoring sounds perfectly plausible until you drive the 2CV.
The original 2CV had a two-cylinder 375cc engine that produced a whopping nine horsepower—barely enough for a decent-sized ride-on lawnmower. Horsepower eventually rose as high as 33, but even the most powerful 2CVs struggled to make 60 MPH. It didn't help that the snail-shaped body was even less aerodynamic than a Volkswagen Bus.
The suspension was particularly striking. You can actually rock a 2CV from side to side with your bare hands very easily. This means the car tends to roll around a bit when driven round corners.
And look at this thing, it's like a Beetle with Down's Syndrome.
The 2CV was not safe, was slow and it looks like a poor beetle, but sold more than 5 million units, how is that possible?
The last Citroën 2CV, known as the “Tin Snail” for its distinctive shape, rolls off the production line at the company’s plant in Mangualde, Portugal at four o’clock on the afternoon of July 27, 1990.
The opinions on the Citroën 2CV are still divided. Some people think the 2CV is a terrible car and the others, are just idiots.
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