The Citroën 2CV is the star of an exhibition of classic car images

Anyone born after the 1980s will generally not have had the chance to enjoy a trip in a Citroën 2CV. And they don’t know what they’re missing. In an era when cars are even capable of driving themselves, albeit to a limited extent for now, it’s hard to imagine that cars were once so “manual“. Yet it wasn’t so long ago, and those of us who grew up in the seventies and eighties got to see this classic in action.

And although it’s hard to remember, the last unit of this model rolled off the assembly line at the Mangualde plant, in northern Portugal, on 27 July 1990, just 25 years ago. This car marked not just one era, but several. In total, there were 41 years during which this car could be found in dealerships, and sales of 5 million units, in years when sales were not what they are today.

The model’s fame has endured over the years, and there are many devotees who continue to care for and restore cars that have been part of our history. In fact, the latest gathering of enthusiasts of the Citroën 2CV took place this November, at the IV Exhibition Forum “The historic vehicle: an opportunity for the future”.

This was held in the town of Arroyo de la Encomienda (Valladolid), where visitors could see an extensive gallery of images about the history of the 2CV, supported by a series of activities related to the model. Enthusiasts once again enjoyed the recognisable figure of the French car.

Curiously, it has appeared in video games such as Gran Turismo, and in cinema it became the emblem of the bohemian life of a France that was perceived as modern and fun. It was even a “Bond car”, thanks to its appearance in the film “For Your Eyes Only“, starring Roger Moore.

The Citroën 2CV began to take shape in 1935, when Pierre Jules Boulanger, then head of the brand’s Studies department, wanted a car designed to allow the farmers of France to become motorised. Development was halted after the Second World War, but in 1948 it proved a huge success for the brand. The waiting list for delivery stretched to three years.

In Spain it was important during the period when the country became motorised, and it even appeared in the very popular “Sor Citroën”. Alongside the Méhari and the Dyane 6, it has gone down in history as one of the most popular cars in the history of the European automotive industry.

Source | Citroën