Happy birthday dear Citroën 2CV!

Citroën celebrates the 75th anniversary of the 2 CV, her exceptional career model, produced in 5,114,969 units between 1949 and 1990.

Unveiled to the public at the Paris Motor Show on October 7, 1948, the 2 CV was born from the TPV (very small car) project in 1936, which aimed to make automobiles an accessible, versatile, and economical product. 42 years after its launch, on July 27, 1990, at 4:00 p.m., the last 2 CV rolled off the assembly line in Mangualde, Portugal.

2 CV, the People’s Car

In 1937, the first rolling prototype of the TPV project was created. It weighed only 370 kg and had only one headlight (current legislation at the time did not require two). It was a vehicle capable of transporting four people, 50 kg of luggage, at a maximum speed of 50 km/h, all while offering maximum comfort. Around 250 pre-series models were expected to be unveiled at the 1939 Paris Auto Show, but this event never took place due to the outbreak of war. The models already produced were destroyed, except for four of them, which were secretly kept at the Citroën Testing Center in La Ferté-Vidame.

When production finally began in July 1949, the 2 CV was equipped with an air-cooled flat-twin engine of 375cc delivering 9 hp. It could reach a maximum speed of 50 km/h.

A French Favorite

Its unique silhouette and broad appeal quickly won over a large part of the population. But it was also its versatility—thanks to removable benches, lightness, agility, and comfort—that contributed to its widespread success. Not to mention its ultra-economical nature, which made it the quintessential popular car. It is worth noting that in 1950, the flood of orders increased the delivery delay to… six years!

2 CV is also a well-known name worldwide, with various nicknames. Among the most famous are “Deuche” or “Deudeuche”.

In total, the 2 CV would see ten special editions launched in France and some European countries. These include the Spot, Charleston, and Cocorico. The 2 CV also evolved over time, such as in 1951 with the launch of the pickup version (called 2 CV AU), or in 1954 with the production of the 2 CV AZ equipped with a 12 hp engine and the famous centrifugal clutch.

Furthermore, the 2 CV had the opportunity to travel the world’s roads through various Rallies, such as in 1970 with the Paris-Kabul-Paris Rally covering 16,500 km, in 1971 with the Paris-Persépolis Rally of 13,500 km, and in 1973 with the Abidjan-Tunis Africa Rally of 8,000 km, all organized by Citroën.

On October 7, sixty-five restored and passionately maintained 2 CVs by private collectors will be displayed at the Citroën Conservatory in Aulnay-sous-Bois. Visitors will have the opportunity, starting at 10 a.m., to discover these automotive history gems and talk with their owners.

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