Wheeled umbrella or a tin snail? The Citroen 2CV is inarguably one of the coolest looking cars of the century. Over the decades, it has become iconic for many car manufacturers. The 2CV had to meet a particular set of characteristics in order to revive the french auto industry. It had to be reasonably speedy, cheap and mechanically simple to mend in order to become an “everyman’s car”! This production car had a car for sale in 1948 and it’s hype grew quickly.
What kind of an engine does a 2CV have?
The engine of a 2CV is nothing huge to gush over; it seems neither large nor powerful. The 375cc two-cylinder motor could muster up 9 horsepower which was suitable for travelling at 40 mph on smooth roads. Frequent upgrading upped the horsepower to 14 and then 19 in the 1960’s. The final 2CV make in the 1970’s used a 602 cc with a whopping 33 horsepower. The car is light and the engine is simple and tough.
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How fast was the 2CV?
Like it is mentioned, not that fast. The original 2CV took about 40 seconds to reach 40 mph and got faster slowly over the years. What mattered is that Citroen could cruise at 30 mph all day long without having any riders onboard.
What about the technology?
Granted there was nothing revolutionary about the tech of 2CV but it was filled with some competitive contemporary tech of it’s time. It’s frame and structure was reminiscent of an old airplane and it used a leader chassis with a slim steel body mounted on top. It’s driving kinematics super thin front tires will understeer before mustering enough grip to roll over.
Remembering the citroen 2CV is a pleasant reminder that things are not always bad in the slow lane. The 2CV carried a charm that was beyond lap times and wacky tech. The car defined a state of automotive reality that hinged on minimalism, simplistic engineering mechanics with a touch of enduring humanity. This car was well loved!
Check out some more of these vintage cars that you might see in Dubai. If you are interested in buying this classic car from the 1960s, there’s a car for sale at CarSwitch.com. Hurry up before it get snagged! Happy shopping!
