Description

In this readable and informative book, motoring expert Malcolm Bobbitt tells the story of one of the most iconic cars in motoring history. Designed as affordable and practical transport for French farmers travelling on either bad roads or ploughed fields, it also found its way into the fashionable quarters of Paris. This book shows how designers successfully achieved the specification for rugged and utilitarian design suitable for times of austerity while at the same time producing a truly classless car. The author explains the history of the car, conceived when Citroën was owned by the Michelin tyre company, and how the idea evolved. He covers the ingenious design aspects of the car, including the corrugated metal bonnet, hammock seats, push-pull gear lever and twin-cylinder air-cooled engine. Such was the success of the 2CV that it spawned variants such as the Dyane, Ami 6 and Ami 8 and the British-built Bijou, all of which are covered here. Illustrated with an evocative collection of high quality photographs and written by an authority on Citroën cars, this concise book tells you all you need to know about the famous 2CV.