In this video carphile.co.uk get to fire up the engine of a classic mid-eighties Citroen 2cv6 special, one of France’s most recognisable cult cars of the 20th century.
Under the bonnet of this 2cv is Citroen’s air-cooled 602cc 2 cylinder engine. Breathing through a Solex carburettor.
The engine produces 27bhp, enough to propel the light 2cv from 0-60 in 32 seconds and on to a top speed of 69mph, driving through the front-wheels and a four speed, dashboard-mounted gearbox. Find out more about different models of Citroen 2cv here
The 2cv originally grew out of Citroen’s TPV (The Petit Voiture) project in the mid-thirties. Citroen’s vision of the peoples’ car was intended to entice, less-affluent, rural France out of their horses and carts and into the motor car. The brief called for a car that would be simple to own, cheap to run and repair but also capable of tackling the worst French pre-war country roads, while keeping passengers comfort.
In an early form of platform sharing, the 2cv provided the basis for a number of variants – the Dyane (a slightly bigger and more luxurious 2cv), the Ami (2cv meets classic French DS styling cues) and the Mehari (a back to basics off roader).
The car was first launched in 1948, with production ending 42 years later in 1990, after a total of 3,872,583 had been built.
The Citroen 2cv still has a worldwide following, with an excellent car club scene. 2CVGB hold regular regional and national events and meets in the UK.
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