CITROEN 2CV TO RETURN AS RETRO ELECTRIC VEHICLE
The Citroen 2CV is set to return as a retro-inspired electric vehicle (EV), its French makers have suggested.
Thierry Koskas, chief executive of Citroen, said his company would release a range of historically inspired cars in coming years, drawing on “one of the richest histories in the world” among automotive brands.
The car company’s century-long range of classics includes the “tin snail”-shaped 2CV, beloved of enthusiasts and retro coffee van operators alike, as well as the mid-20th century DS and the 1990s Saxo hot hatchback.
“The brand has an incredible history and I think it still appeals to a lot of people,” said Mr Koskas.
He added: “You can go anywhere in the world – even to Brazil – and you will find people who know the 2CV.”
When asked by reporters whether the 2CV will return as an EV, he reportedly smiled and said: “We don’t exclude that we will use this heritage.”
Autocar magazine reported in January that Citroen was working on a “successor” to the 2CV design, some thirty years after production ended.
Previously, the French carmaker had denied rumours that it was looking at bringing back the classic motor.
Strong sales of its sister brand’s Renault 5 all-electric hatchback prompted a rethink at the firm’s Paris head office, Autocar said.
A launch could take place in 2028, this being the 80th anniversary of the original 2CV’s launch at the Paris Motor Show.
The 2CV traces its lineage back to the mid-1930s Toute Petite Voiture (TPV) concept car. Development was halted by the German invasion of France in the Second World War, leading to TPV prototypes being bricked up inside basements and barns to stop German occupiers from making off with them.
Modern reboots of retro cars by their original manufacturers are growing in popularity.
Ford announced in December that the Mk.1 Escort would return, under a deal with specialist carmaker Boreham Retroworks.
The new-build Escorts will come with engines delivering three times the power of the original model, as well as a £300,000 price tag.
Land Rover also announced it was bringing back the classic Defender 90 and 110 models, albeit as a refurbishment of an original vehicle to each customer’s individual specification and priced at £200,000 each.
Under a target introduced by Kemi Badenoch, then the Business Secretary, the sale of all new petrol and diesel cars will be outlawed from the year 2030.
Labour is now under intense pressure from car manufacturers including Citroen’s parent company Stellantis to reverse those damaging plans.
Another Stellantis brand, Vauxhall, is shutting down its century-old Luton factory later this year as a result of the zero-emission vehicle mandate.
Meanwhile, Mini owner BMW has suspended plans to revamp the brand’s Oxford factory to build electric versions of the much-loved miniature hatchback.
2025-03-19T21:35:26Z