Introducing the Citroën 2CV

The low-power, low-cost Citroën 2CV was a staple of French life, developed for rural transportation. By the 1970s, the 2CV was powered by a 602cc flat-twin engine mustering around 33 bhp. The main hero vehicle used in filming featured a larger 1.1-litre engine that was lifted from the Citroën GS. Shot in Corfu over 12 days in late September and early October 1980, the chase sequence marked the franchise debut of Remy Julienne as stunt driver and arranger. A number of 2CVs were used in the sequence and four are known to have survived filming, while at least two more were definitely scrapped after the production wrapped.

The TPV (Toute Petite Voiture, “Very Small Car”) was conceived as an affordable workhorse for France’s large rural population, many of whom could not yet afford a car. With this in mind, Citroën’s then vice-president Pierre-Jules Boulanger set out to create a vehicle capable of carrying four people and 50 kg of goods at 30 mph, travelling across muddy and unpaved roads if required, all while remaining exceptionally fuel-efficient at 3 L per 100 km (95 mpg). The design brief is even said to have included the requirement that it should be able to transport a basket of eggs safely across a ploughed field.

The outbreak of war in 1939 delayed the release of the TPV, which had been renamed the Citroën 2CV (deux chevaux, or “two horses”). The car continued to be developed over the following years and was finally unveiled at the Paris Salon on 7 October 1948, with production continuing until 1990 thanks to its enduring popularity. In the years following WWII, demand for economical transport was high, leading to long waiting lists for the 2CV. Thanks to its soft suspension and narrow radial tyres, the car adapted just as well to the French countryside as to towns and villages. It also proved near impossible to roll, even when cornered sharply at its top speed of 40 mph. Much of this stability was likely due to André Lefèbvre, the engineer responsible for the project, who had designed and raced Grand Prix cars and took particular interest in maintaining consistent contact between the tyres and the road surface.

Over the decades, the 2CV evolved through new models and refinements but never lost sight of the original brief. It developed a devoted following beyond its original target audience, becoming popular as a cheap and reliable car favoured by both families and younger drivers. Around 3.8 million 2CVs were built during its 42-year production run, a figure that rises to over 9 million when including all the variants derived from the original design.