Does an Argentine popular car return? Citroën plans to revive for the success of the competition

In the late 90s and early 2000s there was a Classic car reissue wavewith the appearance of models such as the Volkswagen New Beetle or the modern era of the Mini Cooper. And now it seems that we are entering a similar stage, since Citroën I would be working on the new generation of a model that was extremely popular in Argentina.

This is the 2CV, a vehicle that was manufactured in our country and then had its evolution in the 3CV, whose decision to re -produce a model with this name is related to the success that Renault is having.

The rhombus brand has decided to restructure its range of electric cars in Europe reissue famous models that left their mark on society of the old continent. Thus appeared the Renault 5, recently chosen as Auto del Year; The Renault 4 that will soon be available and soon the new generation of Twingo.

Although for the moment the only one sold is the R5, the good reviews that Renault’s strategy has received from the press and the public seems to have made an effect on his rival Citroën.

After chatting with Citroën design chief, Pierre Leclercq, the double Chevrón brand It will launch a new 2CVaccording to the British publication Autocar. It will be a completely electric model, with a design inspired by the original 2CV and the idea is to be cheap.

From the middle they were responsible for clarifying that Leclercq has not confirmed anything publicly, but that everything implies that the new 2CV will come true at some point. “The things you remember from Citroën is not especially that you want to rebuild the shape of the vehicles that have been good. But we will not close the door. But I think that philosophy is important,” said the Chief of Design of the French brand.

But the speculation went a little further, since according to Autocarby price, it would be between the Citroën AMI (a Biplaza Urban electric) and the Citroën C3 Electric, that is, it should cost between 7,990 and 22,590 euros. This way, It would be cheaper than the R5 and would compete directly with the future Twingo.

The Stellantis group, which has Citroën among its brands, has the necessary tools to execute such a strategy, since it could take advantage of the new STLA platform Smalldesigned for compact electric cars with up to 500 km of autonomy, to develop this new Citroën 2CV. The factories that today have this platform are those of Vigo and Zaragoza, in Spain, or Pomigliano, in Italy.

The British media until speculates with its release date: 2028 could be a good year to present it because they will be fulfilled 80 years of the presentation of the first 2cv And a new edition of the Paris Hall will also be held that year, the ideal place to present this rebirth.

It is not the first time that Citroën flirts with the possibility of reissueing this classic. In the 2009 Frankfurt Hall, the French brand presented the Revolte prototype, which materialized a modern representation of the historic 2CV. On that occasion he offered a hybrid technology. But it never went from being a style essay.

During its more than 40 years of life (1949-1990) 5,114,969 2CV units were manufacturedincluding 1,246,335 utilitarian versions. The last copy left the Portuguese plant in Mangualde on July 27, 1990, 42 years after its launch.

The 2CV was so popular that it came to occur in 15 countries distributed on four continents. In Argentina, where it also became an icon, it was manufactured between 1960 and 1979 with the peculiarity that from 1972 was called 3CV.

He knew how to be a protagonist of films, commercial, cartoons and even comic journals. Even here it was portrayed by Quino in the unforgettable mafalda.

The “TPV” project (acronym in which Castilian means “very small car) was born in 1936 with the objective was to provide low -income people an economic and versatile car. But the Second War delayed the plans.

At the time of its launch the Citroën 2CV was mainly questioned by its figure. Many nicknamed “ugly duckling” and even compared it with an “umbrella with wheels” without knowing that That premise would be part of a success that allowed him to move masses for decades. By 1950, Citroën 2CV became one of the most required cars in the world, to the point that delivery times came to take six years.

To our market came promoted as the first front car of front -wheel drive. Although it was much more than that. The beginning of its industrial activity in the country began in 1960, after the Staudt and Cía dealer. It will begin to import it from 1956.

The first 100 cars and 20 vans 2cv azu They were assembled in the Jeppener plantBrandsen party, with parts and sets received from France and Belgium, including the engine and hood, and then its production moved to the Barracas neighborhood (City of Buenos Aires).

The last Citroën 2CV, the AZAM, was presented in March 1966 and was the luxury version. Premiered the A53 engine of 425 cm3 and 18 HP due to the change of cylinder covers, a new multiple and carburetor.

In November 1969 Citroën launched the 3CV, a model that was only manufactured here that name (in other markets it continued to be called 2CV). In total Citroën Argentina came to manufacture about 170,590 units of “the frog”, as well as the 2CV and 3CV (cars and utilitaries), which represented 76% of the 223,442 vehicles produced between 1960 and 1979. The other models were AMI 8 and Méhari.