2CV - Citroen

2CV is the name of an automobile that was designed by the French manufacturing company Citroen in 1936 and presented for the first time to the public at an exhibition in Paris in 1948.

In the period between 1954 and 1985 more than three millions copies of the 2CV Citroen were sold and the car gained the reputation of being the most innovative automobile in the world because of its cost-effectiveness. It was the most economical car that had ever been produced and had a huge impact on society internationally because it gave people on low income the possibility of buying an automobile.

During the creative process of the 2CV one objective was the creation of a vehicle that was suitable for carrying fragile objects while driven on a ploughed field. The result was a car that had very efficient shock absorbers and therefore was suitable for being used both in the city and in the countryside. The first 2CV automobiles that where mass produced had a roof which could be rolled back from the windscreen like the cabriolets, feature that would give them an elegant look despite their low price.
(*)

related subjects:
Automotive Design

Industrial Design