This Quirky French Car Has The BEST Ride In The World: Here's Why Nobody Can Match It
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In this video we go in-depth with the Citroen 2CV, its incredible suspension and why it is completely unmatched, even 70 years later!
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#Citroen #2CV - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
This is kind of an off-road crossover long before crossovers were even invented. Designed with minimal tech and a lot of ingenuity, it's a true work of genius.
Yep. The front wheel drive is notorious to compete with 4x4s in snow in past rallies.
I've argued that most cars prior to the introduction of interstate style highways and constantly paved secondary roads could be called crossovers. They are generally tall with generous ground clearance and at least modest off road driving being intended as normal use.
No accident protection and designed for farm fields, these are noisy old cars.
@@keplermission4947 designed in 1936 so...
@@feeldiben 1936 is you know ... strictly museums and scrapheaps.
Hello from France. 😊
Many 2CV are still on roads here (south of France). They are incredibly reliable and easy to repair, as long as they are rust free. One day you should import her rival : Renault 4L (or "quatrelle") : same concept, same confort, almost same ride but a little less weird. It's the third most produced car ever after Ford T and VW beetle.
Both were clever engineered. Peace ✌️
My favorite French ride will always be Citroën SM. I wish we had more classic French car here in USA.
@@stoneylonesome4062 Hello. Yes, Citroën SM is a dream car for many french either, including me. I let you discover the "SM2" : an actual developpement of the original SM made by a specialist of restoration : a true masterpiece. There are a lot of very unusual and corky cars that you will find amazingly advanced, like some Panhard (CT24 or PL17), some Renault (Alpine Renault A110, A310, A610...), some Matra etc... very special indeed.
@@Simple_mechanic_guy I actually saw the SM2 video the other day. Looked like a guy and his son at a car show. Looked like they put some kind of turbocharger on it. Here in the USA we had a man named Jerry Hathaway who was famous amongst Citroën enthusiasts for being one of the world’s foremost experts on the SM. He outfitted his with a dual-turbocharger. I heard that the company designers had planned on releasing a version with its originally intended V-8 engine. I can only imagine how impressive the performance would be had the SM been outfitted with a V-8 Engine and a dual turbocharger.
@@stoneylonesome4062 No, there is no turbocharger on the SM2 because it's forbidden by law. They just upgraded the V6 with modern and competition parts (almost everything apart for the block itself is different) and the V6 produces officially its 170 bhp "at the wheel" not at the crank as during the 70's (probably way more than 250 Bhp at the crank) (again french regulation forbid to change anything on a car spec, even the wheel must have the same correspondant size). I know the history of Jerry Hathaway even I never saw one of his (re)creations. Peace!
SM, DS, and CX (and BX to some extent) are masterpieces, but unfortunately fewer were produced because they were not "people's cars". Still a LOT of innovations in these cars, especially the DS, and some of the most beautiful cars ever produced.
Funny story:
When my uncle first arrived to the Netherlands in the 80's, having always driven old USA cars in Turkey, he planned to get something similar. Once here in Holland, he quickly found US cars to be expensive (peanuts compared to now) and settled for a 2CV.
He was so impressed with its comfort and cuteness, however he noticed people were gesturing him, from other 2CV's.
At first he would pull over, get out, and inspect the car, only to find out everything was functioning as should.
He had NO IDEA, completely clueless. Untill he caught another 2CV driver in a parking lot who spoke english, and this 2CV driver explained to him, that 2CV drivers actually always greet eachother.
After that, he fanatically waved back at the other 2CV's untill he sold the car.
Untill this day, he always wondered where his old 2CV might be. However we found out years later, that the registration indicated the 2CV at some point was scrapped. Big sad.
😂🙌
Not funny but wholesome
Yep! That was always one of the joys of ownership. I was always waved at by other 2CV drivers and of course always waved at them too! We joined the owners club for a while and did the London To Brighton trip as well. Always in fancy dress and with HUNDREDS of 2CV's in convoys heading to the coast, It was so much fun. If I had the ability to garage one and the money, I would keep one still, for those lovely summer days of fun and pic-nics!
Kinda like motorcyclists always greet each other
That's a great story.
This was every French teens joyride car for decades, I’ve learnt driving in one, went wild in plowed fields, covered long distances with it, whatever broke you could fix with chewing gum and duct tape (you get the image).
The only thing I’ve never had in it: warmth during winter.
Ha! I put an extra 5 kw airheater by webasto in my second and third 2cv for exactly that reason. It was great. Never had a frozen/blown radiator or ice-ruined block in the 2cv and GS, though, thanks to aircooled engines.
you had a lot of luck (about warm). my forst car was a mehari. a lot of fun on offroad and in summer, but in winter, on the 2 hours way to my college....
I was given a lift in a 2CV many years ago by a guy who had run out of gearbox oil, due to some sort of leak. He had a load of bananas so he stuffed the gearbox with peeled bananas and it got him home.
That is what girlfriends are for. And when the windows fog up, privacy.
@@leehaelters6182 Well, where I am at home, the girls wanted that special lift in a comfy warm car, so I had that working perfectly for me, which was nice ....
Don't forget the other ingredient: Lots of wheel travel combined with relatively soft springs. Perhaps no other car displays the devotion to wheel travel quite as clearly as the 2CV does. One really has to admire the independent thinking and innovative engineering in many French cars. I got just *one* ride in a DS-21 40 years ago and that memory still stands out as the best I've ever experienced in any car.
The wheel travel does the most I believe. I drive a Volvo 144 and I'm not afraid to fly over bumps and I don't feel a thing. I once had the 'luxury' of driving a CX over the same bumps and there wasn't really any difference.
The jack is some 3 feet long... 😁
I have a 2cv6 from 78' and i had a peugeot 504, the most perfect ride from french cars the i could know off when we are talking about affordable cars, the 504 not so affordable back in the days tho
Post war economy was slowly restarting and there was a need for an affordable car. It is a perfect example of sticking to specifications and keeping the cost down.
When I was a child in the early 60s my family lived in Switzerland, home of the Geneva car show. My dad was a regular at the show and was fond of recounting how one year Citroën had set up a special test track with various large, off-camber bumps on which visitors were invited to test drive a 2CV while attempting to roll it, with the promise that anyone who succeeded would win a free car. As far as dad could remember, no one won.
way back when i was a little kid our family car was a 2CV. unlike this one it had some stepping boards under the door. we kids always told your parents to go faster around the corners, it was better than any rollercoaster. one day when we got your mother to go really fast around a corner, a biker came to other way on our side of the road. my mother avoided the collision, the 2CV proved that you really can't roll it. but you can absolutely let the sparks fly, by tilting it so hard, the stepping boards and the fenders scrape the road. it felt really sad, when my father explained to me, that the next car wouldn't be a 2CV because you couldn't by them with a catalyst.
@@beyondEV fuck catalitic converters!!
2cv also really work great off roads, due to its light weight and high wheels. I used to go on an archeology site where heavier 4x4 couldn’t go.
@@xrayban2 is that a Topolino in your profile picture?
@@mrsnezbit2219 Catalytic converters do a great deal of good. Get upset at the companies unwilling to continue well-working old features in newer cars.
The word was that the perfect speed for a typical 90's Dutch speed bump was 62 km/h because it matches the distance between the wheels ideally for the suspension to entirely smooth it out. Some say it was 66.6 km/h but I believe that's only true at full moon.
My wife still has and daily drives her 2CV here in Italy. It's the "Charleston" variant, wine red & black. It's a real icon here and was a favorite among the youngster in the '70, probably due to the low running costs, the ridiculous gas consumption, and easy maintenance. I personally had it disassembled to the frame with a couple of wrenches, a plier, and a screwdriver hahahahaha. That is why it puts a smile on people everywhere it goes. We even find often notes asking to rent it for weddings...and we did a couple of times. Obviously, she doesn't let ANYONE drive her 2CV beside me (and even then she's not all that happy. LOL) so I had to dress up and be the driver...hat and everything.
BTW, yellow and black is her 2nd favorite color.
Keep on driving that beauty ma man, and keep these videos coming.
Greetings from Italy.
You didn't push it at all! I've taken sharp curves at 70km/h in the road. I wasn't experimenting, just going places using local roads. The 2cv was made at a time when roads were thin and had a lot of curves.
Well, kind of understandable that he doesn't really want to test when exactly it rolls over, because when it does it will get damaged.
@@boranblok She will not roll over though. My friend, a local Citroën dealer back in the days, tried really hard to actually roll one on a then freshly shut-down airfield in Munich by doing maneuvres like the moose-test-move under full speed, or going 100km/h when mercilessly turning the steering-wheel fully to one side with a forklift knob on the wheel - he tried himself for about 90 minutes with an audience of sceptics and did not succeed in tipping the car. He even let other people try after that punishing he gave the little 2cv (glorious eighties, no waivers, nothing, just do it ;-), and bet 1000,- DM (deutsche Mark) that nobody could tip her without a ramp or going violently off tarmac in a ditch.
He won.
It was a great day, and nobody was not convinced after that brutal beating the little 2cv took like a champ for hours. Friend went home in her to our little town (70 km) without any issue at night. She was his personal 2cv.
@PGH Engineer Yeah, I remember that problem well: You had to "pre-correct" Your racing-line away from the "downside" edge once it got bouncy on cambered lanes. You do have to do that with other cars, too, though, once You get in speed ranges where the tyre's grip is loosened with rebound, the effect is just much more intense with those long range suspension cars, plus the grip of those 125/15 Michelins on a 690 kg car ain't massive to begin with. Streetracing a 2cv needs a lot of practice.
Especially in France!
With the older models, the passengers hadto be careful, though. When I was a kid, my older sister was driving my grandpa’s 2CV in a hairpin curve.
No problem for the 2 CV, but... I was seating in the back and leaned a bit on the door. The door lock was something that you could find on a rabbit coop 😊. It popped open immediately. I grabbed the rear seat. That seat is removable and was held by clips. They also popped open and I almost ended up on the road with the rear seat😊
It's pretty amazing tout see the last generation of drivers discovering the Citroën engineering! The 2CV is a real master piece of cost effective engineering! It has been designed in the late 30's, and this car still bear comparison with modern design! The 2CV will never let you down whatever are the weather or road conditions! Enjoy!
Any car that is made of steel will rust that's the only weakness
it also rocks in serious snowy conditions. with chains, because of the slim wheels the higher pressure, make the chains bite like crazy.
Appreciate the engineering lesson. What a fascinating car!
There are only two springs in the tubes, connected at the ends to the front and rear wheels! Very bad explanation!
This Citroen 2CV as well as Its '"brothers" Citroen Mehari and Ami 8 were quite popular during the 70s and 80s down here in Uruguay, South America. My favourite is the Mehari!
Dyane 6 as well.
Mezarın is ideal for the beach ⛱️.
Meharis go for more money than a decent Mercedes now :D
@@daigosaito888 Down here Meharis are for sale between US$ 4.000 and 10.000
@@alvarodiaz5174 in France, Méharis in good shape sale for 20k€ to 30k€ (~$23k to ~$35k)
We should start a business
What a great thing to explain this to Americans! You've never been in a car with a suspension like the one on the 2CV... wait! You HAVE to buy a DS, wishfully thinking, a 1970's one (a Pallas 23 would be perfect) with fuel injection. Then, you will see and feel (especially if you can get your hands on a SM or a CX Turbo) something even more outstanding. Citroën created something, sadly, Americans cannot experience. Just imagine this: tv cameras were set on the roof of the DS's to follow horse races WITHOUT any other kind of stabilizer.
Naaah, you always got seasick in a DS, I’ve never experienced that in a “Deuche”
@@jetaddicted 😝
I was a passenger in 2CV once as a kid, and I remember you felt well how it was leaning to the sides. But I also remember what was left of 2 CV that had it a heavy vehicle from to front, and the poor 2CV was smashed in like a crammed accordion so much that the back seats were in one piece, but everything in front was not. I would have liked to see a new 2 CV with a special chassic that would aborb a colllision much better, But the PSA group has not exactly treated Citroen well because they do not fully understand what Citroen should be about to truly compete with BMW, Mercedes,Audi etc
I owned a 2004 Citroen for a bit. It was an absolute dog: a 1.6l diesel somehow managed to crack the block so coolant leaked out, and the injector lines leaked fuel (so would fill with air when parked meaning it needed re-priming every time I wanted to start), the sun roof stopped opening but also didn't seal properly so the rain came in, and one of the front coil springs snapped clean in two and punctured the front tyre (thankfully when it was parked, not driving or it would have been an instant write-off)
@@PKMartin This has nothing to do with a 2CV - the last were built in 1985...
@@PKMartin Yes, Peugeots with a Citroen name attached to them aren't any good. That's because they're Peugeots.
@@altepost3805 no: the last 2cv was built in 1986 in France and in 1990 in Portugal, but yes a 2004 diesel car is sommeting totaly different
3:57, the forward/back movement of the canister is minimal, its main purpose is to isolate the unit from the rest of the car, preventing road and suspension noise from being transmitted to the interior.
The 2CV is part of the french heritage, it's a monument. This car is also a blast to drive on the snow, thanks to its feather weight and the narrow tires. Pierre Boulanger was the lead engineer who designed the whole car. What a clever guy. I live in the centre of France where he was from and he has quite a few streets and places with his name on them.
Had the Visa with similar suspension and engine, it's snow and ice performance was indeed better than most of the modern cars, even without ABS and other electronics. You didn't even need fancy tires.
@cusdu6349 2 years ago said, "The 2CV is part of the French heritage, it's a monument." So true! ❤❤❤An icon.
merci, je regarder le parcours de pierre boulanger
Pierre Boulanger stated the requirements for the car, the actual design was by Flaminio Bertoni 😀
Yes ,there is one in London, it's called Baker St.
Comments about off-road ability reminded me of my father’s decision to buy a Renault 5 (LeCar) in 1976. The salesman took him on a wild ride through the dry San Diego California riverbed. Any other car would have been stuck in sand, or got high centered, but Le Car rolled right through smoothly, with its supple torsion bars, front drive and ample ground clearance. We drove it 150,000 miles including several trips of 5,000 miles and one from San Diego to Bangor, Maine, or about 7,500 miles. Having also owned a Simca 1204 with torsion bars and a Citroen DS 21 Pallas, I can vouch for the French Ride…and I miss that experience. I’ll happily take slower 0-60’s for a French ride.
You could try to source a Citroen (Citroën) SM with Maserati engine. The pneumatic/hydraulic suspension of DS beginnings was extremely comfortable, without the wiggling of the Deux Chevaux (2CV - "Two Horses"). I rode an inter-communal road with an 80km/h (~50mi/h) speed limit that had several aggressive speed-bumps to prevent people from racing it. Doing precisely my 80, there was this VW Golf/Rabbit GTi behind me, tuned and lowered, sticking to my rear bumper, trying to make me go faster. There was an overtaking ban on that road and it was rather narrow. Well, I was unimpressed and knew I did not have to slow down for the first next speed-bump in this road and I just took it, at 80 km/h. The guy behind me had been so focused on my rear bumper that he had not noticed the speed bump. After the speed bump, I looked in my mirror and saw the GTi hanging in the air, slanted, front much higher than rear, it's lowest point at that moment at least 3 ft from the ground. Next I saw it land and make huge traces of sparks where the car's body hit the road. Never saw that car again in the remaining kilometers of that road. Instant karma. IIRC there's a video of these 3 Brits in their car show using a great-for-the-straight-and-even-Autobahn BMW 5 around a horse racing track as camera car and this results in unusable footage, the track outside the race track also a bridle way (horse track). Then they try a Citroen CX or C6 and get perfectly usable footage.
@@jpdj2715 Thanks but I well remember all the work keeping the DS running and the stories of broken timing chains on the SM. No, I’m just hoping the current fad of hard riding speed demons will eventually tame down and more thought will be given to suspension someday.
I drove a 2CV for about 5 years here in Oklahoma. Once in grocery parking lot I met an Italian man looking over my car. He told me that as a teenager in Italy he had a "due cavalli". He said that was at a time when VW was advertising against the 2CV by showing how it was built so tightly that it would float. As you may know if if remove the Thin rubber flaps around the door on the 2CV there is a quarter to half inch gap, float it won't. Citroen countered VW with a contest, as I remember my Italian friend said that 'if anyone could roll a 2CV with proper tire pressure, normal load, on normal road conditions the winner would get a cash prize and a new 2CV', he said no one won the prize.' take that roll over champ Bug. The reason for that stability is the downward pressure on the leaning side actually lengthen the wheelbase .
Thanks for the great videos - I never miss one.
And you can still see that gap in the video, even with the seal installed (left rear door). :)
I saw a 2cv which rolled over. With 4 passengers, in reverse, in a descent. The steering tends to go to a stop on its own, and at the end of the U-turn the 2cv has tipped over the front bumper. The hood was flattened and the passengers suffered a headache.
@@HenriBourjade Hell, most any car would roll over in those settings. Glad a headache was the only inquiry. I've seen videos of 2CV's rolling in dirt races and the drivers seem to walk away.
@@enzoticus6378 There were not any belt in this old 2cv.
normal type pressure gives understeer, double and you can roll it, (or get round the corner). when I was 17 I used to end up in a field trying a sharp corner.
I grew up around these in Argentina (my mom had one and I believe my aunt as well) as a kid and my dad gifted me a mehari when I was about 16. I would go over speed bumps like they werent there and drove offroad much better than you would expect due to lightweight and fwd. was not aware of this channel and just susbscribed. amazing content for all car enthusiasts!
I was taken for a ride in one of these when I was a young man, by an enthusiastic younger man who revelled in demonstrating the cars' capacity for literally being un rollable!! A ride I will never forget..Excellent video and top notch research re its' design history. Cheers TFL Classics, keep 'em coming.
The best basic transport ever devised. Brilliant. You can live in it. So simple to fix . Can't give it enough praise
One of my fondest memories is of my best friends first ever car, a black and purple 2CV. We spent weekends driving all over the south of England in it. It didn’t go fast, just over 70 mph downhill with the wind behind us, but because of that we stayed off of the motorways and really got to see the country in much more detail. Driving in it was so much fun.
There was an old french article on car turning power. The 2cv had the best ratio of 90km/h max turn speed to 125 km/h max speed. Not even Ferrari came close.
This is the coolest car I've ever seen on TFL. Forget your Broncos and your Teslas.
I can't help thinking, though, that the rime is right for a modern electric reimagining of the 2CV. Perhaps that's what Citroen is trying to do with the Ami, but that car has too may compromises and not enough flair.
It would be wonderfull , But in it"s configuration would never pass a crash test . I would buy one anyway ;)
@@pauls466 agree.
Back in 30s when was designed, it was released after the WWII, the crash wasn't a concern.
But you're right.
@@cr88 It was a time when people did not drive to crash, but to get to the market, then to the bistrot and back in curves to the farm.
I'd rather go in my (non crash tested) classic Citroëns than in a modern bloody hybrid using more gas than my DS for the ridiculous weight of batteries they gotta carry to evade taxes only .....
@@manfredschmalbach9023 actually my opinion is similar to yours.
There are almost 90 years of development, the 2 Cv is outdated in several points but accomplish all the basics requirements of that time requested by the market.
And regarding the suspension it still works very well nowadays.
a french new garage can transform an old 2 cv citroën in électric car
Yep, my old man had a couple of these over the years. He was a medical doctor and never used any car beyond 2 yrs old. Come to think of it, the 2CV was the only car he chose twice. His first one was green, and the second, a handful of years later, had that similar two tone paint scheme, but in black and grey. He nicknamed it L'Escargot GT!
I had a model 56 when I was much younger. I bought it for the equivalent of $ 30 (here in France). It only had 3 gears and a semi-automatic clutch. This car has remained intact all its life (with me).
And she never let me down, even during storms, floods ...
I gave it after a while and I still regret it!
"semi-automatic clutch" Was it reliable or expensive to maintain?
At that time, these models all had a semi-automatic clutch called a "centrifugal clutch" : you engaged the gear and released the clutch, the car only moved forward when you accelerated, you could leave the gear engaged at the stop. The wipers only worked when the car was also moving. It was super reliable, the only things i did on this car was changing oil and plugs ! It was a 56s that i used during the early 80s. 😉
3 gear 2cv did not exists: all 2cv's sinze 1948 (inclusive the 1939 prototypes) have 4 gears, but the first gear as no synchromesh...but its exists a modification kit for the gearbox to convert it to 5 gears, but it's extremly expansive...
@@The_Schimpanski this clutch was centrifugal, very simple but effective and reliable (my dad had one during 5 years) , all parts are rebuilt (available in France) and it's unexpansive
@@leneanderthalien You are right, I was 18 when I bought this car, today I am 63, my memory is fading... What is certain is that I left the gear engaged to red/stop lights. Surely to avoid the famous "crack" of the first gear.
The fuel gauge was a long rod dipping into the tank, the wipers only worked while driving, only a manual wheel when stationary, and the only meter was a small one totally on the left side in the lower corner of the windshield. ( I'm pretty sure for all that ).
My elder brother ran repair shops, constructed the last 37 Elva Couriers for export to the US, got into film work looking after the Saints production's police cars and white Volvo. His career went further when asked to prepare vehicles for film stunt work and even drive them.
He was engaged to do a series of TV and Film adverts for the Citroen GS, featuring the hydraulic suspension. The suspension could be used to jack up the car in the event of a puncture and make wheel changing easier. It also acted to lift a punctured wheel while still driving and allow the driver to come to a halt safely.
So during filming an explosive was mounted beside the tyre and the driver pushed as button and set of the charge, puncturing the tyre and the car was brought to a safe stop. Different set were used to make the event more dramatic like using a field on top of the famous White Cliffs on the South Coast of England.
Another was shot in the US on a lonely outback desert road, two White semi's painted black set off side by side got up to 30 mph. My brother in the CV drove towards them in the other direction at 30 mph, the semi's split apart to allow the Citroen to pass between them. Once passed the trucks front bumper (fender) brother exploded the front tyre, waited the few seconds for the trucks to clear and slowed the CV to a stop.
He was later employed with his team and I joined him preparing 4 2CV's for a 007 Bond Film. The car had to drive down a steep hill an an olive grove. Firstly the engines were swopped out for GS model ones. A hydraulic operated grab hook was fitted to one, roll cages and other safety features were fitted to the 4 of them. In a standing start race with a 2 liter engine car the four CV won easily.
The Citroen range of cars made excellent camera cars as the suspension acted like a floating mount.
Thanks for posting and explaining the mechanics.
Brilliant joyful package.... You weren't really trying with the rolls angles... driving like a crazed French 2CV driver the car leans so much a back wheel is fully exposed from the body as she twiddles her derriere.
My record on a 15 mph speed hump is 60 mph... still no neck jerk....
And officer..... can I have a credit for 80 mph downhill... I can only do 50 mph on a long uphill.
Vive La Difference.... More Smiles Per Mile. 43 years of 2CV6 ownership and 340,000 miles.... Friendliest voiture on zee planet....
I do them at full speed, just breaks the shock absorbers. keep a working set for the MOT otherwise go for it..
Congratulations sir ! Your 2CV is amazingly factory fresh, a pure perfection ! And you have fully understood her spirit, her soul. It must be a strange feeling to ride the endless plains of America in such a frail and underpowered vehicle. She must be struggling to reach 55 - 65 mph on intestates and highways. But I'm sure you get a tremendous amount of astonished and taken aback looks from the fellow drivers !
Actually is has a top speed of 110kmh
@@kornaros96 so roughly 65mph
@@kornaros96 Yes, when you don't have a headwind. With a headwind or a very slight incline it drops significantly. I've been in one with a tailwind, 120km/h on GPS was doable but very very loud.
On the flat the rated top speed was 73 mph. the French would that all day on the autoroutes. A great little car, we loved ours especially the roll back sunroof.
My Dad had one! We had so much fun with it. The front wheels also leaned into the turn, helping to stabilize it. It went soooo slow, the stability is great, because once you got up to speed you don’t want to slow down for anything haha.
My Dad went on a Citroen Rally. They ended up in a farmers field doing various challenges. Some of the fancier Traction D’Avant and DS owners did not want to take their cars on the track, so the 2CV drivers went ham giving people rides and using them as navigators. One favourite game is going through an obstacle course with the navigator driving while the driver holds a tray of beverages out the window. Whoever spills the least wins. Very tricky in a 2CV, because the window only folds down halfway.
That suspension set-up looks an awful lot like the HVSS, the horizontal volute spring suspension, that the US and Britain put on their tanks at the time. Pretty cool, I always wanted to see what a car would be like with Christie suspension, and this feels like a good second.
what would happen if you fitted anti sway bars on this car?
Same like on any other car: less side lean in curves but also less comfort
At 4:35 the parallel floating movement is pretty clear, well done! It reminds me of the same quality expressed by bmw bikes when breaking.
The 2CV was supposed to be able to cross a plowed field with a basket of eggs without breaking any. Hence the ample suspension travel ;-)
It was made to be economic and able to be used everywhere.
The car is a masterpiece of efficiency and simplicity, produced from 1948 to 1990
Nice to see you drive this iconic French car. You say this has the best ride in any car you have ever driven? Then I suggest you try the Citroen DS (1955/1974) and try it’s party trick, remove one of the wheels and then go for a drive with only 3 wheels attached. But I suspect you my be expecting a comment like this and have one lined up to try next?
I had a new 1982 Peugeot 504 wagon with a very slow diesel engine , but it had supremely comfortable seats, and the smoothest suspension that I had ever experienced - once out driving with my dad, to show him how well it rode, I cut the corner a couple of times, running the wheels over the curbs on the inside, and you could barely tell - at 20 mph. I also had a Renault TS16, and it too rode so smoothly...
We had a 1976 Peugeot 504 sedan, far away the best ride, and sets I have ever experienced, superb handling also. I have driven several domestic and imported models since, nothing close...
One of the most clever french cars ever produced. The little engine is also a marvel of simplicity. Thanks for your video, and thanks to the 1/18 Solido model which is indeed a nice reproduction of the orizontal car (I have one at home !).
I had a 1959 Citroën model ID and it has the smoothest ride of any car I'd driven. The suspension system is hydraulic. It also can lift the car 13" elevation, enabling me to drive it through a foot of snow.
We call the Citroen DS the " squalo " the shark :)
@@dimmacommunication The Pike in The Netherlands 🙂
I drove one few years ago and.i was happy to have a boat licence. The roll in corners is outstanding. And the pillars were thin like on a 15 euro Pavillon.
As a young teenager, in the 70's, growing up in France, in the north of Paris and surrounded by many forests and trails, we all had access to a 2cv (and Ami 6, Ami 8)....best cars offroad ever, light, easy to get out of ruts, light to push. In winter the air cooled engines were awfull in dispensing heatthough.
Over all, it was an amazing car, which gave us some great memories
I remember sitting in one when I was maybe 10 or 12 years old and trying to figure out the dash mounted shifter. It was a very clever car. I've wanted one ever since.
As a long time Citröen owner I have to say I miss the older, softer rides. My current one is from 2009 and the ones o had before road better.
I never slowed down for bumps or potholes in my Xsara or AX.
Going off road in the AX was amazing and it was unbelievable how stable the car was, specially at high speeds, I would say it was the last 2cv descendent that we got
We are Citroen owners since 1988. My wife had a 1.1 AX a while back which leant over at amazing angles yet the steering stayed sharp and went where you pointed it! On most cars that lean on bends, the steering gets very woolly. We both loved it.
I drove a Renault 4 back in the day.
On roundabouts you could see the fear and panic in the eyes of the other drivers as we sailed round at a very jaunty angle.
It looked out of control but stuck to the road like glue.
Hello from Belgium.
My mother owned a 2CV and I was a regular passenger.
Unfortunately I was too young to drive it, as it was gone before I turned 18.
Great ride!
I remember sitting in the front, while my sister was driving. We talked and talked, driving downhill and suddenly realizing that we hit 130 km/h on the speedometer, well above the maximum speed it could get on level road. At that moment we had to shout, because of the wind and engine noise.
Great memories, of a great car!
They are amazing! Love that you bring cool vehicles to your channel. 👍
Thank you! More videos with the 2CV please!
2CV sayings:
Zee limit of the road holding of a 2CV is when the door handles dig in....
You tell a 2CV drive from gravel rash on their elbows....
Crazy Fun...
That was my first car in 1978, it was an early 1970s model. Also was great in the snow and winter too. How I miss it ... prices have gone way up in the last years.
The DS model was also a very beautiful ride, no power as well, but way comfortable.
Thanks for showing this car to the world!
Great Vid Tommy I learned a lot and I’ve known the 2CV for ages my family had them back in the day until the late 80’s early 90’s. Good pronunciation too!
Great video mate. You explained the 2CV suspension beautifully. I have the Dyane variant here in Australia. I always have a big smile on my face every time I drive my Marianne la Dyane!
There are only two springs in the tubes, connected at the ends to the front and rear wheels! Very bad explanation!
In the early 80's I worked cutting down a forest for a golf course west of Bordeaux. We had a 2cv to get to work. 5 of us would barrel through the forest on rutted sandy tracks in this thing. I could not believe the speed we could carry around sharp bends without turning it over. Terrifying until you got used to it. A great memory 😁
Great review! Greetings from a new subscriber in Argentina, where this car is still iconic, and was even produced.
Nice and informative Tommy, always spot on love your knowledge and the simplicity in explaining how cars work because what I hear is good criticism where due and not overly so in your opinions .. so thanks again for a really good tech talk on that .
I love mine, I have red and black Charleston in the San Francisco Bay area. We get a lot of looks but it's always more smiles for the miles ;) Cheers!
Especially considering the engineer had no points of reference for the design and the fact that these cars still work well today,I feel this is a marvel of engineering genius that today's high tech cars can't match( relatively speaking)
Loved your addition of the oh-so-french quintessential la musique d'accordéon at 4:07 LOL, and now I get the suspension aspect of the 2CV.
Un gros merci, de Montréal.
I agree. I drove the Iranian version in the 1970s. We went skiing, climbing a dirt road covered in snow up to 3000m. We wondered where everyone else was. We looked back. They were behind the snow plough which was 2 km below and behind us.
On another occasion I didn’t see the hole in the road so I sailed over it. We used the jack to straighten out the front fender. Then I sat on the hood and this enabled us to drive to the nearest garage
They will be an absolute masterpiece of engineering for all time, Incredible machines.
You also need to explore how the wheels are self balancing. No weights needed. Great explanation on the ride components.
Well said. I have to tell my local tyre fitters not to try balancing the wheels.
True 😌
Because this car is very slow. What else?
How do they self-balance?
@@htimsid it's the overall engineering of these autos that must be explained to understand that. Especially the position of the pivot and a damper, and the method of fabrication of the wheel itself. It's not the usual situation in industry and as I'm not an engineer I can't explain you, but it's very, very clever indeed, even as a French I never was interested in Citroën.
Brilliant little car. I had one for may years, as did my wife. Very tempted to get another one 'for fun!'
Tommy would make a great teacher.
That suspension on the 2CV was explained so well. I doubt any one would fail his classes that he teaches..
Well Done! This is the first time ever that I hear an anglophone pronounce the name "Citroën" correctly. Most anglos pronounce that name like "Citron" which is French for lemon.
Fun fact: "Citroen" means Lemon too... but in Dutch. And apprently André Citroën, the father of Citroën, was from Jewish Dutch background.
It is pronounced a little differently in Holland. Mr Citroen was dutch. The french put in the 2 dots on top of the E. Btw, citroen=lemon. Pronunciation in dutch: citroon but us dutch just use the french one.
Congrats on naming the car correctly... in French! I don't care if it's to impress or not... You're doing it right as it is a French designed, manufactured and sold car. Takes just a little bit of extra effort, but demonstrates tons of respect, knowledge and willfulness to improve yourselves.
BTW... great video!!! Great channels (TFL family)!!!!
To impress the ladies 😉
I knew very well the 2Cv and the Dyane and was very popular in the seventies in Italy especially among the youngsters. Personally I have never owned one but I've been many times on those formidabile little cars that you could go anywhere with great fun. The only thing that sometimes we were a bit perplexed was driving on the Alps full of curves that rolled like crazy, getting a bit car-sick with the windows leaning over the roads, seemingly ready to roll over, seeing nothing beneath! Once you get used to it you learn to trust it, I remember very well that it handled very well on the snow and rarely we had to put the chains on the front tyres unless there was ice on the roads. All in all a great lovely car, easy to maintain blessed with low consumption. Thanks for putting me back to the seventies!
you should take a look to what a crazy dude did in the UK...
2CV swapped with a bmw flat twin motobike engine.
95bhp... a beast
The 2CV (Deaux Chevaux = 2 horses) was a reference to its 2HP power output. Citroen has been credited with the first monocoque car body, rack and pinion steering etc - both made their appearance in the Citroen Traction Avant which was ready at the very outbreak of WW2 but put into production after the war ended.
Its 2 cylinders. Each one being a horse. It put it 22 - 26 HP
"deux chevaux"; if only one horse, we say "un cheval" = one horse
Citroen has some of the best engineered cars ever.
A wonderful car. They had significant bodyroll. The springboxes tended to dry out. Taking a turn you could experience that it stuck in the "leaned" posisition. Easy to fix. You filled a oilcan with a flexible nose with chainsaw oil. Released the rubber in the end and pumped half of the can front and back. That done in both sides, you started to push the car from side to side, until the inside was lubed up. Then you were good to go in the intended comfy style.
My dad loved his 2cv, I spent a lot of time finding the right parts to have it working, but it was worth it.
Look up the Citroen “Bijou”. A car from the days before anyone bothered too much about market research - invented and built in England in the late 50s/early 60s (yes, Citroen really did have a factory in England) because Citroen U.K. thought the 2CV was too utilitarian (and just too damned French) for British tastes. So they grafted a 2 door “coupé” fibreglass body onto a 2CV. It was a flop as it was too expensive and too slow to compete in the market at the time (and their marketing of it was about as half hearted as their research) - I think they sold less than 300 of them. However one of them found it’s way 500 miles north to my hometown in Scotland where it was owned by an eccentric friend in the late 60s (we were teens at the time). It really was much more “luxurious” than a 2CV (eg no sprung deck-chairs for seats) and had that same floating suspension - but you weren’t likely to want to go far in it, just because it would take too long to get anywhere. Terrific fun though. Ironically when Citroen launched the Dyane in the U.K. (much more obviously 2CV based) it sold far better than the supposedly “Anglified” Bijou.
I had no idea it had such an inventive suspension. It’s pretty darn cool and effective. The 2CV is still one of the ugliest cars ever made, right behind the Pontiac Aztec, and the Edsel w/ the “toilet seat” front grille. Thanks for the cool video!
Great Job.
When I was like 12-16 , back in the day, I wanted a Citroen DS sedan or a D wagon.
I never saw one to buy and mostly forgot about the brand.
But if the suspension is so cheap & good, why is it not in every car?
If they actually had 8 tires instead of 4, and had the front and back be 3 inches wider the car would actually be even better, because it would have even more balance and be less likely to roll over, also more aerodynamic is a perfect design and it would save on fuel, for 2 people it be a perfect hybrid, electricity and gasoline, would be ideal as hybrid.
2CV's suspension is the best.
The KORRES P4 suspension is the evolution.
Much respect to you.
Thanks for sharing
I had a 1996 Citroen Berlingo Multispace for a year or two ( the 5 seater van) and that was quite a comfortable car too and very quie as well with its 1.9 L petrol engine and the massive sunroof.
Im an American living in the south of France, ive been slowly falling in love with these cars since they are still everywhere. I think this video just sold me
Vive le 2CV. I miss that car so much.
We had a CX 2400 Palas and an AX 11RE at home. The CX was a joy to drive and the hydropneumatic suspension was out of this world.
The AX was funny to drive. Extremely stable and very agile. I remember doing some crazy off-road with it.
No modern cars can beat that.
GREAT article! Only I've allways thought (and felt when driving this gem) that when the front wheel goes up, the rear one goes DOWN.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge on this beautiful and amazing car.
these were great fun. We used to have a driver and two others, preferably around 90kg. The driver would try to drive in a straight line while the other two would lurch back and fore at right angles to each other. I never quite worked out what kind of line the car would have described as it moved along. Needless to say this wasn't practised on the A34 in Oxfordshire in 1973. I think I'm pretty safe in giving this away as it is now apparent that in the U.K., the police force does not investigate retrospectivley.
Of all the cars I've ever owned, my old Dyanne is the one I'd have back tomorrow in a heartbeat. It wasn't exactly reliable, but it so much fun.
I saw a lot of these cars while cycling in the Mediterranean Alps near Nice in 1986. I was amazed at how these C2Vs would come around the mountain switchbacks. . .
I have a 1982 CX Prestige Series 1 I bought purely for its design and ingenious suspension. I can stare at my car from different angles for hours and never get tired of it.
The whiteboard sequences, especially with the somewhat dimmer lighting, really gave me early Engineering Explained vibes!
Love this car! I had one a few years ago and miss it!
I remember in the late 90s students driving 2 CV older than them. Totally reliable, fun design, cheap, and this sensation of floating above the road. Slow car (2CV means 2 Horsepower actually 600 cm3 on 2 cylinders), but could eat any bump or atiently climb any slope thanks to the ightweight. Plus the removable ceiling to enjoy the mountain or the beach. Great moments.
Sorry but 2CV does'nt mean 2 hp... During its life, the car increase its power from 9 to 34 hp depending on the cm3 (Liter) (from 375 to 602cm3)... so 0.375 to 0.600 liter. Very, very far from american big block motors indeed.
Lovely little car , I remember driving with a couple of kids with a teacher to a school out trip , was nice weather, rolled the roof open , and every turn and bump was fun.
Amazing cars. We still keep and frequently drive my mother's portuguese built 1980 Citroen Dyane, which is in many respects a superior car to the 2CV but with less charisma. Just drove it today, speeding along at 80km/h leaves a lasting smile in my face.
What a fantastic and unexpected car review. A younger "My classic car" feel to the whole thing. I look forward to more videos!
The first time I saw this incredible machine with it's innovative totally brilliant engineering was back in the early 70's - Absolutely brilliant !
the 3cv is truly a classic in my country, there's still plenty of them driving around. just hop into street view in Argentina and it won't be long until you spot one and most of the have never been restored and have been just daily running for the past 50 years
These cars where used as platforms for filming back in the day.
Now I know why.
Thanks for the great explanation.
Good stuff, thanks for the video. 👍
I learned to drive on the commercial version and Tommy, your French is perfect.
Très bien expliqué. Merci beaucoup pour ta passion et tes remarques pleines d'humour et de bon sens. La 2CV est une merveille de simplicité, sobriété et rationnalité. Quand un étatsunien comprend ça, il a tout bon.
nécessité fait loi;
aux usa, l'essence étant peu chère, ils n'ont pas éprouvé le besoin d'inventer ce type de véhicule
I always loved the quiet and compliant ride of French cars. Love the Peugeot 504 ride with its long travel suspension.
What a terrific video. I also enjoyed your great video on the Citroen DS.
I have an '87, I love it. I served my Army time in France and fell in love with the 2CV while there. This car is genius, French genius.
every people is genius in the world if no one else try to destroy it's culture
I had a number of these cars, also the Dyane modell. Fantastic!
Hi from France! The 2CV is a classic collectors item. A well restored 2CV can fetch up to 20 000 euro. There is also a very sought after version of it called the Méhari, same platform but with a fiberglass "golf cart" style body, a bit like the Mini Moke. Surfers in the 70's loved it to cruise from beach to beach chasing the surf. You could pile your surfboards in it without worrying about sand, salty water corrosion and surf wax on the seats. Also the air cooled flat twin engine, although underpowered, is robust, simple and barely sips fuel. It has even been used on microlight aircraft.