Everything Old is New Again: Citroen’s 2CV
In 2019, Citroen’s CEO said, “What I don’t want to do is become a manufacturer that produces retro. I’m not going to produce a new 2CV.” But changes in leadership and the environment--and the success of Renault’s new electric 5--brought a change in attitude. At the Brussels Motor Show in early 2025, Citroen’s design chief hinted the door to retro design hadn’t completely closed.
And that brings us to this year’s Paris Motor Show, where Citroen showed a 2CV “concept” (and accompanying Fourgonnette commercial variant). While the Fourgonnette is still; hypothetical, a production 2CV is due in 2028, 80 years after the original. It leverages the company’s new “E-Car”--a low-cost EV platform patterned after Japan’s kei-car, with fewer regulations and requirements on size and place of manufacture, with a target price is €15,000.
Citroen describes the new 2CV as “electric, minimalist, affordable, compact, and ingenious.” Strangely, they say, “The starting point was not to recreate a 2CV but to imagine the small electric car of the future”--to which I reply, “Balderdash!” There are so many callbacks it’s hard to imagine that wasn’t front and center in the minds of those responsible. Round(ish) headlamps, ribbed hood, upright windshield, curved roofline, flat liftgate, C-pillar-mounted turn indicator, and steel wheels all scream, “2CV!” To my eyes, that’s not a bad thing, because it also looks like a contemporary small hatchback.
The interior is equally fascinating, although I question how much will make it to production. A storage basket replaces a traditional console--3D-printed using wood and bio-based plastic. The single-spoke steering wheel is on-brand, as is the single control lever inspired by the original’s horizontal gearshift. The removable retro-style “Radioen” is charming, although from an ergonomics standpoint I’m not sure how the driver operates it. The removable front bench, upholstered in plaid over a tubular frame, works with the rattan-style trim on the “dashboard” and doors. And you’ll have to look closely to spot what is essentially a poor-man’s head-up display--a low-profile screen mounted at the base of the windshield, not unlike the current Citroen C3 (with a clever drum-style speedometer, just like the original).
What we don’t have are any specs or technical info. A base 133hp Citroen eC3 with a 30kWh battery gets about 130 miles range (WLTP), and I wouldn’t expect the 2CV to do much better than that; but, as the platform is likely considerably lighter than Stellantis’ “Smart Car” architecture, they can get away with both a smaller battery and smaller motors. This seems clearly designed to be a second or third household vehicle, so the big question is whether the charm and low price outweigh the limited capabilities.
Comments