The history of the 2CV began in the 1930s under the leadership of Pierre-Jules Boulanger, director of Citroën, who sought to build a car that would appeal to the working class—whose paid vacation was now guaranteed—as well as to farmers. However, it wasn’t until 1948 that the car made its first official debut at the Paris Auto Show, where it failed to generate much enthusiasm among the press. But it quickly gained popularity across all segments of the population thanks to its ingenuity, ruggedness, versatility, and low cost (both purchase and maintenance). Its success was such that the delivery wait exceeded five years by 1950.

It also opened the doors to the world for travelers and explorers such as Jacques Cornet from Lyon. Production reached 5,114,961 units (all models combined) over 42 years: the 2CV and its many variants, produced between 1948 and 1990, is one of the ten best-selling French cars in the world.

• 4-stroke engine - 425 cm3 - 2hp
• Air-cooled
• Front-wheel drive
• 4-speed transmission
• 43.5 mph