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In 1936, Jean-Pierre Boulanger (André Citroën's successor) orders Citroën engineers to develope an economic little car which would be capable to transport 4 adults and 50kg of luggage with an optimum of comfort at speeds up to 50 kilometers and at a fuel consumption of no more than 3 liters per 100 kilometer. In addition to that it was required that the suspension system should allow driving through a field with a basket of eggs without breaking one of them and the car would have to be very simple so that a farmers wife could drive it. These bizar specifications led to a car which would become one of the automotive legends of this century and which became known as the 2CV.

Between 1936 and 1939 a set of TPV (Toute Petit Voiture) prototypes were designed by Citroën engineers. In 1939 the Citroën company intended to introduce its newest car at the October Automobile Show, but all was cancelled because of the war declaration in September. To keep the project secret, Citroën ordered to destroy all of the 500 prototypes and pre-series cars but a few where carefully concealed.

After the war it took Citroën three more years before the 2CV was unveiled at the 1948 Paris Salon d'Automobile. The French press was stunned. This could not be serious: Citroën made it self rediculous by introducing such an ugly car. A enourmous discussion started all around. Some predicted the 2CV a successful future while others saw an industrial failure.

Citroën distributed the 2CV by strict orders of Boulanger only to those selected by the factory. Farmers, country doctors, artists and only few others could buy one, thus it started its cult background. Because French performance artists drove around in a 2CV the car got a lot of exposure and got popular in short time.

The series were manufactured from 1949 onwards up to 1990. A lot of major and minor changes were made which led to the latest version we presently know. The engine grew from 375 to 602 cc. while the power from it grew from 12 to 34 Bhp. The maximun speed climbed from 60 to 120 kilometers per hour.

There were a lot of deratives from the popular litte car. The first was a van model called AK later AK250, AK350 and AK400. Then a luxury derative was reveiled: the AMI6 which had a reclining rearwindow and the looks of a modern car (in the early sixties). In 1967 the supposed successor of the 2CV was introduced which went by the name DYANE. It lastet until 1984 and faded into oblivion. In 1968 the funcar MEHARI was introduced as an innovative model with its plastic body. The AMI8 replaced the old AMI6. Later Citroën introduced one of the first fast saloon cars by putting a 1035 cc 4 cilinder engine into the AMI8, the Super was born and was the fastest of the 2CV deratives.

July 27th 1990 at 16:00 GMT sharp the 2CV entered the ranks of out of production legends when the last one was produced by the Portugese plant and the assembly line was stopped. In over 40 years the 'Deuche' and a large variety of derative models were known all over the world. 3.872.583 units (2CV saloon/van) and 3.428.695 of the other models were produced in over 15 countries such as Argentina, Belgium, Chile, Portugal, Iran and others.

The Citroën 2CV is not a car, its a way of life.