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The 2CV always seemed like a death trap to me. It could not get approved in the USA for import; I’m guessing because of safety regulations…although no Citroen c

The 2CV always seemed like a death trap to me. It could not get approved in the USA for import; I’m guessing because of safety regulations…although no Citroen cars were available in the US at all.

Svip 4y ago
Citroën sold cars in the US till around 1975, when the US introduced regulations that essentially prohibited the hydropneumatic suspension. Citroën even had US spec versions of the DS and the SM for the US market. I am not sure whether the 2CV was ever sold in the USA, but it has definitely been imported. I think in the US, the limit is 25 years before you can import a foreign car. I've encountered plenty of 2CVs and Méharis in North America.
- jacquesm 4y ago
  I've seen a DS in Canada, but only once. (Toronto)
  - Svip 4y ago
    Speaking of Toronto, I once had the pleasure of being driven around the city in a Méhari.
    - jacquesm 4y ago
      I hope it was in summer :)
  - hyakosm 4y ago
    I've seen two 2CV in Montréal, with Québec immatriculation on the back and French immatriculation on the front (modern post 2009).
- TedDoesntTalk 4y ago
  > Citroën sold cars in the US till around 1975 I lived in the USA in 70s and 80s. I never saw more than 1 or 2 Citroen cars in all of that time. And those two cars were stared at by everyone like aliens.
jacquesm 4y ago
In US traffic an accident between your average 60's US built car and a 2CV would amount to a death sentence for the occupants of the 2CV.
masklinn 4y ago
Afaik it could be sold in the US just fine (this is a car created in 1948, safety regulations were not really a thing). The issue is that it could not be sold: it was particularly low-powered even for french cars of the time, the original model barely reached 40 mph (out of a 9 hp engine), and the later fastest models topped out around 70. The 2CV had literally been designed to cross freshly ploughed fields and drive on unpaved roads, it just was not suitable for the interstate-expanding American market.
- jacquesm 4y ago
  I had one of the faster models but even those could not reliably overtake a truck, chances are that when you tried to come out ahead of the lee of the truck you'd be blown back. More than once I had to sheepishly fall back all 60 feet to go back behind and let others pass.
tveyben 4y ago
My mom drove a 2cv in LA - it got imported from Europa (not sure if it was from Denmark or France) as spare parts in order to get it ‘on the Road’ ;-) This was ca. 1983. She still have it but drives a ‘74 beetle daily. I remember (when briefly living in LA) that we drove it from LA to Las Vegas in july (also in the mid 80’ies). It was HOT! People always got shocked when the hood was piped open and showing of an engine that have the size of a lawn mower (relative to the typical V8)…

Svip 4y ago

Citroën sold cars in the US till around 1975, when the US introduced regulations that essentially prohibited the hydropneumatic suspension. Citroën even had US spec versions of the DS and the SM for the US market. I am not sure whether the 2CV was ever sold in the USA, but it has definitely been imported. I think in the US, the limit is 25 years before you can import a foreign car. I've encountered plenty of 2CVs and Méharis in North America.

jacquesm 4y ago
I've seen a DS in Canada, but only once. (Toronto)
- Svip 4y ago
  Speaking of Toronto, I once had the pleasure of being driven around the city in a Méhari.
  - jacquesm 4y ago
    I hope it was in summer :)
- hyakosm 4y ago
  I've seen two 2CV in Montréal, with Québec immatriculation on the back and French immatriculation on the front (modern post 2009).
TedDoesntTalk 4y ago
> Citroën sold cars in the US till around 1975 I lived in the USA in 70s and 80s. I never saw more than 1 or 2 Citroen cars in all of that time. And those two cars were stared at by everyone like aliens.

jacquesm 4y ago

In US traffic an accident between your average 60's US built car and a 2CV would amount to a death sentence for the occupants of the 2CV.

masklinn 4y ago

Afaik it could be sold in the US just fine (this is a car created in 1948, safety regulations were not really a thing). The issue is that it could not be sold: it was particularly low-powered even for french cars of the time, the original model barely reached 40 mph (out of a 9 hp engine), and the later fastest models topped out around 70. The 2CV had literally been designed to cross freshly ploughed fields and drive on unpaved roads, it just was not suitable for the interstate-expanding American market.

jacquesm 4y ago
I had one of the faster models but even those could not reliably overtake a truck, chances are that when you tried to come out ahead of the lee of the truck you'd be blown back. More than once I had to sheepishly fall back all 60 feet to go back behind and let others pass.

tveyben 4y ago

My mom drove a 2cv in LA - it got imported from Europa (not sure if it was from Denmark or France) as spare parts in order to get it ‘on the Road’ ;-) This was ca. 1983. She still have it but drives a ‘74 beetle daily. I remember (when briefly living in LA) that we drove it from LA to Las Vegas in july (also in the mid 80’ies). It was HOT! People always got shocked when the hood was piped open and showing of an engine that have the size of a lawn mower (relative to the typical V8)…