6 ms·

Hip to be square – 70 years of the Citroën H Van (2017)

119 points by melenaboija 3y ago

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
tibbydudeza 3y ago
Like the Cybertruck only 70 years earlier - after WW2 there were lot of leftover stuff to be repurposed or a severe shortage of stuff that made for these utilitarian designs at the time.
jillesvangurp 3y ago
There are a few companies doing electric versions of this car. Both conversions/restoration and completely new ones. Looks like a lot of fun to drive and as the article suggests, they are popular for using as street food cars. There's something about the design of these things that is just hugely appealing.
mytailorisrich 3y ago
I believe that this is from 2017. The H Van launched in 1947. So this is now 77 years and it's still hip.
drcongo 3y ago
Over the years Citroen have designed some of the most beautiful vehicles ever - the DS being the most obvious, but for me the SM is the pinnacle of car design, just stunning. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citroën_SM https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citroën_SM
- fosk 3y ago
  > Over the years Citroen have designed some of the most beautiful vehicles ever Like the Romans say, de gustibus non disputandum est.
  - alamortsubite 3y ago
    When it comes to automobiles, sometimes it's hard to tell if the French are joking or if they're serious.
    - deleted 3y ago
      [deleted]
- uniqueuid 3y ago
  Yes the SM is awesome, but to be fair, it is more of a Maserati than a Citroen.
  - drcongo 3y ago
    Just the engine. All the rest of the mechanics are Citroen (a lot brought over from the DS) and the styling was in-house led by Robert Opron.
- hristov 3y ago
  I always thought the XM was very pretty.
  - trgn 3y ago
    Loved that hiss.
- Xenoamorphous 3y ago
  My uncle had a CX and as I kid it was like getting into a spaceship, loved the steering wheel. A different uncle recently got a second hand C6 and despite all its reliability issues it’s a pretty cool car.
  - UnserMannInK 3y ago
    I learned to drive in a CX Break, a 5m beast of a car. Two and a half turns of the wheel from left to right, self-centering. Brake pedal went from zero to fully engaged in one cm. And the suspension was the absolute best. Never again drove anything like it.
- melenaboija 3y ago
  Agree, my first ever car was a Citroën Visa from my grandpa (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_Visa https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_Visa) and even back then the design felt special to me. I think these and the C15 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_C15 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_C15) will become desirable at some point in the future.
  - canadianfella 3y ago
    [dead]
  - timeon 3y ago
    > Citroën Visa Reminds me Oltcit.
- TacticalCoder 3y ago
  > but for me the SM is the pinnacle of car design I raise your french with some italian, german and american designs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maserati_3500_GT#/media/File:Paris_-_RM_Sotheby%E2%80%99s_2018_-_Maserati_3500_GT_Spyder_-_1963_-_004.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maserati_3500_GT#/media/File:P... https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_250_GT_Lusso#/media/Fichier:Lusso.JPG https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_250_GT_Lusso#/media/Fi... https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_288_GTO#/media/Fichier:Ferrari_288_GTO_(1).JPG https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_288_GTO#/media/Fichier... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_GT40#/media/File:1965_Ford_GT40.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_GT40#/media/File:1965_For... https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_Cobra#/media/Fichier:Shelby_AC_Cobra,_CSX2000.JPG https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_Cobra#/media/Fichier:Shelby... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Mustang#/media/File:Ford_Mustang_serial_number_one.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Mustang#/media/File:Ford_... https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_356#/media/Fichier:Porsche_356_A_Speedster_1600_Super,_Bj._1956,_Heck_(2016-07-02_Sp).jpg https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_356#/media/Fichier:Por... https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_911#/media/Fichier:1967_Porsche_911S.jpg https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_911#/media/Fichier:196... I find that Citroen SM just horrible. You see it and think it cannot get worse but then you see its back... But as the saying goes: to each his own bad tastes.
  - rozap 3y ago
    Meh. Porsche is the worst "interesting design" offender imo, with just marginal iterative improvements over time with nothing truly ambitious. Porsche has never had to really rethink their designs because they do evolution, not revolution. One can argue that that's how you design something great (the GT3 RS is quite a car...) but I still find it kind of boring. And in the world of toy cars, boring is the worst adjective. The porschephiles may downvote all they like :) The hydropneumatic suspension was a bold move, and is still an engineering marvel. The CX has a better ride than a lot of current cars. Meanwhile the 2024 mustang Mach E was so inept at controlling its weight that my wife got nauseous riding in it. Maybe we don't pay attention to ideas that came before us at the wrong time. I think really wild engineering decisions are underrated. As an enthusiast, it's a shame that the car industry seems to have gotten more averse to crazy design decisions over time.
  - 3y ago
- yread 3y ago
  From that period I would vote for Jaguar E-type https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/768x768/public/d8/images/canvas/2021/03/30/9ccbccfa-705f-443f-977e-da643aaeb956_623b6524.jpg?itok=zAlUrtro&v=1617104989 https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/768x768/pu...
  - every 3y ago
    I had a Series 2. The car club told me the first thing I should do is put a mechanic on a retainer. I thought they were joking. They weren't... https://images.cadar.io/4ed13238-dd1a-4fee-9ddc-e2f2885ff1ef/full.jpg https://images.cadar.io/4ed13238-dd1a-4fee-9ddc-e2f2885ff1ef...
- dingaling 3y ago
  They were in the doldrums for 20 years but seen to be fighting back to their old design-driven ethos. The new Ami is a cute design that perhaps only Honda would have attempted: https://www.citroen.co.uk/ami https://www.citroen.co.uk/ami
  - quesera 3y ago
    Wow, I had no idea Citroën was a going concern. I've only ever seen (or at least noticed) vintage DS models on the streets in the US. And then only very rarely. I had never seen a DS Cabriolet until today while backfilling my ignorance gap on Wikipedia. That's a beautiful car.
- huytersd 3y ago
  I mean you have to have a certain mindset while looking at it. I bet it’s not beautiful to many people.
- quesera 3y ago
  I don't love the SM body style, but the interior/dash is brilliant.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
dieselgate 3y ago
I’ve seen one of these my entire life - parked around a residential neighborhood in Seattle. It’s certainly different and exciting. Citroens are very rare to see in the states but always fun to spot. They’re usually vintage models. One funny part of traveling in Europe is seeing modern Citroen models. Comedians in Cars getting Coffee had an episode with a Citroen.
- Doctor_Fegg 3y ago
  Citroen still make interesting designs now and then. The current Ami, the C6, the C3 Pluriel.
- lettergram 3y ago
  I've seen a lot of Citroen in the EU, particularly in the UK & Ireland. Never seen any in the US (where I live), which makes sense -- https://www.citroen.co.uk/about-citroen/citroen-in-a-few-figures.html https://www.citroen.co.uk/about-citroen/citroen-in-a-few-fig...
  - Archelaos 3y ago
    It is perhaps noteworthy in this context that a lot of the new world and old world car companies such as Citroën are now part of Netherland based Stellantis.[1] So in a way a Jeep is now a Dutch car. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellantis#Brands https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellantis#Brands
    - ffgjgf1 3y ago
      Putting the HQ in the Netherlands was more like a compromise between the French and the Italians. It’s really not a Dutch company in any real way
    - Someone 3y ago
      Dutch because of the tax regime. Other famous ‘Dutch’ companies: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inter_IKEA_Holding https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inter_IKEA_Holding: “Inter IKEA Holding B.V. (also known as Inter IKEA Group) is a holding company registered in the Netherlands” - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus: “Airbus' headquarters are registered in Leiden, Netherlands, but daily management is conducted from the company's main office, located in Blagnac, near Toulouse, France.” - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipton_Teas_and_Infusions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipton_Teas_and_Infusions: “Lipton Teas and Infusions is an American-British private company based in Rotterdam, Netherlands, that produces tea and other herbal drinks.”
upmind 3y ago
Hip to be square just reminds me of American Psycho lol
nightfly 3y ago
Morgana
canadianfella 3y ago
[dead]
quadcore 3y ago
When I was a kid I've been taken in one of those - by the police. All painted black with some white stripes. I wasnt alone in the truck, they use to arrest people by the half-a-dozen back in the day (drunks, wanderers, brawlers, etc). They'd also release everybody after a while at a street corner with a big kick in the but.
- RCitronsBroker 3y ago
  LOL over here in Germany we got drunk-tanked in VW vans and Mercedes sprinters
paulmd 3y ago
it's always mildly funny how much engine power has increased over the years. my bottom-of-the-line SUV gets 184 BHP, these shipped with 35-50 BHP depending on model lol
- userbinator 3y ago
  Passenger car engines are usually rated in peak power now --- and rarely need to output that number --- whereas they used to be continuous and run closer to their maximum power rating.
  - paulmd 3y ago
    yes, with 35BHP to move my truck I would certainly expect to be running continuously at maximum load ;) (admittedly it's probably closer to the size/weight of a kei truck than modern half-ton monstrosities lol)
  - foobar1962 3y ago
    In Britain at least, taxes were levied on engine horsepower which at various times were calculated by piston stroke or cylinder diameter. Hence many long-stroke narrow cylinder engine designs.
bloomingeek 3y ago
Most all the mid size vans look alike here in the states. I guess that's why I think the H Van looks so appealing. We own a Chrysler Pacifica to haul the grands around in and it's a fantastic car. As a side note, the stigma on the mini-van is unwarranted, they are very utilitarian and, unless the snow is too deep(8 inches or higher), gets around better than my truck.
- NoPedantsThanks 3y ago
  Not to mention that all the new "small" trucks force you to get a giant four-door cab, which results in a puny bed. I guess the manufacturers have determined that everyone who wants a small truck is a poser. Look at Ford's own picture of two hapless hipsters struggling to fit any furniture into a Maverick. They're not even going to get the couch in there, let alone all that other crap: https://www.thedrive.com/content-b/message-editor%2F1646159878512-22_frd_mav_54243.tif.jpg https://www.thedrive.com/content-b/message-editor%2F16461598... You're way better off with a minivan.
1letterunixname 3y ago
<3 I want a US-homologation Citroën DS-21 (LHD). Currently, I drive a 1985 VW Vanagon GL Westfalia Deluxe (pop-top camper). NLA vehicles are fun.
WalterBright 3y ago
The corrugated sheet metal sides reminds me of a Junker: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Ju-Air_Junkers_Ju_52_crash#/media/File:Junkers_Ju-52-3m,_Ju-Air_JP6585913.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Ju-Air_Junkers_Ju_52_cras...
- tesin 3y ago
  The article specifies those as the source
  - WalterBright 3y ago
    Hah, I missed that. The corrugation was used on Junkers because it added a lot of strength. The downside is the drag it created.
palmfacehn 3y ago
Here's the 2cv that completed Dakar this year. https://www.dakar.com/en/news//stage-2/classic/the-duck-ar-girls/186334 https://www.dakar.com/en/news//stage-2/classic/the-duck-ar-g... >It was a bold move, to say the least. But Barbora Holická and Lucie Engová were not afraid. The two Czech friends decided to take on the challenge of the Dakar Classic, but they also had to pick a vehicle. A 2CV was far from the obvious choice to tackle the Saudi desert, but their decision to start their project by buying the car was based on a sound analysis: "I usually compete in the Czech championship and always in a Citroën", explains Barbora. "So my first thought was to drive a ZX in the Dakar, but it was too expensive, so I came up with the idea of the 2CV, which everyone loves." >The "Tin Snail" certainly offers incredible bang for buck in terms of charisma, but it looks like a fish out of water in a rally raid and, especially, in the dunes. As a result, they had to come up with a technical plan and make some modifications...
- jonasdegendt 3y ago
  I'm surprised a ZX was more expensive than a 2CV. Over here in Belgium you can get a ZX for 500 bucks no problem, whereas the 2CV is a coveted classic that sells for multiple thousands.
  - arkh 3y ago
    Every time I have to cross a speed bump I miss my old ZX. At the time I could not understand why people felt like they had to decelerate so much. Then I got a modern car with firm suspension and my back did not like the first speed bump I encountered.
    - jonasdegendt 3y ago
      I miss mine too, same thing goes for the seats. Modern car seats are so stiff, I'm sure it's a safety thing but I miss the good old cloth sofas the ZX had. I would've driven it into the ground but low emission zones happened and it became more and more of a hassle to drive unfortunately.
  - prmoustache 3y ago

119 points by melenaboija 3y ago

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

Like the Cybertruck only 70 years earlier - after WW2 there were lot of leftover stuff to be repurposed or a severe shortage of stuff that made for these utilitarian designs at the time.

jillesvangurp 3y ago

There are a few companies doing electric versions of this car. Both conversions/restoration and completely new ones. Looks like a lot of fun to drive and as the article suggests, they are popular for using as street food cars. There's something about the design of these things that is just hugely appealing.

mytailorisrich 3y ago

I believe that this is from 2017. The H Van launched in 1947. So this is now 77 years and it's still hip.

drcongo 3y ago

Over the years Citroen have designed some of the most beautiful vehicles ever - the DS being the most obvious, but for me the SM is the pinnacle of car design, just stunning. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citroën_SM https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citroën_SM

fosk 3y ago
> Over the years Citroen have designed some of the most beautiful vehicles ever Like the Romans say, de gustibus non disputandum est.
- alamortsubite 3y ago
  When it comes to automobiles, sometimes it's hard to tell if the French are joking or if they're serious.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
uniqueuid 3y ago
Yes the SM is awesome, but to be fair, it is more of a Maserati than a Citroen.
- drcongo 3y ago
  Just the engine. All the rest of the mechanics are Citroen (a lot brought over from the DS) and the styling was in-house led by Robert Opron.
hristov 3y ago
I always thought the XM was very pretty.
- trgn 3y ago
  Loved that hiss.
Xenoamorphous 3y ago
My uncle had a CX and as I kid it was like getting into a spaceship, loved the steering wheel. A different uncle recently got a second hand C6 and despite all its reliability issues it’s a pretty cool car.
- UnserMannInK 3y ago
  I learned to drive in a CX Break, a 5m beast of a car. Two and a half turns of the wheel from left to right, self-centering. Brake pedal went from zero to fully engaged in one cm. And the suspension was the absolute best. Never again drove anything like it.
melenaboija 3y ago
Agree, my first ever car was a Citroën Visa from my grandpa (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_Visa https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_Visa) and even back then the design felt special to me. I think these and the C15 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_C15 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_C15) will become desirable at some point in the future.
- canadianfella 3y ago
  [dead]
- timeon 3y ago
  > Citroën Visa Reminds me Oltcit.
TacticalCoder 3y ago
> but for me the SM is the pinnacle of car design I raise your french with some italian, german and american designs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maserati_3500_GT#/media/File:Paris_-_RM_Sotheby%E2%80%99s_2018_-_Maserati_3500_GT_Spyder_-_1963_-_004.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maserati_3500_GT#/media/File:P... https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_250_GT_Lusso#/media/Fichier:Lusso.JPG https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_250_GT_Lusso#/media/Fi... https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_288_GTO#/media/Fichier:Ferrari_288_GTO_(1).JPG https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_288_GTO#/media/Fichier... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_GT40#/media/File:1965_Ford_GT40.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_GT40#/media/File:1965_For... https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_Cobra#/media/Fichier:Shelby_AC_Cobra,_CSX2000.JPG https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_Cobra#/media/Fichier:Shelby... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Mustang#/media/File:Ford_Mustang_serial_number_one.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Mustang#/media/File:Ford_... https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_356#/media/Fichier:Porsche_356_A_Speedster_1600_Super,_Bj._1956,_Heck_(2016-07-02_Sp).jpg https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_356#/media/Fichier:Por... https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_911#/media/Fichier:1967_Porsche_911S.jpg https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_911#/media/Fichier:196... I find that Citroen SM just horrible. You see it and think it cannot get worse but then you see its back... But as the saying goes: to each his own bad tastes.
- rozap 3y ago
  Meh. Porsche is the worst "interesting design" offender imo, with just marginal iterative improvements over time with nothing truly ambitious. Porsche has never had to really rethink their designs because they do evolution, not revolution. One can argue that that's how you design something great (the GT3 RS is quite a car...) but I still find it kind of boring. And in the world of toy cars, boring is the worst adjective. The porschephiles may downvote all they like :) The hydropneumatic suspension was a bold move, and is still an engineering marvel. The CX has a better ride than a lot of current cars. Meanwhile the 2024 mustang Mach E was so inept at controlling its weight that my wife got nauseous riding in it. Maybe we don't pay attention to ideas that came before us at the wrong time. I think really wild engineering decisions are underrated. As an enthusiast, it's a shame that the car industry seems to have gotten more averse to crazy design decisions over time.
- 3y ago
yread 3y ago
From that period I would vote for Jaguar E-type https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/768x768/public/d8/images/canvas/2021/03/30/9ccbccfa-705f-443f-977e-da643aaeb956_623b6524.jpg?itok=zAlUrtro&v=1617104989 https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/768x768/pu...
- every 3y ago
  I had a Series 2. The car club told me the first thing I should do is put a mechanic on a retainer. I thought they were joking. They weren't... https://images.cadar.io/4ed13238-dd1a-4fee-9ddc-e2f2885ff1ef/full.jpg https://images.cadar.io/4ed13238-dd1a-4fee-9ddc-e2f2885ff1ef...
dingaling 3y ago
They were in the doldrums for 20 years but seen to be fighting back to their old design-driven ethos. The new Ami is a cute design that perhaps only Honda would have attempted: https://www.citroen.co.uk/ami https://www.citroen.co.uk/ami
- quesera 3y ago
  Wow, I had no idea Citroën was a going concern. I've only ever seen (or at least noticed) vintage DS models on the streets in the US. And then only very rarely. I had never seen a DS Cabriolet until today while backfilling my ignorance gap on Wikipedia. That's a beautiful car.
huytersd 3y ago
I mean you have to have a certain mindset while looking at it. I bet it’s not beautiful to many people.
quesera 3y ago
I don't love the SM body style, but the interior/dash is brilliant.

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

dieselgate 3y ago

I’ve seen one of these my entire life - parked around a residential neighborhood in Seattle. It’s certainly different and exciting. Citroens are very rare to see in the states but always fun to spot. They’re usually vintage models. One funny part of traveling in Europe is seeing modern Citroen models. Comedians in Cars getting Coffee had an episode with a Citroen.

Doctor_Fegg 3y ago
Citroen still make interesting designs now and then. The current Ami, the C6, the C3 Pluriel.
lettergram 3y ago
I've seen a lot of Citroen in the EU, particularly in the UK & Ireland. Never seen any in the US (where I live), which makes sense -- https://www.citroen.co.uk/about-citroen/citroen-in-a-few-figures.html https://www.citroen.co.uk/about-citroen/citroen-in-a-few-fig...
- Archelaos 3y ago
  It is perhaps noteworthy in this context that a lot of the new world and old world car companies such as Citroën are now part of Netherland based Stellantis.[1] So in a way a Jeep is now a Dutch car. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellantis#Brands https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellantis#Brands
  - ffgjgf1 3y ago
    Putting the HQ in the Netherlands was more like a compromise between the French and the Italians. It’s really not a Dutch company in any real way
  - Someone 3y ago
    Dutch because of the tax regime. Other famous ‘Dutch’ companies: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inter_IKEA_Holding https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inter_IKEA_Holding: “Inter IKEA Holding B.V. (also known as Inter IKEA Group) is a holding company registered in the Netherlands” - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus: “Airbus' headquarters are registered in Leiden, Netherlands, but daily management is conducted from the company's main office, located in Blagnac, near Toulouse, France.” - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipton_Teas_and_Infusions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipton_Teas_and_Infusions: “Lipton Teas and Infusions is an American-British private company based in Rotterdam, Netherlands, that produces tea and other herbal drinks.”

upmind 3y ago

Hip to be square just reminds me of American Psycho lol

nightfly 3y ago

Morgana

canadianfella 3y ago

[dead]

quadcore 3y ago

When I was a kid I've been taken in one of those - by the police. All painted black with some white stripes. I wasnt alone in the truck, they use to arrest people by the half-a-dozen back in the day (drunks, wanderers, brawlers, etc). They'd also release everybody after a while at a street corner with a big kick in the but.

RCitronsBroker 3y ago
LOL over here in Germany we got drunk-tanked in VW vans and Mercedes sprinters

paulmd 3y ago

it's always mildly funny how much engine power has increased over the years. my bottom-of-the-line SUV gets 184 BHP, these shipped with 35-50 BHP depending on model lol

userbinator 3y ago
Passenger car engines are usually rated in peak power now --- and rarely need to output that number --- whereas they used to be continuous and run closer to their maximum power rating.
- paulmd 3y ago
  yes, with 35BHP to move my truck I would certainly expect to be running continuously at maximum load ;) (admittedly it's probably closer to the size/weight of a kei truck than modern half-ton monstrosities lol)
- foobar1962 3y ago
  In Britain at least, taxes were levied on engine horsepower which at various times were calculated by piston stroke or cylinder diameter. Hence many long-stroke narrow cylinder engine designs.

bloomingeek 3y ago

Most all the mid size vans look alike here in the states. I guess that's why I think the H Van looks so appealing. We own a Chrysler Pacifica to haul the grands around in and it's a fantastic car. As a side note, the stigma on the mini-van is unwarranted, they are very utilitarian and, unless the snow is too deep(8 inches or higher), gets around better than my truck.

NoPedantsThanks 3y ago
Not to mention that all the new "small" trucks force you to get a giant four-door cab, which results in a puny bed. I guess the manufacturers have determined that everyone who wants a small truck is a poser. Look at Ford's own picture of two hapless hipsters struggling to fit any furniture into a Maverick. They're not even going to get the couch in there, let alone all that other crap: https://www.thedrive.com/content-b/message-editor%2F1646159878512-22_frd_mav_54243.tif.jpg https://www.thedrive.com/content-b/message-editor%2F16461598... You're way better off with a minivan.

1letterunixname 3y ago

<3 I want a US-homologation Citroën DS-21 (LHD). Currently, I drive a 1985 VW Vanagon GL Westfalia Deluxe (pop-top camper). NLA vehicles are fun.

WalterBright 3y ago

The corrugated sheet metal sides reminds me of a Junker: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Ju-Air_Junkers_Ju_52_crash#/media/File:Junkers_Ju-52-3m,_Ju-Air_JP6585913.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Ju-Air_Junkers_Ju_52_cras...

tesin 3y ago
The article specifies those as the source
- WalterBright 3y ago
  Hah, I missed that. The corrugation was used on Junkers because it added a lot of strength. The downside is the drag it created.

palmfacehn 3y ago

Here's the 2cv that completed Dakar this year. https://www.dakar.com/en/news//stage-2/classic/the-duck-ar-girls/186334 https://www.dakar.com/en/news//stage-2/classic/the-duck-ar-g... >It was a bold move, to say the least. But Barbora Holická and Lucie Engová were not afraid. The two Czech friends decided to take on the challenge of the Dakar Classic, but they also had to pick a vehicle. A 2CV was far from the obvious choice to tackle the Saudi desert, but their decision to start their project by buying the car was based on a sound analysis: "I usually compete in the Czech championship and always in a Citroën", explains Barbora. "So my first thought was to drive a ZX in the Dakar, but it was too expensive, so I came up with the idea of the 2CV, which everyone loves." >The "Tin Snail" certainly offers incredible bang for buck in terms of charisma, but it looks like a fish out of water in a rally raid and, especially, in the dunes. As a result, they had to come up with a technical plan and make some modifications...

jonasdegendt 3y ago
I'm surprised a ZX was more expensive than a 2CV. Over here in Belgium you can get a ZX for 500 bucks no problem, whereas the 2CV is a coveted classic that sells for multiple thousands.
- arkh 3y ago
  Every time I have to cross a speed bump I miss my old ZX. At the time I could not understand why people felt like they had to decelerate so much. Then I got a modern car with firm suspension and my back did not like the first speed bump I encountered.
  - jonasdegendt 3y ago
    I miss mine too, same thing goes for the seats. Modern car seats are so stiff, I'm sure it's a safety thing but I miss the good old cloth sofas the ZX had. I would've driven it into the ground but low emission zones happened and it became more and more of a hassle to drive unfortunately.
- prmoustache 3y ago