OULALA the Citroën 2CV... not your quintessential sexy automobile, but according to some folk, it was voted "best Bond chase" car (on some poll, somewhere). That means the little old fashion bug looking car beat out fleets of Aston Martins and whatnot.
Here's a snap shot from one of the scenes from the 1981 film, "For Your Eyes Only".
how cute is that?!
Now those who know a little French know that this car is a "Deux-Chevaux" or a "Two-Horse". Those who think they know a little more say it's because this little love-bug car only has 2 horsepower... yea I fell into that category for sure. But you read, you learn. The 2CV actually has 9 horsepower.
So why 2CV?
2CV acutally stands for "Deux Chevaux Vapeur" which is a technical term from French tax code.
Back in the day, it was popular in some European countries, such as France, to base a car's taxation rate on an early system known as tax horsepower. After WWII, France mostly produced cars with very small engines relative to the body's size. The 2CV's engine only weighed 100 Lbs! But what is this "tax horsepower"? Simple math. Ew. The rating was calculated using a formula based on a car's cylinder dimensions.
pretty easy to learn engine basics with this one
This car was intended to be a first car for farmers. It was hardy, simple, and could carry to sturdy French farmers! They weigh about 200lbs. Plus their farming cargo... They certainly did not go fast and would most likely have gotten creamed by a Nash Metropolitan. But getting lauded for its racing and technical prowess wasn't the point of this car. It was made for country roads and later became more popular amongst "hippies" for obvious reasons.
When I was a kid in France, my brother and I would count all the 2CVs we would see during our month stay. Sadly, the number dwindled from year to year and now I only see a few when I go, but I imagine that in rural France, I would probably chance up
on more than in Paris. I even see a few here in LA!
Le Vallois - France
Pacific Palisades Library
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