Vive la 2CV

The Citroen 2CV was, surely the greatest car ever made. I owned two of the quirky little French motors and can honestly say they were the most fun you can have in a car without visiting the back seat. The Citroen 2CV was born in 1939 and was intended for use by French farmers as a way of lugging spuds and sheep over rough terrain. However, the day after production began war was declared which was really inconvenient. Thus, the car had to wait until 1948 to be unveiled to the world. Sacre bleu.

Sadly, the last 2CV's were produced back in 1990 so they are becoming more and more rare. I owned two of them and obviously, I gave them names. These names I felt suited their character and eccentric nature: Stan & Alf. May they rest in peace.

So why were/are these berserk vehicles so great? Here's my list:

The gear stick poked out of the dashboard and all the gears were back to front.
The engine was air-cooled so didn't over heat or freeze in the winter.
It had a crank handle to start the engine if the battery died.
You could take the whole back seat out and use it as a sofa - in fields.
The suspension was so soft you could mount kerbs without noticing.
It could corner faster than any car on the road - really.
You could put a brick on the accelerator to give you cruise control.
The air-conditioning was just two metal panels that lifted up under the windscreen.
The whole roof rolled back so you could have a fantastic convertible.
Everyone pointed and laughed at you - making you feel special.

So next time you see a car like the one in the photo (it's the same as Stan), give the driver a cheery wave, a smile and knowing look that says "you may be a funny little man in a funny little car, but a bit of me, just a bit, is really jealous"

Tres bon.