Citröen 2CV/Dyane

The 2CV was built from 1948 until 1990, but over that 42-year lifespan, there were a number of variations and model evolutions. During the first 12 years, various small additions were made that would enhance ownership: a heater was added, so too were side repeaters and a lockable driver’s door, but it wasn’t until the 1960s that any real visual changes came about.

In 1960, the iconic ‘ripple’ bonnet was replaced with a design that featured fewer and much larger swages – something that would follow through to the end of production 30 years later and in 1965, front-hinged doors took the place of the ‘suicide’ doors that had been fitted since the vehicle’s launch.

Similarly, the engine would undergo a gradual series of changes that saw the initial 9hp offering increase to 29hp, but the next major model change came with the introduction of the Citröen Dyane in 1967. Although based entirely on the 2CV underpinnings, the Dyane offered a visual alternative with almost all-new bodywork with an angular tilt and the introduction of a large hatchback-style rear. The launch of the Renault 4 had forced Citröen into a response before sales of the 2CV were irreversibly affected and although the Dyane was well-received with some impressive production figures, appetite for the ‘original’ 2CV remained strong and so replacement was never really an option.