A new Citroen 2CV? Some say oui, others say non
At Auto Express, the question has been raised: would reviving the 2CV name be a good thing, or is it better left in the past? Editor Paul Barker and deputy editor Richard Ingram have differing views on the matter - and below, they showcase both sides of the argument. But what do you think? Let us know in the comments…
By Richard Ingram, deputy editor
Contrary to what I might suggest over the next five paragraphs, I'm not actually that into retro remakes. Yet being able to capture the magic of the original, blending the rooted DNA of the brand in a contemporary – and most importantly, competitive – way, is a surefire recipe for success.
Take the modern MINI as an example. There's no mistaking it for anything else, yet it doesn't sacrifice what made the dinky fifties small car so great: namely that super-sharp go-kart driving experience. How about the latest Land Rover Defender? Boxy but brilliant; nothing compares if you really want to venture as far as possible off the beaten track. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
I think Citroen could (and should) do something similar with the reinvented 2CV. Imagine it: a bubbly, snail-inspired family car with a roomy interior, hiding a modern platform and drivetrain, plus that typical Citroen-soft ride quality. You could even put some Airbumps on the side for ultimate car-park prang protection. Advertisement - Article continues below
Citroen (and parent company Stellantis) is on a roll right now: the fantastic e-C3 is our reigning Car of the Year, and the sharply-styled C5 Aircross is a concept car in all but name. Don't forget the polarising Ami quadricycle – proof that Citroen can do something different and get away with it.
So here's hoping that those fanciful French designers, engineers and execs can find a way to glance back while also looking forward. Just one request: Can I be the first to carry that carton of eggs across a ploughed field? Sometimes these Auto Express features write themselves!
By Paul Barker, editor
It's really easy to get wrapped up in enthusiastic nostalgia when it comes to cars. Wouldn't it be great to resurrect car X/Y/Z? Largely, no it wouldn't!
Whisper it, but the Citroen 2CV really wasn't very good when it was new. Characterful, yes, and great if you want to carry eggs across a rutted French field without them breaking, but otherwise it's best consigned to the history books.
Citroen has had success over the years by looking forward rather than back, and trying to pioneer – from the DS and the SM, to the Picasso and C4 Cactus – cars that brought something new to the table. I'm sure a new 2CV would make people smile, but will they put their money where their grin is, and make it commercially successful?
The car industry is littered with initially well received retro reinventions that didn't succeed. The Chrysler PT Cruiser is a fine example of a car that exploded into life, but once that initial hysteria had dried up, sales ground to a halt quicker than a 2CV on a steep incline. Likewise, the rebooted Volkswagen Beetle wouldn't exactly be categorised as a success.
Hopefully Renault's new 5 will buck the trend, and Citroen execs must be looking enviously over the fence at their French rival, but time will tell how easy it is to keep the momentum over the next three or four years on what is such a style statement of a car.
Maybe Citroen can capture the essence of what made the 2CV so popular: that humble low-cost simplicity? But I think it would be better off creating a new 21st-century icon that doesn't rely on misty-eyed memories of the distant past.
Let us know your thoughts on the Citroen 2CV's potential return in the comments section below... View C3 View C3 View C3
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Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer – 100% Germany ties with America in the rapid charging head-to-head. The Volkswagen ID.7, like the Ford Capri managed to hit the promised peak charging speed. The VW ID.7 sticker that says 200kW charging is not about to be crossed out: it hit that speed for three minutes in test. The 86kWh battery went from an initial state-of-charge of 12 per cent to 60 per cent in 21 minutes. It averaged a charging rate of 156kW and took 35 minutes to get to 100 per cent charge. Auto Express said: 'There's a little knee point where it hits constant voltage near the beginning, but does a good job of staying over 100kW for a large proportion of the time.' Pre-conditioning EVs battery - why it's important for rapid charging Battery pre-conditioning is when an EV battery is brought to its optimal temperature before charging, which helps it charge and perform efficiently in both hot and cold conditions. Auto Express said that several manufacturers have told them that the real reason their cars didn't reach the stated targets is because they didn't precondition the batteries but that this was done to create a level playing field and that some models were still able to get there meant that this should be possible across the board. Editor Barker points out that the test is perhaps most useful for illustrating how the maximum charge rate of a car really is exactly that – a maximum – and is far from telling the whole story in terms of how quickly your car will restore power when plugged-in. EXPERT TIPS FOR FAST CHARGING Paul Barker, Editor at Auto Express recommends: 1. Precondition the battery 'As much as we said that whether or not you've preconditioned the battery shouldn't matter, ultimately getting your car's battery up to the right operating temperature should mean that it'll hit its peak speeds more quickly. 'In some cars you can do this manually at a push of a button, while others integrate this into EV route planning features within the sat-nav.' 2. Only rapid charge at lower battery percentages 'Most cars have limits on how fast they can charge at higher percentages all in the name of preserving the condition and life of the battery. 'With this in mind, make sure to plug-in only when the battery gets low, because otherwise you may find yourself needlessly sitting around for a while.' 3. Use the 'splash and dash' technique 'If you're in a rush, rather than sitting around while your car charges at only a few kW as the battery fills near to 100 per cent, a better idea is to set off and pull over again later on to add however much more you originally needed at a higher rate, because this can often be much quicker.' 4. Plan your journey ahead of time Barker urges EV drivers to plan their journeys well in advance, because the rates can vary so much between rapid chargers; 'you might be better off taking a short detour in order to access one with a higher power output that'll get you on the road again more quickly.' 5. Charge at home if you can 'Of course, it's not always possible to charge at home, but plugging-in before you set off could save you (a lot of) time and money. As can only public charging to put in enough to get you home, and not arrive back with a load of excess charge.'
