The Citroën 2CV is back! New concept previews £13k EV for 2028

Why now?

Now is the right moment for a new 2CV, said Gaillot-Drevon (pictured above), because "when you see the situation in the world, everyone needs a smile on their face". Although Citroën considered painting the concept flat grey to mimic the 1937 TPV, "we wanted to have a colourful car, a private interior where you feel good, that is super-bright and fresh".

It is also playing the retro card in a bid to fight off the wave of Chinese newcomers that pose a serious threat to the French brand's budget-friendly positioning. "You can't buy history," said Gaillot-Drevon. "They are brand-new, so the only thing they can offer is a cheaper price - but emotion is something you need. "Citroën is one of the most collected brands in the world and we have to be proud of our heritage, where we come from, and use this knowledge that we have."

Design

Citroën worked hard to ensure that the 2CV didn't have an aggressive or imposing appearance. Gaillot-Drevon explained the placement of its beady headlights was a particular dilemma, resolved only with the assistance of Stellantis's new European design chief, Gilles Vidal.

Fresh off a stint at Renault, having overseen the revivals of the 4 and Twingo, he was well placed to inform the development of the 2CV. "When Vidal joined the company, he said the first thing you do is make the headlamps bigger and bring them inboard, and automatically the car had much more character - that friendly face," said Gaillot-Drevon.

"The front is most important, but since the beginning we knew we wanted to have a V-shaped bonnet with the headlamps sticking out. That's it - you don't need more."

He noted that cars in the A-segment are typically bought for rational reasons, such as price or practicality. Citroën's hope is to build a car in that class that is bought with the heart.

"Our goal was not to give a promise that we can't deliver. No, it's not a car that says you're going to drive fast or have a super-long range. It's just a car for daily life that brings a lot of joy, to make people smile," he said.

What remained consistent throughout all the 2CV proposals was the silhouette, which gave rise to nicknames such as Tin Snail or, as it was known in much of Europe, Duck.

However, "it was quite a challenge to reinterpret this architecture in a modern way", said Gaillot-Drevon.

Interior

The interior posed a greater headache because, Gaillot-Drevon noted, "there was no design theme" inside the TPV or original 2CV.

The 1930s prototypes lacked a conventional dashboard, let alone a speedometer. The steering columns simply sprouted from the floor, while the gearlever was mounted just below the windscreen.

Although it has been brought into the modern era with the addition of a small infotainment touchscreen, there are several references to the original - as well as other beloved models from Citroën's past.

For example, the seats are benches upholstered in a striking yellow tartan, while the famed 'umbrella-handle' gearlever remains, having been reinvented to suit an EV's PRND layout.

The steering wheel has a single spoke, and the pedals are of a mushroom-like design similar to that in early 2CVs, the DS and the SM. The radio is removable, having been designed for use as a Bluetooth speaker when picnicking.

"The idea was that when you enter the car and you see it, it feels like a ray of sunshine" said colour, material and trim designer Madeleine Ternisien.

"Not every material we picked will be the same, but we can find ways to have something similar in the final car. This fabric is nothing crazy to put into production. We could do it in a different way to keep that same spirit."

Completing the retro package is a canvas roof, which must be rolled up or unfurled by hand while the car is stationary. This, said Gaillot-Drevon, will make it to production, since "we wanted to have interaction with the car".

Indeed, much of this concept is set to become a reality, as the design of the road-going model is being handled by many of the same people who worked on the concept.

"We call it a concept car, but it's super-realistic in terms of proportion and wheel size," said Gaillot-Drevon. "There's nothing we couldn't do in production."

From TPV to 2CV: How the Tin Snail was born

It may have the hackish look of a test mule, but the Toute Petite Voiture (Very Small Car) was actually a production model.

Following Citroën's 1934 bankruptcy, it was acquired by Michelin - its main creditor. The tyre firm set it to work on building a car that could get rural France moving at a price people could afford.