New 2CV

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Kowalski
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New 2CV

Post by Kowalski »

Seems Citroen is doing what BMW did well with the Mini and what VW did badly with the Beetle.
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/58059 ... eborn.html
Looks interesting, I hope they get it right.
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Post by DLM »

I wonder what the behatted French peasant with their basket of eggs targetted as the original "target market" would think? It's a looker, though. "remote card entry, hein?"
What BMW "did well" was marketing and brand exploitation. What they didn't include in their design brief were the space-efficiency and egalitarian nature of the original. Grow a car in volume and disregard the incomes of large sectors of the population and you can do almost anything. Good design has to have more to push against than fashion and the limit of its market's borrowing power.
Having said that, I'd hate to see any company repeat BL's clanger in its costing calculations with the original mini - after taking a few apart, Ford came to the conclusion BL couldn't be making any money from them, hence their refusal to enter that marketplace for many years.
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Post by jeremy »

Well of course things move on - the poor french farmer with his hat and eggs has long gone thanks to the CAP - should he be preserved so he can buy 2CV's - I don't think so.
The Mini was of course a rapid response to the threat of fuel rationing and few sold to their intended market. Many were bought by people who regarded them as 'Chique' which I'm sure wasn't the original intention.
What BMW realised (perhaps late in the day) is that there is a healthy market for a smart smallish car among people who don't need or want a large car and can afford a top of the range Corsa or similar - and would rather buy something that doesn't look the same as the base model for which their neighbour paid half the price.
The interesting question is What do we regard as the spiritual successor to the 2CV/Mini/ Beetle today. Looking worldwide I can't think of one even from China or India.
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Kowalski
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Post by Kowalski »

I think the poor french farmer has gone, he's been replaced with the rather well subsidised french farmer instead....
The original Mini was small but made good use of the space and was in some ways badly engineered. The new Mini is a large car with poor interior space and none of the practicality of the original Mini, but its a well engineered, style icon, a fashion accesory for those men who wear pink shirts and use moisturisers.
Is the Fiat Panda the successor? Cheap, practical and *cough* tough *ahem*.
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Post by bxbodger »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">a fashion accesory for those men who wear pink shirts and use moisturisers.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
No, thats the Audi TT!!!!
The new mini, sorry, MINI, may or may not be a lot of things, but one thing it most definately is not is hard to sell- its one of the cleverest pieces of niche automotive marketing for a long time.
martyhopkirk

Post by martyhopkirk »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Kowalski</i>

a fashion accesory for those men who wear pink shirts and use moisturisers.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Someone been looking at the photo of me with the BX MOT cert then?
Now what would make this CV <i>Perfect</i> would be a Hydractive suspension set up[:o)]
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Post by rashmore »

Do u think the new one will follow in the cornering and off road ability of the original 2cv. Used to have loads of fun wailing across farm land and round off road course. The excess lean of the body going round corners used to be scary on the road but good fun :-) i see the 'finger chopping off' windows are no longer featured.....
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Post by bxbodger »

This one looks better, though,http://www.internet79.com/ace49/photo3.htm
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Post by tomsheppard »

The designer of the Ford Ka described it as the 2CV for the 1990s. More so than the Mini.
You can change your own tyres and buy two Kas for the price of a basic Mini.
And it drives a damn' sight better than a Mini!
The 2CV concept is nearly right. Corrugate the bonnet and get the front right then fit a 1000cc 3 cylinder diesel.
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Post by Kowalski »

Tom, do you want push rods and air cooling too? What about a 3 speed column shift and a roll up roof?
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Post by tomsheppard »

Ka has pushrods already! Air cooling, No thank you. it is noisy and inefficient. The three speed box though YES PLEASE! (Those of you with brains will know what I'm saying here, the rest can count to six or seven.) The roll up roof? Using modern fabrics a la tautliner, Why ever not?
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Post by danielsydney »

I think that would be great down here in australia. Like all the new citroens however it has massive front overhang....Like the styling however....
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