Van-tastic! Citroen 2CV Fourgonnette is a retro commercial vehicle designed to be loved
Alongside its 2CV concept at the Paris Motor Show, Citroen has revealed a ‘Fourgonnette’ mini commercial vehicle
Stellantis hit the ground running at the Paris Motor Show, revealing no less than six striking concept cars across six brands the night before the event’s kick-off. For us, it might well be the production-previewing Citroen 2CV that steals the show, and to help it further, the brand has doubled down by bringing a Citroen 2CV Fourgonnette van concept to the French capital.
The original 2CV Fourgonnette (the French word for ‘small van’) is one of Citroen’s most iconic commercial vehicles, perhaps second only to the H van that food truck proprietors seem to love so much. The new take on the Fourgonnette looks much the same as the 2CV concept up to the B-pillars, but from there rearwards, it’s very different.
There’s a boxy rear end with a series of vanes in the side panels, evoking the corrugated metal of the original. There’s even a charge point fashioned to look like the fuel filler cap of the first Fourgonnette, too.
The main access to the cargo area is a set of barn-style doors at the rear. However, the slots at the bottoms of the side panels make it look like these might be intended to open, but it’s hard to say. The press release is short on detail, and there are no images of the cabin or the load bay - we’ll be able to confirm once we’ve had a closer look on the show floor, but this might be a concept design study without a fully formed interior.
Instead of giving any technical information, Citroen is focusing on what the Fourgonnette concept represents. Summing it up, CEO Xavier Chardon said:
“The 2CV Fourgonnette was more than just a workhorse. It was part of everyday life. Simple, ingenious and accessible, it above all possessed something few commercial vehicles have: a soul. That is the spirit we are bringing back to life today. Because being useful should never mean being ordinary.”
Given that Citroen isn’t above making a teeny-tiny van (you can buy a Citroen e-C3 Cargo and even an Ami Cargo from the brand) and that the passenger 2CV is already confirmed for production, the idea of a showroom-ready Fourgonnette doesn’t seem too outlandish. Sadly, though, Citroen seems keen to pour cold water on the idea for now. “While this concept does not preview a future production model in the short term, it opens up new avenues for consideration,” the French carmaker says.
The passenger 2CV concept meanwhile will arrive in showrooms by the end of 2028, built to the incoming E-car regulations intended to yield a new generation of affordable EVs. It’ll cost as little as around £13,000.
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