Exclusive: Citroen 2CV set for return as retro city car

Citroën is considering reviving the legendary 2CV more than three decades after the no-frills classic went out of production, Autocar can exclusively reveal. 

Preliminary design work on a successor to the car that is widely credited with mobilising post-war France is under way, a senior source has confirmed, although the project is currently at an early stage.

The news signals a change of heart from Citroën, which has previously denied any plans to bring this famous model back.

The firm’s rethink is understood to have been prompted by the retro-inspired Renault 5 – and its low starting price of £22,995. 

The hatchback has been an immediate hit in France, with 9973 examples having left showrooms last month. That’s 1721 more units than Citroën sold of the new ë-C3.

In November 2024 – the 5’s first full month on sale – the new hatchback played a key role in boosting Renault’s share of France’s electric car market from 16.3% (for January to October) to 23.2%.

Unlike the 5, which was designed by envisaging how the original would have evolved had it remained in continuous production, the 2CV is understood to more closely mirror the design of its classic counterpart.

Citroën has already hinted at its appetite for more distinctly retro-flavoured models with the new Ami, which was unveiled at the 2024 Paris motor show. It borrows several design cues from the original 2CV, including boggle-eyed headlights, vent-like indentations across its wings and the historic Citroën logo.

Speaking to Autocar at this year's Brussels motor show, Citroën design boss Pierre Leclercq would not be drawn into publicly confirming the new 2CV, but he said the brand is “not closing the door” on retro designs.

He said: “The things you remember from Citroën is not especially that you want to redo the shape of the vehicles that have been good. But we’re not closing the door. But I think the philosophy is important.”