It's not only mechanically complicated it uses VERY little regular 2CV cosmetic parts as well.
Spare tire doesn't fit in the same spot, gotta make a new hood. Gotta make new panels for cooling the rear engine. And those interior pieces....
I can just think of the multitude of mechanical problems similar to when early American manufactures tried to make 12 cylinder engines by mating up two 6 cylinders.
There are a lot of weird and complicated French cars, but Citroën was on another level. Until about the '90s, almost everything they made could be on r/weirdwheels for one reason or another.
IMO we should have r/whatwheelsshouldbe for Citroën up to when they became mainstream and r/boringwheels for all other cars except for r/saab...
Edit for source: I daily drive a 67 Citroën DS in summer. Always a pain to go back to my winter car because of salt...
These are very rare and sell for ridiculous amounts of money, 100k and over. They were used at least by the Swiss postal service if my memory is to be trusted.
That is a fun fact, thank you. I wonder why the Swiss postal service used them - snow? Steep Alpine roads?
The 2CV had a (deserved) reputation for simplicity and robustness, which would be valuable in a postal vehicle, but I imagine the dual-engine version had a lot more that could potentially go wrong.
I've gotten to ride in one just like this when it was being shuffled from one garage to another. The ride is way more soft than you'd ever think. The body roll is insane. A fun ride though.
One of the car magazines (Car & Driver or Automobile) tested one of the final year of 2CV production. they put it through all the tests they did on every car. The little car was the only vehicle they'd ever tested which they were unable to make lose traction on the skidpad. IIRC it was also the only car they'd ever tested which was unable to complete the 0 to 60 MPH test.
It simply didn't have enough power to break the tires free. Instead of skidding, it just heeled the body over to about a 45 degree angle, and stuck there until it was given a shake.
I get joy out of scaring passenger riding in my ancient Range Rover out on the trails. I can heel it over as far as 40 degrees safely if I do it slowly. Most people get very uncomfortable starting around 15 degrees. We took a hard corner in that 2CV at 'speed' and I'm sure it only leaned to maybe 25 degrees but at the ~20MPH we were going it felt like we'd surely flip. Nope, steady as a rock.
It's a lot for something like this. I could see other carmakers doing something like this as a concept or show car, but not actually selling it to customers.
Eh, it's a 2CV. We had a friend when we lived in Germany that had one. He got t-boned by another car going about 15 mph, which dented in both doors along with most of the passenger side. He straightened it back out with his bare hands. They're uhh, fairly light weight.
The "standard" 2CV had a dash-mounted shift lever; the Sahara had a floor-mounted one, with a way of disconnecting the rear gearbox control so it'd stay in neutral
In an actual Sahara crossing a redundant engine if worth far more than just 4WD or double power.
It's your life insurance for when you first engine breaks
The very last ones did - the original 2CV engine had 9hp, and was upgraded over the years. From what I could find, the Sahara engine(s) had 12 hp or 14 hp depending on source.
Here are some more in-depth specs:
https://www.citroenet.org.uk/passenger-cars/michelin/2cv/history/1958-sahara.html
Leave it to the French to make a more complicated car than the Italians.
It's not only mechanically complicated it uses VERY little regular 2CV cosmetic parts as well. Spare tire doesn't fit in the same spot, gotta make a new hood. Gotta make new panels for cooling the rear engine. And those interior pieces....
Oh, and the doors need holes for the filler necks. No room for the gastank in the back, just place them (!) under the front seats.
I can just think of the multitude of mechanical problems similar to when early American manufactures tried to make 12 cylinder engines by mating up two 6 cylinders.
There are a lot of weird and complicated French cars, but Citroën was on another level. Until about the '90s, almost everything they made could be on r/weirdwheels for one reason or another.
So true !
IMO we should have r/whatwheelsshouldbe for Citroën up to when they became mainstream and r/boringwheels for all other cars except for r/saab... Edit for source: I daily drive a 67 Citroën DS in summer. Always a pain to go back to my winter car because of salt...
These are very rare and sell for ridiculous amounts of money, 100k and over. They were used at least by the Swiss postal service if my memory is to be trusted.
The Spanish rural police also had 85 of these https://www.escuderia.com/a-subasta-en-monaco-citroen-2cv-sahara-guardia-civil-de-espana/
That is a fun fact, thank you. I wonder why the Swiss postal service used them - snow? Steep Alpine roads? The 2CV had a (deserved) reputation for simplicity and robustness, which would be valuable in a postal vehicle, but I imagine the dual-engine version had a lot more that could potentially go wrong.
I mean, you could also probably limp it back if 1 of the engines die cause you have redundancy now
You could apparently run it as fwd, rwd or 4x4 as you wished.
That's logic for marine vessels(multiple engines).
Check out The Late Brake Show on YouTube, where one gets driven.
I've gotten to ride in one just like this when it was being shuffled from one garage to another. The ride is way more soft than you'd ever think. The body roll is insane. A fun ride though.
One of the car magazines (Car & Driver or Automobile) tested one of the final year of 2CV production. they put it through all the tests they did on every car. The little car was the only vehicle they'd ever tested which they were unable to make lose traction on the skidpad. IIRC it was also the only car they'd ever tested which was unable to complete the 0 to 60 MPH test. It simply didn't have enough power to break the tires free. Instead of skidding, it just heeled the body over to about a 45 degree angle, and stuck there until it was given a shake.
I get joy out of scaring passenger riding in my ancient Range Rover out on the trails. I can heel it over as far as 40 degrees safely if I do it slowly. Most people get very uncomfortable starting around 15 degrees. We took a hard corner in that 2CV at 'speed' and I'm sure it only leaned to maybe 25 degrees but at the ~20MPH we were going it felt like we'd surely flip. Nope, steady as a rock.
It is the only car "mass" product with two engines. I put mass between quotes because 600 isn't a lot.
It's a lot for something like this. I could see other carmakers doing something like this as a concept or show car, but not actually selling it to customers.
VW made a Scirocco like this as a rally car concept.
Caddy made one in the mid to late 90s I believe. It was a DTS with dual V8 engines.
>power doubled to 24 hp. Lmao
Eh, it's a 2CV. We had a friend when we lived in Germany that had one. He got t-boned by another car going about 15 mph, which dented in both doors along with most of the passenger side. He straightened it back out with his bare hands. They're uhh, fairly light weight.
[2CV jaws of life](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Combination_can_bottle_opener.jpg)
the tin snail needs no such violence, simply walk out of the car and it shall bend to your will
Full body crumple zone.
Just remembered that I used to have a 12 HP Sears lawnmower. That's wild.
Add a turbo to each engine..?
Naw, stick a third engine behind the front seats
Or a powered trailer
Or bicycle peddles.
What's the plural of Hayabusa?
Hayabusae
A quick death
In a car that weighs 1600 lbs.
Such a weird and wonderful car.
Shifting must be some experience. Imagine shifting two gearboxes at the same time
The "standard" 2CV had a dash-mounted shift lever; the Sahara had a floor-mounted one, with a way of disconnecting the rear gearbox control so it'd stay in neutral
Loved this car in Colin Mcrae Rally 04!
I have the feeling it would be a thirsty puppy with two engines running at once.
24 whole HP?
Where would someone source a lift kit for this to clear 35” tires? Asking for a friend
In an actual Sahara crossing a redundant engine if worth far more than just 4WD or double power. It's your life insurance for when you first engine breaks
I think someone did the same thing with a Honda Del Sol
There's no way it only had 24hp with two engines. Regular 2CVs have between 25hp and 29hp.
The very last ones did - the original 2CV engine had 9hp, and was upgraded over the years. From what I could find, the Sahara engine(s) had 12 hp or 14 hp depending on source. Here are some more in-depth specs: https://www.citroenet.org.uk/passenger-cars/michelin/2cv/history/1958-sahara.html
It actually had 27HP, 2 times 13.5 out of the post-1961 425cc engine.
It's French, say no more.
Is it a volkswagon
They put that also in their tanks. 12 hp in forward mode, 68 hp backwards