By ANDREW HEASLEY
The Age
Friday July 15 2005
In what could mark the start of another French revolution, three budding design students have reinvented Citroen's long-lived 2CV - arguably the only car to rival Volkswagen's Beetle for individuality and longevity.
And like the Beetle, the 2CV has been resurrected and given a 21st-century makeover, emerging as the "Citroen Evoque" design study.
The Evoque is the work of three students, Guillaume Daniel, Julien Lebley and Richard Pedron, who entered the design in the World Automotive Design Competition in Canada and snared a $C75,000 prize ($83,000).
This time around, the students say they're positioning the new-age 2CV more upmarket than the original, pitching it against Audi's A3 and retro remakes such as the Mini and VW Beetle.
Like the original Deux Chevaux, the Evoque features a retractable roof, though this time it has sliding glass panels that retract and stack one upon the other, rather than the original's rolled canvas roof.
The doors feature glazing that fits flush with the panels when fully raised, thanks to a process called "deviation kinematics", while door handles have been eliminated so as not to upset the smooth lines. Instead, entry is gained via the electronic key fob. The smooth lines also promote aerodynamic efficiency, the students say.
While there's no plan to put the car into production, UK-based magazine AutoExpress reports the design has "caught the eye" of Citroen design bosses.
When Citroen's current C3 hatch was launched, it was widely touted as the spiritual successor to the 2CV, raising the question of where a production version of the Evoque would sit in the Citroen line-up.
http://www.drive.com.au/editorial/article.aspx?id=9989&vf=2&bg=1&pp=1
The Age
Friday July 15 2005
In what could mark the start of another French revolution, three budding design students have reinvented Citroen's long-lived 2CV - arguably the only car to rival Volkswagen's Beetle for individuality and longevity.
And like the Beetle, the 2CV has been resurrected and given a 21st-century makeover, emerging as the "Citroen Evoque" design study.
The Evoque is the work of three students, Guillaume Daniel, Julien Lebley and Richard Pedron, who entered the design in the World Automotive Design Competition in Canada and snared a $C75,000 prize ($83,000).
This time around, the students say they're positioning the new-age 2CV more upmarket than the original, pitching it against Audi's A3 and retro remakes such as the Mini and VW Beetle.
Like the original Deux Chevaux, the Evoque features a retractable roof, though this time it has sliding glass panels that retract and stack one upon the other, rather than the original's rolled canvas roof.
The doors feature glazing that fits flush with the panels when fully raised, thanks to a process called "deviation kinematics", while door handles have been eliminated so as not to upset the smooth lines. Instead, entry is gained via the electronic key fob. The smooth lines also promote aerodynamic efficiency, the students say.
While there's no plan to put the car into production, UK-based magazine AutoExpress reports the design has "caught the eye" of Citroen design bosses.
When Citroen's current C3 hatch was launched, it was widely touted as the spiritual successor to the 2CV, raising the question of where a production version of the Evoque would sit in the Citroen line-up.
http://www.drive.com.au/editorial/article.aspx?id=9989&vf=2&bg=1&pp=1