On March 4, 1958, a press release reached the newsrooms that ended with this sentence: “A demonstration prototype at the Mer de Sable d’Ermenonville will be presented on March 7, 1958, at 10 o’clock.” Prior to this, Jacques Wolgensinger (Citroën’s first and brilliant head of communications) had written to put motor-specialized journalists in a situation: «aware of the problems of oil searches in the Sahara, Citroën has developed a 2 CV of four-wheel drive, adding to the long-recognized qualities of the car (lightness, robustness, low maintenance cost, air cooling…), spectacular possibilities of movement in the sand».
The idea of an individual
The idea for this version did not come from Citroën, but from an aeronautical engineer converted to public works, named Maurice Bonafous, who needed to replace his Willys company jeep, out of service after an accident. And he found a solution very much in line with the legendary American magazine «Popular Mechanics», that is, using already existing parts to achieve a cheap solution. Thus, we are in 1955, he himself modifies his 2 CV A (first generation, to understand us) installing, in the back, a second motor that transmits its power to the rear wheels. He already had his 4×4.
The idea excited his brother who, in 1956, wrote a letter to those responsible for Citroën in which he told them about the existence of this car with two 375 cc engines each, a letter that was accompanied by four photos and three sketches.
Curiosity in the Quai de Javel
The letter arouses curiosity in the Quai de Javel, the historic headquarters of the double chevron brand. Several engineers travel to the town of Laruns, where Bonafous lives, to test his curious twin-engine 2CV.
They like the idea and start working on the project. The first prototype of the 2CV 4×4 made by Citroën and presented at the Mer de Sable to the press, except for the wheels and the boot lid (with a small hole and ajar) was practically the same as the conventional model on the outside. But before the astonished eyes of the journalists in that month of March 1958, but also of the directors of large French public works companies, the car moves smoothly in the sand, and is capable of overcoming, with four occupants, slopes of 40 %.
Today its price as a classic has risen dramatically
However, the engineers take note of the problems. One of them is the rear engine cooling. This is how they modify the cover, making a larger air inlet so that the fan can take in air directly; and openings in the rear uprights. The changes work, and they will be fine-tuned little by little to move towards the production model.
A new prototype is built during the second half of 1958 destined for an industrial vehicle show that took place in November. And in July 1959 a third, more developed, is presented to the French army. But he does not finish convincing the military officials.
The launch
Citroën, despite this setback, is not discouraged and announces as the next production model a 2CV 4×4 named Sahara (Type AW, in the manufacturer’s code). And he presents it to the specialized press at the Parisian restaurant Le Pre Catelan, on September 9, in a preview of the double chevron cars that are going to go to the show. But, curiously, then it will not be shown at the Grand Palais, part of the 49th “Salon de L’Automobile” that opens its doors from October 1 to 11. Yes, it will be possible to see him a few days later in an industrial vehicle show, at the Puerta de Versailles.
The rear twin-cylinder engine is identical to the front
Production started at the end of 1960 and it was approved by the French “Service des Mines” as type AZ 4/4.
A particular architecture
This 2CV 4×4 has two twin-cylinder engines (one at the front and one at the rear in the reverse position) already 425 cc of the “two horses”, but equipped with larger carburettors to obtain greater power (initially 24 and later they will be 28 CV each). ), with oil bath air filter as an option, very suitable in very dusty areas. Added to this are two dynamos, one on each motor, and two voltage regulators. Both engines have to move a weight of 735 kilos empty, 260 kg more than a normal 2CV.
Each of the motors works independently. The frame is based on the one used by the export 2CV, but even more reinforced than that one and well protected throughout the lower area. The suspensions have also been reinforced, and the ground clearance is greater than in the sedan.
The shift lever on the ground, two ignition keys and two starter handles
Outwardly, the final version is distinguished by its shortened rear wings, to facilitate changing wheels or access to the transmissions. Also, like the front ones, they are wider to accommodate the larger wheels with low pressure tires: they measure 155 R 400, but they could optionally be 380. But the most striking thing is the trunk lid with a large central opening that feeds the fan in charge of cooling the rear engine, according to the “lesson” learned with the first prototype.
The front bonnet is not made of the classic 2 CV sheet metal with corrugations, but flat and reinforced on the inside to support the spare wheel that has migrated from the rear (the engine has occupied all the available space), and now it is stuffed into a hole and fastened with straps. It also adopts the round bumpers of the 2CV van, more resistant.
A stopper appears on each of the front doors. And is that there are two fuel tanks, 15 liters each, placed under the driver and passenger seats, respectively. This solution of carrying gasoline under the seat, which surprises us today due to its “poor” safety, had already been used by Bonafous, forced to place the tank, or tanks in the plural, as the trunk was completely invaded by the second engine.
An incredible ability to function on the worst soils
The filling ducts of both tanks end at the bottom of the front doors: the left cap is used to fill the tank that feeds the rear engine, and the right, to the front. By the way, no needles that indicate the fuel level: the check is done manually using a fiber gauge graduated up to 15 liters.
Inside, the driver is faced with two ignition keys and two starter buttons, one for each engine. The accelerator pedal acts on the two carburettors, the clutch pedal acts on each of the two changes. The gear lever is not the typical 2 CV that comes out of the dashboard. Here it is placed in a more classic position, on the ground. It hydraulically actuates both gearboxes and is quite hard to drive. A second lever (smaller in size) allows you to disengage the rear motor to move only with the front one.
It was recommended to use both engines for optimal car performance while having the same level of wear on both. The Sahara 2CV can circulate up to 110 km/h with the condition of having both engines running, failing which, the weight of an idle engine comes to impair performance. On the consumption side, Citroën advances between 9 and 12 liters per 100 km with both engines in action.
Able to move on any terrain, and to overcome slopes of 45%, this version of the 2 CV will attract not only oil companies, but also doctors from mountain areas, the French gendarmerie or the Civil Guard, as we will see later.
The 2CV 4 × 4 will hardly receive changes throughout its life. It will be content to incorporate – like the saloon – the larger side indicators and entirely in plastic, from 1963. And a year later, the doors open in the right direction. Incidentally, in 1962, Algeria ceased to be French, and the twin-engine 2 CV officially lost the name “Sahara” and was renamed the 2 CV 4×4…, although it would continue to be known by its original name.
for the Civil Guard
Until 1967 a total of six hundred and ninety-three units will be produced, in the historic Panhard factory (built in 1891), on the Parisian avenue de Ivry, where the 2 CV vans have been assembled since 1955. Of these six hundred and ninety-three units , in fact eighty-six of them would have been born in Spain, in Vigo, between July and December 1964, destined exclusively for the Civil Guard. In 1971 one more example would have been assembled in France, thus reaching six hundred and ninety-four units. But it is not very clear that this was done.
The units used by the Civil Guard are already part of our history
And there are other sources that indicate seven hundred and thirteen units built in France, to which are added the eighty-six for the Civil Guard, manufactured in Vigo. That is, a total of seven hundred and ninety-nine.
In any case, in Vigo some fifteen totally new units were dismantled to have a bank of spare parts for the Civil Guard Saharas. These fifteen cars had been built above those requested by the Spanish administration, hence, in order to find a way out of the problem, they were transformed into a spare parts bank. By the way, the purchase of the Civil Guard was made with a 35% discount on each unit compared to the official price. Without a doubt a good operation.
A highly valued classic
The 2 CV Sahara, Citroën supposed many losses. It cost twice as much as a normal 2 CV: consulting the prices of 1965, in France the price of a 2 CV started from 5,079 francs, compared to 10,259 francs for a 4×4 Sahara.
There were those who complained that it was not easy to drive as the front motor worked independently of the rear: sometimes the latter continued to push in the curves, producing an accentuated understeer. Interior noise was also criticized.
But for his supporters, then and now, these are small “details”, which cannot, not even remotely, overshadow his qualities when moving on any terrain, however complicated it may be. Information from the time shows how he was able to climb the Great Dune of Pilat, a huge formation of natural coastal sand accumulated on the Aquitaine coast of the Bay of Biscay at the entrance to the Bay of Arcachon, 102 meters high, overcoming slopes of up to 60%. And also, as if this were not enough, they praise their motor skills on asphalt.
It is a fact that its sales were very low, perhaps because the society of the time was not looking for 4×4 in a general way, or because of an inappropriate commercial policy.
But this does not matter, it is already past. The 2 CV Sahara never resisted the “ups” and now it goes up and up in price. Thus, at present, it has a very high price in the classic car environment, given that less than thirty units are cited as survivors. In some auctions, sums have been reached that exceed one hundred and seventy thousand euros. But this is an amount that can vary greatly depending on each unit, whether its state is totally original (something difficult because the rust wreaked havoc) or whether we find ourselves with, more than a restoration, almost a “reproduction”.
In any case, neither the Bonafous brothers, nor many junk dealers who went to the auctions of old Civil Guard vehicles, could have imagined that this invention would become such a valued item. But, you know, “c’est la vie.”