Not Do Si Do

Maybe it is just me, but does the square dance do si do sound a bit like Deux Chevaux. The latter name translates from French as two horses, that is the 2 horse power Citroen Deux Chevaux, more commonly known as 2CV.

I've never been up and close to one, let alone ridden or even driven one. I wonder if there are ever Citroen car displays. I must check that.

Prototypes were being built in France before the second large disagreement, WWII and were hidden before Germany invaded France in 1939. Work on the car began at the end of the war and the specifications for the car were as follows:

• The suspension had to be soft enough to drive a basket of eggs across a freshly ploughed field without breaking a single egg.
• It needed to be able to carry four people, a 50kg bag of potatoes or other farm produce, or a small keg of wine (how French). 
• It must have enough height for a farmer to comfortably wear his Sunday church hat.
• It had to use no more than three litres of petrol per 100 kilometres. 

I understand the engine was air cooled, no water radiator needed, it could reverse as fast as go forward, and the boot lid folded down to make a picnic table.

They were primarily aimed at French farmers and between 1948 and 1990 when production ceased, over 5 million were sold. The first model took 42 seconds to reach its maximum speed of 40 km/h, 25 mph.

I just happened to take a photo of one recently. Quite stylish for its time.

But she's back!

This time as a electric battery powered vehicle. Photo from Carwow.

Or it could look more like this. Ok, this was a speculative photo from a few years ago. I prefer the above more original looking new 2CV.

They probably won't be suitable for autoroutes but with suggested pricing at £13,000, €15,500, AU$25,000, US$17,300, it would be a good town car.

But wait, I'm wrong. The car can travel up to 130/80 with almost respectable acceleration of 0-100/60 in 11 seconds, so it is essentially a not so fast normal electric car with some retro styling.