Tyre Size: 135R400, Width: 135 | 2CV 1958 to 1959

Citroen 2CV 1958 to 1959

Citroen's people's car.

The original standard tyre was a metric 135R400, still available today.

One of the most charismatic cars ever created, the 375cc Citroen 2CV Type A debuted at the 1948 Paris Salon. The saloon went on sale in 1949 then in 1951 the Fourgonette van arrived; it survived until 1978 and accounted for a third of 2CV production.

In 1953 right-hand drive production started at Citroën’s Slough factory then a year later the 2CV got a 425cc engine. A five-ribbed bonnet replaced the previous corrugated item in 1960; from 1963 front-hinged doors were, then in 1965 the bodyshell was revised so there were now three windows on each side instead of the previous two.

By 1970 there was a choice of 435cc or 602cc engines and 12-volt electrics replaced the earlier six-volt system. Rectangular headlamps replaced the previous circular units in 1974 which is also when the 2CV went back on sale in the UK for the first time since Slough production ceased in 1960.

The first 2CV special edition (the Spot) debuted in 1976 then the second (the Charleston) came in 1980, a year before front disc brakes were adopted on all 2CVs. In 1988 the Levallois factory in Paris was closed then two years later the Mangaulde plant in Portugal was also shut, marking the end of 2CV production.