The twin "V" log of Citroen motorcars is actually a stylized depiction of twin gears and refers to the company's beginnings in the gear-making business. In 1919, the proprietor of that business, Andre Citroen, established his own motor car company, and he began producing his Type A motorcar with a 1.3 liter, 4 cylinder engine. By 1921, Citroen was producing 10,000 of these automobiles a year. Citroen became famous for the unique styling of its cars and the innovative technology behind them. The Petite Rosalie and the Traction Avant models were legendary in their time, with the former setting 43 world records and the latter becoming a favourite car among European gangsters, both in real life and in the movies.

In 1948, Citroën introduced a new model that was deliberately designed for rugged use on European roads-the 2CV. While many considered this automobile to be downright ugly, it was hugely successful and continued in production as far as the 1970s. Ultimately, over five million Citroën 2CVs would be sold. At first, the Citroën 2CV was equipped with a 375-cc, air cooled, horizontally-operated, two-cylinder engine. In the mid-1950s, however, a larger engine was made available. With displacement upped to 425 cc (25.9 cubic inches) and horsepower increased proportionally, the new 2CV maintained its rugged durability - and gawky looks - but now provided a significant increase in performance. Now, the uniquely styled, legendary Citroën 2CV is recreated in a classic die-cast replica. The 1957 Citroën 2CV is precission-engineered and meticulously and authentically detailed. It is produced by - and available only from - Matchbox Collectibles.

(1999)

Scale: 1:64