By
International Business Correspondent
French carmaker Citroen has brought back its 2CV brand in a bid to boost sales of electric cars in a difficult market.
The new model, unveiled at the Paris Motor Show, is a small city runabout with retro styling which harks back to one of the company's most famous designs.
As a "concept car" intended to show Citroen's direction of travel, it is not yet ready to go on sale but the plan is to have a version in showrooms by 2028.
As they face mounting competition from Chinese manufacturers, Citroen and other European brands are exploiting their heritage as a means of selling modern motors.
Farmers’ favourite
Citroen chief executive Xavier Chardon described the new car as "a modern, ingenious and refreshing response to the mobility challenges of tomorrow".
The original Citroen 2CV was launched in 1948, as Europe was recovering from the ravages of World War Two. It was designed as a cheap, robust way for French farmers and country folk to get around.
The car had high wheel arches and soft suspension, letting it travel across a ploughed field or rough roads - as legend would have it, without breaking a tray of duck eggs.
Its high roof let drivers wear a hat at the wheel. It was easy to drive and simple to repair.
The car was so popular, it remained in production for more than 40 years. Over time, it went from being a utilitarian tool for the countryside to a cult classic, and a favourite of hippies and counter-culturalists.
Fans of Citroën's 2CV hold annual meet-ups such as this muddy gathering in Switzerland
Now, Citroen wants to draw on that heritage to sell an electric, small city car that is expected to sell for about £13,000.
The look of the new 2CV may well evolve as Citroen develops its design. But as it stands, it shares plenty of styling features with its famous predecessor.
The high, flared wheel arches, the tall, curved roof and the eye-like headlights are all reminders of the original "deux chevaux" or "two horses".
By using memories of an old car to sell a new one, Citroen is following a well-travelled road.
VW notoriously brought back the Beetle in the late 1990s, with limited success.
BMW's Minis have always carried styling designed to hark back to the very British original. Fiat has been selling a retro-styled Fiat 500 for the past two decades.
Retro-nostalgia
But the retro-nostalgia trend has accelerated recently, as carmakers have looked for ways to sell electric cars to sceptical consumers.
Citroen's French rival, Renault, has led the charge. It started with the Renault 5 E-Tech, which visually echoed the distinctive boxy styling of the original Renault 5, once an ever-present sight on French streets. It has since revived the Renault 4 and Twingo brands as well.
VW has the distinctive ID-Buzz minivan, a throwback to the classic T2 Transporter, while Ford is working on a new EV which is widely expected to be called the Fiesta.
Rachel Burgess, senior editor of Autocar magazine, thinks it is a strategy that makes perfect sense.
"It's a brilliant differentiator from all-new car brands", she says. "An older audience might remember the originals and feel warmly towards them, and a younger audience might find an appeal in the retro aspect."
Finding new ways to make cars appealing has become more important than ever, at a time when European manufacturers are facing growing competition from Chinese brands.
"Many in the industry believe the big automotive players in Europe…face a very serious existential threat from aggressive Chinese manufacturers," says David Leggett, automotive editor at Global Data.
Back to the future: VW looked to the past when designing its ID-Buzz minivan
In this hostile business environment, heritage and nostalgia could prove to be powerful weapons for more established brands, thinks automotive researcher and author Dr Paul Nieuwenhuis.
"In a world where a wave of credible decent quality Chinese EVs are hitting Europe, linking European designs back to their history while using the latest powertrain technology is something the Chinese cannot do," he says.
"The Chinese can establish new design trends, but there is limited history there."
But Leggett thinks Citroen will need more than a heady whiff of nostalgia to turn its new car into a best-seller.
"A reimagined Citroën 2CV should give a big nod to its ancestor - especially on price and design simplicity as well as visual cues," he says.
"But it also needs to be a credible modern electric car in terms of functionality and features, with widespread appeal."