Record number of Citroën 2CVs to gather in France

13 years, 5 months ago - 22 July 2011

Cars come and cars go, but the Citroën 2CV is a car that just won't quit. Originally designed in the 1930s, the French automaker had to destroy most of the prototypes before the German troops marched in to avoid them falling into Nazi hands.

Citroën kept three hidden away, a fourth hidden by Michelin, finally unveiling the revolutionary finished product after the war ended at the 1948 Paris Motor Show. From then until 1990 when it finally went out of production, Citroën sold over 5 million of them. And now, a record number of the cars are set to gather for what's expected to be the largest 2CV gathering in history.

Organizers are expecting over 6,000 owners to bring their 2CVs to Salbris, France, for the 19th annual International "Amis de la 2CV," where the faithful will be able to compare their cars, swap parts, participate in a disassemble-reassemble competition and gaze at one of the original prototypes (pictured above) as well as the contemporary Revolte concept.

Maybe not your idea of how to spend the weekend, but for those who still love one of the most basic cars history's ever known, it promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime event.