In pictures: a fresh take on the 2CV van
Following its redesign of Citroen’s timeless Type H van, Italian coachbuilder Caselani has tried its hand at an even more iconic shape: the 2CV
The Citroen 2CV has been reimagined with modern technology and a reengineered exterior. Based on the Citroen Berlingo chassis and built under contract with Citroen, Italian coachbuilder Caselani’s Fourgonnette (”delivery van”) aims to bring the 2CV van into the modern day.
In production over more than four decades between 1948 and 1990, its mix of gentle curves and harsher corrugated bodywork saw the 2CV become an iconic piece of automotive design. The retro conversion, which will be sold with both ICE and fully electric powertrains available in Citroen’s arsenal, aims to revisit, but not replicate, the original. It will go on sale in January 2023.
It was not a simple process and the proportions did present some challenges, says lead designer David Obendorfer. “The Berlingo has totally different proportions which we didn’t have the possibility to change,” he told CDN. ”There were also the constraints posed by the body structure of the donor vehicle that we had to keep for safety reasons.”
In terms of styling, the aim was to inject the retro DNA of the 2CV into a modern package. ”We knew from the start that we couldn’t get a 2CV silhouette, so we focused on a general nostalgic vibe, and I believe that it works,” says Obendorfer, “especially when we consider the commercial vehicle market where vehicle personality isn’t a priority to say the least.”
The 2CV Fourgonette joins a range of other retromod conversions under the Type H nameplate and forms part of a growing trend around retro-inspired design.