Return of the ‘Tin Snail’, Citroen's 2CV
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 05. 3.07
It’s not only Hollywood that struggles for fresh innovative ideas. The automotive industry has issues alike. The VW Beetle came back, as did the Mini. Although both new renderings were way more expensive than their forebears, and you’d have thought with 40+ years of technology having passed through the lab between their respective heydays they could’ve improved on mileage, rather than just remaining on par. Plus the New Mini had less passenger and storage space, even though it was bigger and almost twice as heavy. Hopefully Citroen will not repeat these mistakes when it brings back the classic 2CV. AutoExpress has a rumour the engine will be a emission reducing hybrid diesel one, and hints that the body panels will be of plastic. However details are sketchy, possibly because the rubber won't meet the road until about 2009. ::AutoExpress.
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The new mini has less storage and passenger space but is much much safer than the original. I've owned both.
FYI - My '98 New Beetle TDI managed 50 mpg, and was a heck of a lot safer than my '63 O.G. Beetle. Wish I still had the TDI so I could run Biodiesel or WVO...
For the record I was referring to the standard petrol (gasoline) models, not the diesels, which were obviously more economic. See here for one comparison. And no-one is denying there have been improvements in occupant safety in the intervening period, but is it too much much to also expect better fuel efficiency. For while the personal safety of car drivers might have increased, the same cannot be said for numerous others. Polar bears and Pacific islanders come to mind.
wonderfull car !!! ...like the first !!
http://lepolsk.zeblog.com/
bye
A modest hit to fuel efficiency is nothing compared to the drastic decrease in emissions, thanks to those 40 years of engineering. That seemingly green 60's era beetle likely pumps out more crap than the worst of modern SUVs.