In the early 1930s, Citroen´s new man in charge, Pierre-Jules Boulanger, was driving in the French countryside and got stuck behind a farmer struggling to pull a cart by horse. Instead of getting enraged by the traffic - as most of us would - Boulanger used the traffic as inspiration.
He conceptualised an affordable and simple automobile suitable for the rural life of a Frenchman. Soon after, the project "TPV" (Toute Petite Voiture - "Very Small Car") was born.
With the help of Italian designer Flaminio Bertoni, and chief engineer André Lefèbvre, several TPV prototype came to life in 1939. Designed to easily travel over rough terrain while carrying up to four passengers and 50 kg of goods, Citroen certainly wasn´t concerned with high speeds or flashy looks.
When Germany invaded France in 1940, production came to a pause. Citroen hid their "tin cans" to prevent them from falling into enemy hands. After the war, Citroen finalised the project and introduced the 2CV to the world at the Paris Motor Show in 1948. Despite the public´s initial confusion, the post-war preferences for practicality and affordability allowed the 2CV to take off. People started to call it "Deux Chevaux", meaning "Two Horses", for its tax rating, not horsepower, mind you!
