45 years of Citroen Mehari
Under the cobblestones, the beach ... and Mehari!
May 1968. This great period of French history inspires rebellion, but also freedom, fantasy ... and carelessness. Values embodied in the CITROEN Mehari.
Presented May 16, 1968 at the Golf Deauville, the Mehari, Dyane 6 Mehari then called, was astonished:
by its unusual concept car unpretentious, has the utility and recreation in washing water jet time, and can both load carrying hay windsurfers. It thus takes the philosophy of the 2 CV by its modularity and its economy, while employing the most modern materials.
by its name. "Mehari: name given to camel in North Africa and the Sahara. Great runner, resistant, used as a mount. " In short, a simple animal, enduring and mat, which can carry passengers or goods.
and his original staging: to show the multiple uses of this car 20 models around the exposed cars, dressed in peasant outfits, a firefighter, or aventuriere swimmer, matching the color of the bodywork of cars .
Created by Roland La Poype the CITROEN Mehari innovates by its body, completely made of ABS plastic (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) dyed. This new lightweight material can take any form and be very colorful. The second great peculiarity of the Mehari is that it is fully discoverable above the beltline, including at the windshield that folds on the cover.
Thursday, May 16, 2013, the feast was Saint Honore.
Did you know that May 16, 2002, the movie "Attack of the Clones" the saga "Star Wars" came out at the cinema? On 16 May 1983, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, realized his first "moonwalk" with Billie Jean? And May 16, 1968, in the middle of the student movement that paralyzed France, CITROEN surprised by launching a ultradecale model, the Mehari? More than a car for leisure, a symbol and a true phenomenon in automotive history.
Thanks to its high perch frame and plastic body, the Mehari goes everywhere, especially with version 4 x 4, launched in 1979, which is capable of climbing slopes up to 60%. It thus provides an unmatched freedom today.
CITROEN Mehari fascinating. She also had a great career in cinema (especially in "The gendarme de Saint Tropez"), and on the roads of the world (Liege Raid - Dakar - Liege in 1969, Raid Paris - Kabul - Paris 1970, Paris Raid - Persepolis - Paris in 1971, medical assistance Dakar in 1980 ...). It is even become a loyal partner of the French army and the gendarmerie, thanks to its rating "parachutable" since mild and passe-partout.
In 19 years of history, Mehari has known only two special series launched in 1983: the Mehari Plage (Spain), the best known, Mehari Azur (France, Italy and Portugal). A blue and white series (doors, grille, tarpaulin roof strapping headlights), tissue sponge white and blue lines. Other models inspired by the same philosophy have also been assembled by CITROEN like Baby-Brousse, the Pony, the Dalat or FAF.
Produced between 1968 and 1987 nearly 150,000 copies, the CITROEN Mehari is still a real phenomenon in automotive history.
Source: Citroen
