Citroën Bijou
Encyclopedia
The Citroën Bijou was a small coupé
manufactured by Citroën
at their factory in Slough
, England from 1959–64. It was based on the same platform chassis as the Citroën 2CV
, sharing its advanced independent front to rear interconnected suspension. The design was thought to be more acceptable in appearance to the conservative taste of British consumers, than the unconventional and uncompromisingly utilitarian rural look of the standard 2CV.
The body was made of fibreglass, and the car featured the two cylinder 425 cc 12 bhp engine also seen in the 2CV. Only 207 were produced, plus 2 prototypes. It incorporated some components from the DS, most noticeably the single-spoke steering wheel.
The car was originally designed to take the company's 602 cc engine.
It was designed by Peter Kirwan-Taylor who also styled the 1957 Lotus Elite
.
A car tested by The Motor
magazine in 1961 had a top speed of 44.7 mph (71.9 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-40 mph (64.4 km/h) in 41.7 seconds. A fuel consumption of 59.5 mpgimp was recorded. The Bijou's more modern styling gave it a higher top speed and lower cruising fuel consumption than the equivalent 2CV, however the greater weight of the bodywork impacted on the car's more general performance, especially its acceleration. The test car cost £695 including taxes which was considered expensive by the testers. It was also more expensive than the Austin Mini, which was more practical.
As of 2008, 140 are on the 2CVGB club register.
Coupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
manufactured by Citroën
Citroën
Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that...
at their factory in Slough
Slough
Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London...
, England from 1959–64. It was based on the same platform chassis as the Citroën 2CV
Citroën 2CV
The Citroën 2CV |tax horsepower]]”) was an economy car produced by the French automaker Citroën between 1948 and 1990. It was technologically advanced and innovative, but with uncompromisingly utilitarian unconventional looks, and deceptively simple Bauhaus inspired bodywork, that belied the sheer...
, sharing its advanced independent front to rear interconnected suspension. The design was thought to be more acceptable in appearance to the conservative taste of British consumers, than the unconventional and uncompromisingly utilitarian rural look of the standard 2CV.
The body was made of fibreglass, and the car featured the two cylinder 425 cc 12 bhp engine also seen in the 2CV. Only 207 were produced, plus 2 prototypes. It incorporated some components from the DS, most noticeably the single-spoke steering wheel.
The car was originally designed to take the company's 602 cc engine.
It was designed by Peter Kirwan-Taylor who also styled the 1957 Lotus Elite
Lotus Elite
Not to be confused with the Lotus Elise.The Lotus Elite name was used for two vehicles from Lotus Cars.-1957:The first Elite or Lotus Type 14 was an ultra-light two-seater coupé, produced from 1958 to 1963....
.
A car tested by The Motor
The Motor (magazine)
The Motor was a British weekly car magazine founded on 28 January 1903....
magazine in 1961 had a top speed of 44.7 mph (71.9 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-40 mph (64.4 km/h) in 41.7 seconds. A fuel consumption of 59.5 mpgimp was recorded. The Bijou's more modern styling gave it a higher top speed and lower cruising fuel consumption than the equivalent 2CV, however the greater weight of the bodywork impacted on the car's more general performance, especially its acceleration. The test car cost £695 including taxes which was considered expensive by the testers. It was also more expensive than the Austin Mini, which was more practical.
As of 2008, 140 are on the 2CVGB club register.