The Citroën 2CV was an economy car, first produced in 1948. Despite its utilitarian design, the vehicle was surprisingly innovative. The vehicle was intended to be affordable enough to migrate the peasantry within France from the horse and cart to a car, and followed the Bauhaus design philosophy. It is considered to be one of the most iconic cars ever produced by Citroën, and is roughly equivalent to the British Mini in its cult following within its own nation.
For the final two years of the 2CV's lifespan, it was produced in Portugal. The Portuguese factory was more modern than the factory earlier 2CV models was produced in, but surprisingly, the Portuguese built-models had a reputation for being a poorer quality than their French-made counterparts. The final 2CV cars rolled off the production line in the colors of the French flag, on July 27th, 1990. After the mid-1980s, Citroën slowly began to reduce advertising the vehicle, and sales began to fall. The company began to see the car as an embarrassment, and intended to kill it off for several years before the end came in 1990. Design for the 2CV existed during the war, with Citroën having prototype versions of the vehicle built and ready.
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