Driving about in any modern car, it is hard to imagine a time and a place where people would have considered using something so spartan as a Mehari as daily transport. In warmer parts of Europe, North Africa and in the Mediterranean, Meharis were popular choices for transport for their virtues as a light and robust, frugal and fun mode of transport. Admittedly, a car as breezy as Citroen's plastic jeep isn't going to find a loving home in colder climes, but those that had scant regard for a roof or little more protection against the elements than a pair of vinyl side-screens and scrap of plastic for a 'roof', loved the quirky machine.
144 000 Meharis were built between 1968 and 1988. In mass productions terms that's not a lot of cars, but the survival rate is quite high. The sheer simplicity of the car, a unitary construction of moulded ABS plastic with drive train from the 2CV6 and suspension assemblies from the more civilised Dyane lent it simplicity of manufacture, assembly, maintenance and use. Although a 4X4 version was built, light weight gave even the basic front-drive version relatively able off-road performance, the flat twin enabling a low centre of gravity when fitted in the plastic tub.
Whatever the specification or the car's abilities as a utility, its personality as a cheeky, paired-down working vehicle, its identity as a Citroen has given it chic, which allowed it to age gracefully. It takes its place along side DS, SM, 2CV and the Ami as one of the all time Citroen classic designs.
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