Citroen Dyane
The Citroen Dyane is a French car produced between 1967 and 1983 to 1,4 million specimens. It is based on the 2CV with integrated headlights and doors in hollow.
In 1964, the sales figures of the 2CV drop rather quickly. The cause is the launching of the Renault 4 in 1961. The Control Renault well had studied the 2CV and had launched its re-examined and corrected copy. More powerful, fifth door, so easy to live, and utility like the “deuche”.
Schedule of conditions
Mr. Bercot, director at Citroen, quickly wanted a competitor for the 4L, the Ami 6 Opera being on another segment. It drew up itself of it the schedule of conditions:- to compete with Renault 4;
- to equip the model with a Forage ladder (at the bottom it was against, that made “utility too much”);
- to limit the engine rating to 2 CV tax - the 4L had four of them;
- to manufacture with lower costs, therefore re-use of many parts 2CV and Ami;
- to use the assembly lines of the 2CV.
This last point was determining for Dyane. The re-use of the assembly lines of the 2CV would allow large economies. And if the new model were sold well, the production of the 2CV could easily be cannibalized by theborn one.
The other side of the coin was that dimensions external of the car were predetermined: the new car could be broader only the 2CV.
Created by Panhard…
Bercot had a problem of organization. Moreover, the Research department S was overflowed of work. The head clerk, Mr. Flaminio Bertoni, had just died and Mr. Robert Opron named like his successor. With the program there was, at the time, the restylage DS, that of the Ami 6 and other projects like F, etc Bercot decided to sub-contract the drawing at the research department of Panhard and Levassor. This house had just been acquired partly by Citroen.At Panhard, it is Mr. Louis Bioner who is charged with the drawing. In his drawing, one finds enough elements styling in “V” or trapezoidal, like the drawing of the amounts of Pare-brise or the drawing of the first stealing S. It is not obvious that it was a desired element. When Bionier showed its first sketches at the Management of Citroen, it was not satisfied. Before was too heavy and resembled Friend 6 too much. The back did not fill with enthusiasm either the direction.
Polished by Citroen
Instead of returning Mr. Bionier to remake his duties, Citroen left work polish the drawings with Mr. Jacques Charreton, collaborator of Mr. Opron, who had just been engaged at Citroen. One owes him the nose and the prow characteristics of Dyane.
The concave doors of Dyane are not a joke of designer. Mr. Opron explained that the doors, to be rigid, should not be punts. The ideal was to make them convex. Considering the constraints of dimension (width equalizes with that of the deuche), they are finally concave. Mr. Flaminio Bertoni would have also invented concave doors by hoping that they reflect the noise like a mirror.
Mr. Charreton wanted optics square. Reasons of economy, they chose rounds with a square hub cap. The instrument panel was drawn by Mr. Henry Dargent. Its drawing for Dyane is taken again quasi unchanged for Friend 8. The drawing of the instrument panel will evolve/move only slightly during all its career: flying (two then a branch as from 1973) and meter with even figures (0-120) then odd (0-130) and finally pars (0-140).
A name is a name…
There is little doubt about the origin of the name Dyane. This name came directly from the Panhard files, whose Citroen is now with 100 % owner. Panhard deposited beside the marks “Dyna”, “Dynavia” and other “Dynamic” also “Dyane”. Nothing easier for Citroen to use this mark already deposited by Panhard. Mr. Opron denied categorically any connection with Diane, the Roman goddess of hunting.
The version Camionnette is the Acadiane. Under this version it loses the Y except in Spain where it is called Dyane 400 .
At the time of its exit in May 1968, the Méhari will be presented like a model derived with for exact name Dyane Méhari .
Motorization
Driving with admission by Air Force by air intake on the turbine of cooling (light overpressure supporting the filling)Its motorization will evolve/move from 425 to 602 cm 3 .
It is also it should be noted that in 1980 a model of Acadiane functioning with the Petroleum gas liquefied S (LPG) was developed starting from an evolution of its engine of 602 cm 3 with performances almost equivalent to the original. That done of Dyane one of the French pioneers as regards energy saving.
Dyane under other latitudes
Dyane was assembled in Iran, where it be known under the name of Jiane, which means “lion” in Persan. Moreover, a version Pick-up was proposée.< there! --It is necessary to add photographs and to pack-->
External bonds
- Dyane Club of France
- All on the Citroen Dyane (to click the French flag