Citroën Mehari turned 55 but is still young

Despite having just turned 55 (born on May 16, 1968), the Citroën Mehari remains one of the most cheeky and nonconformist cars in the recent history of four wheels. Up to 1987, 144,953 units were manufactured, mainly in the Forest plant (in Belgium) and with a small share (less than 10%) in Vigo in Spain.

Atypical all-rounder car which – despite the ‘tub’ bodywork without windows – was suitable for all seasons and all roads, Mehari fascinated an entire generation for its modularity, functionality and undoubted economic advantages not only in terms of consumption but also for the absence of painting or the easy replacement of body parts.

The shell – bolted to the steel frame of the Dyane 6 – was made up of only 11 easily repairable parts and could be cleaned with a jet of water both inside and out. An atypical, modular and economical concept, designed with modern synthetic materials for the time and with a highly innovative bodywork design, so much so that over the years it became a true automotive icon.

Mehari was announced as Dyane 6 Mehari at the time of launch – which took place on 16 May 1968 on the Deauville golf course – and owes its name to the name given to the dromedaries of the Mahra region in North Africa: animals known for their ability to move on terrains of all kinds, for their resistance and their sobriety. The four-legged mehari is capable of carrying cargo and passengers over long distances. And since 1968 the nice discovery of the Double Chevron was doing it too.

In 1979 Citroën introduced a new 4×4 variant, which offered off-road characteristics that are still almost unrivaled today.

In 1983 two special editions of Méhari were launched, the Plage sold in Spain and Portugal with a holiday look underlined by the eye-catching yellow colour, and the Azur, distributed in just 700 units in France, Italy and Portugal.