Citroën FAF

The Citroën FAF is a small utility vehicle produced by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1977 until 1981. It was built using a combination of imported and locally sourced components in various developing countries.[1] The body was made of easy to produce, folded elements and the car looked effectively like a metallic version of the Méhari.[2] The flat metal panels and simple components meant to allow "easy" production, mostly in developing countries.[1]

Citroën FAF
Overview
ManufacturerCitroën
Production1977-1981
Body and chassis
ClassCompact SUV
Body style2-door/no-door utility
LayoutFF layout
RelatedBaby Brousse
Citroën 2CV
Citroën Méhari
Citroën Dyane
Citroën Ami
Citroën Bijou
Powertrain
EngineFlat-2
Chronology
SuccessorCitroën C-Crosser
Citroën E-Méhari
Namco Pony Super (For Namco Pony)

Origin

The origin of this idea was the privately built 1963 Baby-Brousse from Ivory Coast, and its many derivatives.[1] Notably these include La Dalat (Vietnam), Pony (Greece), Jyane-Mehari (Iran), and Yagan (Chile).

The various Baby Brousse cars were quite successful, selling over 30,000 units.[1]

Both the FAF and Baby Brousse are derived from the 2CV. The concept predates the FAF name, so it is often erroneously reported that some of Baby Brousse vehicles were based on the FAF.[2]

Name and Target Market

FAF stood for the French Facile à Fabriquer and Facile à Financer (Easy to Manufacture, Easy to Finance).

The primary target market for the FAF was Africa. However, the concept of a "second-class" car that was connected with the FAF seems to have affected its manufacture and sales remained low.[3]

Pre-FAF cars
Namco Pony Greece U.S. Model
Pony rear
Citroën Yagan from Chile

The FAF idea coincided with the widespread production of Baby Brousse 2CV-based vehicles in many countries, so the two often overlap. [4]

In 1969, Citroën's Vietnamese subsidiary began building La Dalat, the first automobile manufactured in Vietnam.[5][6] Production ended when Americans departed Saigon in 1975 at the end of the Vietnam War.[7] In total, 3880 Dalats were built.[8]

In 1972, the Greek firm Namco began production of the Pony. This was the most successful version of these 'simplified' 2CV utility vehicles, selling 30,000 units.[9] The Pony was exported as well, including to the United States of America.[10] Production of this "poor man’s jeep," that benefitted from special tax rules, ended in 1983, two years after Greece joined the European Union. 67% of the parts were of Greek origin.[9]

An attempt to start production in Sri Lanka by the Ceylon Transport Board in the early 1970s failed due to a dispute over royalties, but a prototype was displayed at the Republic Day celebrations in 1974.[11]

Various kit car style bodies inspired by the FAF and Méhari, such as Belgium's VanClee, were also developed.

Production history
Main article: Citroën 2CV § Production
Country 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 Total
Portugal 180 30 180 240 180 810[1]
Guinea Bissau 0 0 120 180 0 300
Central African Republic 0 0 0 60 0 60
Sénégal 0 0 0 0 15 15
Sri Lanka 1 0 0 0 0 1
Indonesia 0 0 60 540 0 600
Total FAF 181 30 360 1,020 195 1,786

References
  1. Marsh, Julian. "Baby Brousse". Citroënët. Archived from the original on 2019-12-22.
  2. Marsh, Julian. "FAF: Facile à Fabriquer, Facile à Financer (Easy to build, easy to fund)". Citroënët. Archived from the original on 2020-11-17.
  3. "Citroen FAF 4x4 (1977)". Autoruote 4x4 (in Italian). New Explorer. 7 February 2014. Archived from the original on 2020-12-02.
  4. Tatra, 87 (22 July 2017). "Curbside Classic: 1974 Citroën Méhari – Plastic Frenchtastic". Curbside Classic. Retrieved 28 August 2020.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. Ha, Thanh. "La Dalat: Mẫu xe "nội" đầu tiên ở Việt Nam" [La Dalat: Vietnam's first "domestic" car] (in Vietnamese). Giao Thong. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  6. "Citroën La Dalat – First Car Made In Vietnam". VJT Adventures. Archived from the original on 2017-05-19.
  7. Clément-Collin, Paul (2016-04-08). "Citroën La Dalat: la perle de l'Orient aux origines africaines!" [Citroën La Dalat: the pearl of the Orient with African origins!]. CarJager (in French). Archived from the original on 2020-05-22.
  8. "Lot 102: FAF", Vente des réserves de l'Aventure Peugeot Citroën DS (Auction Catalogue) (in French), Leclere Maison des Ventes, 2017-12-10, p. 72, archived from the original on 2017-11-26
  9. "The "poor man's jeep" is back on the Greek roads". GR Reporter. 10 May 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  10. http://barnfinds.com/1983-namco-pony-citroen/
  11. Moonesinghe, Vinod (8 December 2019). "The Royalists and the Citroën project". Sunday Times, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 19 August 2020.


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