Citroën Méhari

The Méhari was designed by French World War II fighter ace Count Roland de la Poype, who headed the French company SEAB - Société d'Etudes et d'Applications des Brevets. [1] He developed the idea of using a plastic, rather than fiberglass body. [1] De la Poype evaluated the fashionable Mini Moke, noting its low ground clearance, hard suspension and rust-prone body. [1]

This company was already a supplier to Citroën, and SEAB developed a working concept of the car before presenting it to its client.[5]

The French Army purchased 7,064 Méharis – some of which were modified to have 24 V electric power to operate the two way radio.[5]

In 1979, Citroën launched the Méhari 4x4 with drive to all four wheels. Unlike the Citroën 2CV Sahara 4x4, this car had only one engine, rather than one engine per axle.

The body is distinguished by its spare wheel mounted on the specially designed bonnet, its additional bumpers, front and rear, its flared wheel arches (for 1982), big optional tyres (for 1982) and tail lights similar to the Citroën Acadiane van.[6] The 4x4 version has a gearbox with four normal speeds and a three-speed transfer gearbox for crossing slopes up to 60%. At the time, the Méhari 4x4 was one of the few 4x4s with four-wheel independent suspension. The car had all wheel disc brakes.[7]

Méhari 4x4 production stopped in 1983. It cost twice as much as the standard 4x2 car. [1]

Two limited edition versions of the Méhari were sold:

• 'Azur' : initially planned in a limited edition of 700 copies, the Mehari Azur was then integrated into the "normal" range given the great success achieved. The Azur was distinguished from the other Méhari by its white body with blue doors, grille and soft top. The seats were upholstered in blue and white striped fabric.
• 'Plage' : at the same time as the Azur the Plage series was introduced, reserved for the markets of the Iberian Peninsula. The car, produced in Mangualde, in Portugal (where a new production node for the Méhari had been activated). It was characterized by a yellow body with white rims.

The Mehari was produced at the Vigo factory from late 1969 to 1980 – 12,480 copies. Imported models would continue to be marketed until 1987.

The Mehari was produced at the Mangualde factory – 17,500 copies.

The Méhari was manufactured in two different periods: 1971 to 1980 by Citroën Argentina SA with 3,997 units produced. [8] [9] Citroën left Argentina following the collapse of the economy in the late 1970s.

Méhari Argentina

Méhari Ranger with distinctive hardtop, Uruguay

The IES company (Industrias Eduardo Sal-Lari) in 1984 resurrected the model, this time under the name Safari or Gringa until 1986, maintaining practically all the technical characteristics of the original model, but with flared wheel arches and big tires. [10] The spare wheel was mounted on the hood, thus freeing up the luggage compartment.

The Argentine Mehari used the 3CV platform, from which it inherited all its mechanics. Consequently, it had drum brakes and not disc like its French predecessor. The bodywork also had differences, due to the fiberglass, since there was no machinery to model plastics of this size. The body of the Argentine Mehari was manufactured in Uruguay by Dasur, and the chassis were sent from Argentina so that the Nordex company could make the assembly.

In 1971 at the time of its presentation, the only color was red, although later some were made blue for the police of Tucumán. Coinciding with the launch of the 3CV M-28 in 1978, the Mehari II was launched, which stood out for its widened rims and its orange color. [11]

This Uruguayan version of the Méhari was manufactured under license by the firm Nordex and had a fiberglass body (instead of ABS). The original ABS plastic sheet material, heated like the plastic interior of a refrigerator, then cut by a refrigerated die did not exist in Uruguay. [12] It was decided to make the same vehicle using fiberglass reinforced polyester. Otherwise, it was mostly similar to its French sister, but the rear wheelarches have a different shape and are noticeably larger; it also featured a removable hardtop. 14,000 units were built. [9] Of the 14,000 units, 5,000 remained in Uruguay and 9,000 went to Argentina within the CAUCE agreement. [12]

US model

Citroen marketed the Méhari in the United States for model years 1969–1970, where the vehicle was classified as a truck. [13] As trucks had far more lenient National Highway Traffic Safety Administration safety standards than passenger cars in the US, the Méhari could be sold without seat belts. Budget Rent-A-Car offered them as rentals in Hawaii. [1] Hearst Castle, in San Simeon, California, used them as groundskeeper cars.[14]

Elvis Presley featured a US Model Méhari prominently in his 1973 broadcast Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite[15]

Revisions for the US market included:[1] [16]

• Altered front panel with larger 7" sealed-beam headlamps
• Lateral side marker lights
• Special boot lid with room for US registration plate and a lamp (Lucas) either side of it.
• Straight rear bumper.
• Two-speed wiper motor.
• Reversing lights.
• Hexagonal yellow "cats eyes" on front and rear sides.

The Méhari was never type approved for sale in the UK. The 2CV on which it was based also had a gap in UK sales, from 1961 to 1974. [17]

The Méhari was never type approved for sale in Germany, because the ABS body is flammable at 400 degrees C. [1] In 1975, German fiberglass kit car specialist Fiberfab developed the Sherpa, using Citroën delivered platforms, and sold 250 units. [1]

Citroën Méhari was also in service with the Irish Defence Forces, which bought a total of 12 vehicles in the late 1970s; most were sold at auction about 1985, but one is retained at the Defence Forces Training Centre in the Curragh Camp, County Kildare, Ireland.

Citroën built a metal-bodied variant of the A-Series, in many ways a steel-bodied Méhari, in many countries around the world - the Baby Brousse and the Citroën FAF.[1]

Developed in Chile in the year 1971 and produced between 1972 and 1974, the FAF Yagán version was inspired by the French Mèhari.[1] At first, the possibility of importing the Mehari bodywork from Uruguay was considered, but its high price discouraged those responsible for the project. Despite being an artisanal vehicle – the Yagán was made entirely by hand and no type of dies or molds were used – some 1,500 units were produced at its factory in Arica, where other vehicles were also assembled Citroën, such as the Ami 8 and the 2CV. Distinctive about the Yagán was that the base chassis was that of the Citroën 2CV rather than the Méhari, and that the goal of 50% Chilean componentry was reached.[18]

restored Méhari cars often have novel color schemes

Citroën E-Méhari

The Teilhol company, which had been building the recently defunct Renault Rodeo, created the Tangara using 2CV mechanicals, with bolt-on pre-dyed GRP panels. It also created a Citroën AX-based model. The company ceased operations in 1990.[19]

Due to its mechanical simplicity the Méhari can easily be restored to ‘as new’ condition – all parts including the chassis are easily available, creating a thriving restoration market.[20] [21]

Méhari Club Cassis, a specialist based in the South of France, has born rebuilding the cars for many years, and as of 2019 sells brand new Méhari cars with an electric powertrain. [21] These qualify for exemption from French new car regulations (for the vintage 1968 design) as long as the car is not driven on the motorway (voitures sans permis). [22]

The factory began selling a new electric car, the Citroën E-Méhari in 2016. [23]