Better Late Than Never As Exclusive Prototype Citroëns Make British Debut at Classic Motor Show

SLOUGH, UNITED KINGODM – September 23, 2009: For fans of Citroëns and ultra-rare classic cars, the 2009 Classic Motor Show will mark a British first thanks to a joint effort by the various Citroën car clubs attending, in conjunction with Citroën UK.

Not content with bringing along one or even two prototype cars, the Citroën Car Club, the 2CVGB club and the Traction Owners Club will be showing four models - three of which have not been seen before on British soil - to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the marque. These amazing vehicles are being brought to the UK from Citroën’s Conservatoire in Paris especially for the show.

The oldest and perhaps most familiar is a restored 1936 Citroën TPV or 2CV prototype, with a profile which will be instantly recognisable to anyone who has owned one of the famous twin-cylinder ‘tin snails’.

The same however, cannot be said of the 1956 C-10, a car nicknamed the ‘Coccinelle’ (or Beetle). This fantastically brave and futuristic teardrop design, which is thoroughly Dan Dare in its appearance, was designed to fit between the 2CV and the DS. Powered by a flat twin-cylinder engine, the C-10 featured hydropneumatic suspension and partial gullwing doors. It was axed in favour of a comparatively more conventional-looking car, the Ami 6.

Dating from the early sixties and looking like a blend of DS and Ami 6, the distinctive C-60 was again intended to fill the gap between the two models, as a fairly large car with a small engine to suit French taxation. It was abandoned due to spiralling development costs; the gap in the range was ultimately filled by the much later GS.

The final star making its debut is a prototype which led to the creation of the Citroën CX as a replacement for the DS - 1971’s Projet L. Drawing heavily from Pininfarina’s BLMC 1800 Aerodynamica proposal, the CX was the last Citroën to be styled by the great Robert Opron before he left the company.

Make sure you don’t miss the Classic Motor Show at the NEC between the 13th and 15th November 2009 to enjoy more rare marques getting their UK premiere. The show is packed with over 1,400 of Britain’s best classic cars and motorcycles as well as many other live events and attractions, including the Live Stage, Restoration Theatre and hundreds of trade stands selling more parts, spares and motoring paraphernalia than you could imagine.

For more information, the latest show updates and to book tickets, visit