(first posted in 2011)
To many today, the French automaker Panhard (pronounced panAR) may be unknown or rapidly slipping into obscurity. But the story of this once renowned firm, one of the very earliest pioneers of the automobile is remarkable and more relevant than ever. It developed a distinguished series of ultra-efficient two-cylinder cars in the post war era that culminated in this tasty 24TC of 1967, the very last Panhard.
It reflected the French approach to automobile making perfectly: innovative, eccentric, stylish, and all too often, out of the mainstream and financial success. But Panhard’s efforts were always highly memorable, advanced, and foreshadowed the cars of today and the future. Before long, we may all be driving updated versions of small, ultra-light and super-efficient 850 cc two-cylinder cars like this. And if this delightful and sporty coupe is anything to go by, it may be something to actually look forward too.
Panhard et Levassor was established in 1887, and built its first car in 1891 based on a license of the Daimler patent. But instead of the rear engine that the first Daimler and Benz cars used, Panhard placed the engine and radiator at the front, with rear driven wheels, and a crude sliding-gear transmission. As such, it was the first FR (front engine – rear wheel drive) car, and that configuration became known as the “Systeme Panhard”. That configuration was later adopted by both Benz and Daimler and is still going strong. And the well-known Panhard Rod or track bar was commonly used on live rear axles. In 1900, Panhard et Levassor was the most important automobile manufacturer and exporter in the world.
Panhard became a modest sized builder of mid to upscale technically conventional cars primarily for the domestic French market. Much of their output during the period up to WWII was not particularly memorable, but the very beautiful Dynamic of 1935 certainly was. It reflected the popular aerodynamic influence of the time, and is analogous to the Chrysler Airflow of the same vintage.
The immediate post-WWII era was one of remarkable innovation throughout much of Europe, and especially France. Panhard decided to completely re-invented itself, abandoning the upper-middle class cars and developing an ultra lightweight low cost car for the post-war era when automobiles were expected to become available to all. It was a similar line of thinking as that at Citroen, which conceived its solution to the problem with its iconic 2CV.
Panhard put itself to a more ambitious and slightly more upscale task, taking on the development of a concept by AFG (Gregoire) a radical aluminum-bodied FWD compact sedan with an air-cooled boxer twin driving the front wheels. This unusual car even used aluminum in the main frame members (see above two photos). It was an exercise in exploring the outer limits of weight reduction in the pursuit of an optimum ratio of performance to efficiency, and Panhard took on the challenges of making it a production vehicle, the most advanced of its field.
The final result was the 1946 Dyna X, roomy enough for four in comfort, but with decent performance from its tiny but highly economical 600cc boxer twin. But its main competitor, the rear-engined but otherwise more conventional Renault 4CV outsold it by huge margins, and Panhard was challenged to carve out a niche in the increasingly crowded market, especially given the high cost of aluminum.
The little twin’s engine size began a series of incremental increases up to 850 cc, and combined with the car’s remarkable light weight, the Dyna X began to be seen more as a car with sporting potential. It became a popular entry in competitive touring events, and more serious sporty offshoots were inevitable. One could say it took a somewhat similar trajectory as the Corvair: intended to be a low-cost economy family sedan, but finally finding its true mission in enthusiast circles.
By 1952, Panhard embraced its sporty aspect fully, and the goofy little Junior was put into production (See Dyna Junior CC). Think of it as the French Austin Healey Sprite, but with a wide bench seat to accommodate a cozy threesome. That’s much more in the French spirit than those unromantic English bucket seats.
In 1954, the new Dyane Z replaced the X. It had a substantially roomier body, but still kept the basic layout, components and even the aluminum construction. That didn’t last, though, and within a few years, steel began to replace the more expensive large aluminum pieces. But the Dyna remained a remarkably light, roomy and efficient car nevertheless.
In fact, the wider Dyna Z was considered a six-passenger car (even a stretch in that time of sleek bodies), and its front compartment shows the tasteful and tidy design to maximize interior space. Note the well padded and smooth dashboard, an early concession to safety. And its more conventional four-on-the-tree stick shift, unlike the earlier umbrella handle shifter of the earlier models. In 1955, Citroen bought a 25% stake in Panhard, opening up the a much larger dealer network, and leading to the eventual complete takeover in the early sixties.
This vintage ad highlights the Dyna’s key features: 130 kmh (80 mph) top cruising speed, 7 liters/100kmh fuel consumption (34 mpg), and room for six! I’m not going to try to convert the price. The Dyna Z was simply unparalleled in its abilities to deliver these numbers in its time. One is readily tempted to call it the Prius of its time, although in looks it reminds me slightly more of the first Taurus.
The Firm of Deutsch Bonnet (DB) built a series of sports racers based on the Dyna that were phenomenally successful, especially in the long distance races like Le Mans and Sebring, where an Index of Performance (based on engine size) played perfectly to the Panhard formula. Their reliability and surprising speed allowed them to often score in the top ten, even against the big Jaguars and Ferraris of the day.
The DB Panhard success story went on for years, and finally culminated in its most extreme manifestations in 1964.
Here are the 1964 Le Mans prototype CD Panhard and its production variant, the fastest of the street Panhards. (A full brochure is here). The street model had Panhard’s “Tigre” engine that developed 60 hp from 850 cc, quite an accomplishment for the times, more than double of typical “sporty” cars of the times in terms of hp/liter. Top speed was over 110 mph. The Le Mans prototype was the first to feature a “long tail” and other aerodynamic aids. Top speed was some 140 mph. These are incomparable cars of their times, despite all the attention that the big-engined Ferraris and Ford GTs receive.
In 1960, the aging Dyna received a questionable new front and rear and was now called the PL17. It was also starting to show its age, but the lack of profits kept Panhard from developing a new car. Engine power was increased, and by the latter years of the 17′s production run, the standard engine (still 850 cc) developed 50 hp, and the optional Tigre 60 hp.
Like all Panhards, convertible and commercial variants were available, like this pickup. A seemingly odd combination, but every taste was catered to, including those with a Panhardomino on their mind.
Even a station wagon went into production in 1963. But Panhard saved its best for last, the stunning 24 Series Coupe, which also debuted in 1963. It came in both a short wheelbase 2+2 version like the one at the top of this article, and the long wheelbase coupe/sedan (below). Citroen refused to let Panhard build a four door version because it didn’t want it to compete with its own sedans, and a similar-sized car it had in the works.
Still powered by the 850 cc boxer twin, it came in 50 and 60 hp versions. But performance expectations were increasing, and the Panhard formula was running out of time. Citroen wanted Panhard’s production capacity for building 2CV vans, and so it was a short lived finale. Panhard lives on a as a military contractor, but the car building was la fin.
The Panhard 24 was obviously profoundly influenced by the 1960 Corvair; of course it was hardly alone in that regard in Europe at that time, as the Corvair left a wide swath of imitators. But the distinctive front end of the 24 went its own way, with a preview of what Citroen’s DS would be sporting in a few years’ time. The example here is the long wheelbase version of the 24TC coupe shown at the top of this article.
Citroen now fully owned Panhard, and tried to slot it between its large DS/ID models and its small cars. There was even a proposal to build an economy DS/ID using the Panhard drive train. Economy of scale in production was the goal, but it was all in vain. The world was moving on to bigger engined cars, and Panhard’s unique approach was quickly becoming irrelevant. The 24 was the swan song, and a lovely one at that. It’s a sought after collectible now, and a memoir of a time when a radical approach to the efficiency-performance equation was pursued with a vengeance. History repeats itself, but perhaps this time the Panhard formula will be more enduring.
Jean Panhard with a 1967 Panhard 24 BT
Related reading:
Cohort Classic: Panhard Dyna Z: The Lowest Priced Six Passenger Car In France
I love learning something new! Thank you for a great history lesson and some really cool (and fascinating) cars that I knew absolutely nothing about.
Man, those Panhards had style if nothing else! never heard of’em ’til now. Thanks for a great article, Paul!
So, on the very first photo with the lady, did that rear window open at all? It almost looks like a hardtop, but the front edge almost looks to be a really thin “B” pillar. I also like the PL17. That Dynamic looks to have been styled by Queen Victoria herself! Definitely a pre-WWl look to that three-piece windshield.
I’m quite certain that its not a hardtop, and that the back window most likely swings out, which was pretty typical for almost all European two-door cars. That TC at the top is a short wheelbase version of the Model 24 shown at the bottom, which also has the same construction technique.
It was a hardtop had a 24ct as my first car in 1973 as everyday transport rhd, fast unusual, way ahead of its time, had trunking running along top of door cards vented to demist rear window from air cooled engine.
Looking at how unique all classic cars were up to 40 years ago is probably why even young(er) enthusiasts like myself that weren’t around when such cars hit to road look back and say those where the glory days. There’s nothing on the market now that’s an flat twin coupe that blurs so many boundaries (What would have been it’s nearest competitor is beyond me, other than perhaps a Lancia Fulvia Coupe? Maybe?).
Nor do cars reflect really any culture of origin anymore. A car like the Panhard TC could only happen in France in 1963. Today our Buick Regal comes from Germany and is also morphed into a Saab. I’m come to a full stop before I rant about the perils of globalism. Or kind of daydream/wish I was of car owning age and means in Europe in 1966.
I understand completely. It’s why probably my favorite book is the Automobil Revue 1969, catalog of pretty much every car built that year in the world. And it was a a very different world indeed. I was sixteen at the time, and I almost memorized it. Now I get to replay some of those memories here.
If I had to say, 1969 was a very peak year for cars, both globally and in the US. I feel lucky that coincided with the peak of my youthful interest.
I don’t remember if it was the exact same book, but Palo Alto City Library had a very similar series of review books that covered each year from 1965 to 1973. It was fascinating to look at. Like in the A section there was an AMC Javelin and the next page over was An Audi (and 80 or 100 I can’t remember) in the 1969 version. Or Bristols next to Buick Electras. Or a Mercury Marquis next to a Mitsubishi Debonair.
Chances are they were booksaled years ago and weeded out of the collection. Hopefully some kid got a hold of them and is reliving my own youth somehow.
It doesn’t seem as though Panhard ever built and sold a conventional-looking car. Of course, looking at the first pic I thought “Sweet…but the car looks a little weird…and it seems that she may be thinking that too.” But then the entire dynamic of automotive styling in France was a tad different from everywhere else, when the competitors were outfits like Voisin, Delage, Delahaye, and Citroen.
These cars were officially available in the UK, but I never saw any on the road. They were very expensive, and nobody would pay big money for a car with only 850cc of engine, even if it had hemi-heads.
I read somewhere that the PL17 was an influence in the styling of the first FWD Celica. Looking at the pictures here , I can see Citroen influence in the PL17 styling.
I never realised that the PL17 was available in short and long wheelbase form – that was very ambitious indeed.
Truly an excellent article, Paul. I really enjoyed it. Thank you! You are producing some really top quality stuff that is sure to get noticed.
Thanks. It’s a summer re-run; I wrote it some time back at TTAC. If I had more time, I’d do more of these.
Greay article Paul, these little cars are really a technological marvel highly efficient engines coupled with light weight aero dynamic bodies this is the way to build economical cars. A knowledge that seems lost on todays car makers in their quest for economy. You really do find the unusual keep up your excellent work
The history of French cars gets a little complicated after WwII. Shortage of steel, factories, rubber, et al, plus major intervention by the government, lead to favoring the production of cars like the 4Cv, 2Cv, and Dauphine.
Peugeot at the time was a little out of favor, politically, as was Panhard and Ford as well as the great Marques of the ’30’s. Lack of raw materials equaled no production. Rebuilding europe was a bitch.
Sixty years later, still with lots of government intervention, that is the reason one does not see French cars to rival Mercedes, BMW much less Audi.
If you want to buy a car in france these days; it will be less than 4 meters, oil burner, gray paint, stick shift but any mark you want.
What did the 24TC cost? How did it compare to the DS21?
I looked it up, and before 1955, the price of the Dyna Z (699,000 francs) would have been something like $2,000, or £715. (By the late fifties, the exchange rates kept being reset, until the new franc was issued in 1960, at 100 to 1, making it about five francs to the U.S. dollar.) That wasn’t as expensive as a DS19, certainly, but it was not an economy car price by European standards.
I have UK new car prices going back monthly to the early 50s, but 1965 June Panhard Tigre cost 1067 pounds incl tax, 24 Saloon 1433 pounds 24sports coup’e 1448 pounds stirling, A Vauxhall Cresta Estate cost1325, a Citroen DS 1636 so a Panhard was an expensive car in that mnarket even as JaguarS 3.8 MK2 was only1507 quid making it quite a bargain untill you factor in wages in 65.
Yeah — the sterling figure I estimated was on a straight exchange rate basis rather than the U.K. list price, which was inflated by import duties and purchase tax. I read an Autocar test from 1964 that quoted a list price for the 24CT of £1,100 basic (presumably including duty) and £1,329 14s 7d, although the latter obviously varied over the decade as the exchequer fussed with the purchase tax rates.
The Panhard 24 CT / BT were pretty expensive. The most expensive twin-cylinder car in the world, perhaps.
In its home market, where it had the biggest following, the 24 sold for 11 900 Francs in 1965. The last Panhard 17 sedans that year were under 9000 Francs.
Compare that to Citroen’s 2CV (5200 Francs) and the DS-19 (17 800 Francs), and you see that Panhard really plugged a huge hole in Citroen’s range at the time.
But Panhards had to contend with more powerful, 4 cyl., sometimes larger, reliable and cheaper Simcas, Renaults and Peugeots, (as well as many quality imports) in 64/65:
Peugeot 403 Luxe : 7.950 francs
Peugeot 404 Super : 11.500 francs
Peugeot 204 : 9.100 francs
Simca 1500 L Break: 11.700 francs
Renault R 8 Major : 7.490 francs
As a 850cc car, it could match a 1500cc car in top speed, and they are very nimble cars. But show it a hill, and it really struggles. Not good enough by the mid-60s…
Out of curiosity, do you know what Ford charged for the Cortina in France at that time? (I’ve seen French brochures for the Mk1, so I assume it was available.) In the U.K., you could have two Cortina Supers for the price of a 24CT, but that did include import duties and purchase tax.
This isn’t a Cortina but it’s close… Ford Corsair — about the same price as a 24CT on the French market in 1964. Starting in the 60s, fhere was a lowering of taxes on German and Italian cars, which became quite popular in France by the late 60s. A Ford Taunus 12M (a.k.a Cardinal) in 64 was about 8000 francs. British cars didn’t enter the Common Market until the mid-70s. By that time, they had become so terrible that few continentals bought them, except for Fords, Jags and Rolls.
You could have shown me a pic of that 24TC, told me it was Cadillac’s concept version of Corvair and I would have swallowed hook, line and sinker. That’s a stunning car!
I learn something new almost every time I come here.
Curbside Classic University! Keeping the forgotten alive.
Interesting that so many of the Panhard publicity photos show drivers looking backwards over their shoulder. That’s not a common pose today- depicting such a physical feat would obviate the sudden perceived need for backup cameras. In the Panhard’s case, however, the driver’s reversed posture offers subtle emphasis of the 24’s sideways symmetry. Only the cutline of the door offers any clue of which way the car is pointing! They look like half a car, seen driving past a mirror.
The last Panhards were things of great beauty, though, in comparison to the sad-eyed mongrel dogs that preceded them. Pug dogs, most likely, or just “ugh” dogs.
And the brunette modeling in the first photo: where did she put her hair, under that low roof?
Panhard seems to have adopted a design theme of “let’s make a front engine car that reminds you of a great rear engine car.” Because scrolling through, I see an almost-Beetle, an almost-4CV, an almost-Tatra and, of course, the almost-Corvair.
The rear part – I see an almost BMW
Thank you for a most interesting piece. I will never say “Pan Hard” again.
Panhard is perhaps most famous today as the inventor of the Panhard rod. Still used today in live-axle equipped cars such as the Ford Mustang.
The model designations of the final Panhard coupe and saloon are 24c and ct for the swb coupe and 24 b and bt for the lwb coupe. In French the c may have meant coupe and b may have meant berline (in English, saloon or in American, sedan). For more pics go here:
http://www.google.com/search?q=panhard+24+ct&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=aDB&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=V7v-TaCCBcXAtge27_G8Dg&ved=0CBoQsAQ&biw=1920&bih=1002
So now I’ve got a panAR rod on my Rover.
Thanks for the tribute. Always thought the 24 was amazing, and always enjoyed seeing its symmetrical greenhouse again on the ’86 Celica. To see and hear a ’58 Panhard convertible in action – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31seoMtk7TI
Thanks again!
Thanks for that link, Charlie. Quite a distinctive sound – or maybe I’m not used to hearing a flat twin.
Paul this is such a good article! Looking at the 24CT Coupe I see a Citroen DS, I see a Saab 96, I see (as somebody else mentioned) a Tatra too, ie. quite a number of great European oddballs all wrapped into one. And I can hear this special Panhard noise too!
I was born in 1967. These cars were a vanishing race in France in the 1970s already, although you could still spot some PL17s (our neighbour had one for years). If well maintained they lasted longer than their fragile looks suggest.
Quite a few of them have been rescued by enthusiasts now, and club life is active. The most sought-after original option may be the incredible early 1960s seats with tiger-style fabric. You really have to be a Panhard enthusiast to own and maintain one, these cars need attention. But they are worth it. Too bad Citroen gave them the kiss of death.
Great photo of the 24CT at the top of your article, those fabulous colours are Damascus Prune and Volcano Grey.
Just to confirm…
24CT = Coupe Tigre – 60bhp Engine M10S and disc brakes all round from late ’64 (65 Model Year)
24C = Coach – dropped for the 65MY
24B = Berline (saloon)
24BT = Berline Tigre – Engine M8S as per the early 24CT
24BA = Berline “stripped out” price pared to the bone sales disaster
The ’65 on 24CT could hit 160kph/100mph and when driven reasonably could achieve 40mpg (UK gallons). Not bad for an 850cc air cooled flat twin.
Production was supposed to have stopped in July 1967 just before the annual “shut down” holidays but around a couple of dozen cars were built in the September, then Citroen found out…
As late as April ’67 Citroen were still promoting the 24 and in that year’s Mobil Economy Run a 24B piloted by Lelong and Parayre won it’s class returning 34 mpg at an average speed of 53mph in mixed driving.
The 24 is full of beautiful detail and to my eyes is truly a work of art .
Vive les Pan pan!
Just out of hight school I found a Deutch Bonnet like the one the ran at LeMans in the above. I couldn’t believe what I had found.
It had stickers all over the roll cage from races long ago it participated in.
It was only about $1500 but more than I could handle in 1984.
It’s THE car I most regret not buying.
“The one that got away”.
Dear Paul Niedermeyer,
I’m living in Holland and somehow tumbled on your Panhard article. It’s very nice to read that you are not only well informed but also enthusiastic.
I own a 24BT (1967) for many years now. After a severe engine failure some 15 years ago I’ve had the engine rebuild and also made suitable for unleaded gas. Right now I’m in the process of complete restoration (some rust has taken his toll on the car).
In 2008 there was an international Panhard meeting in Reims, France. The attached picture shows some of the cars in front of the Reims Cathedral.
Once again, Thanks for the article!
The Panhard 24 was the best French car of the 60s (best-looking one, at any rate). I snapped a few, and it’s impossible to find an unflattering angle to it. The reason they went for a coupe was that Citroen forbade them to do a 4-door car, as they were working on their own thing (Projet F, which ended up being cancelled and then re-born as the GS in 1970). Citroen also cancelled the 24 2-door estate and convertible — only photos of clay models exist. The X4 engine, i.e. double the 24’s twin cylinder, was also cancelled.
But Citroen missed the opportunity of a lifetime in their ’67 prototype Panhard-bodied DS coupe. That was allegedly a very fast machine (over 125MPH) due to the slippery lightweight body over a shortened DS floorpan with a souped-up 2100cc engine. Saw it in the metal a couple years ago [see picture] — now THAT would have been a peerless car, and Chausson, the folks who produced the Panhard bodies, were keen to amortize the tooling. But then, if we had had that, perhaps the SM would not have existed…
btw, Panhard still exists as a company of armored personnel-carriers, which was always the more profitable side of the business. It was sold by PSA (who had bought Citroen and therefore Panhard) a few years ago, so they’re independent again.
Actually that Panhard was developed as a pre-study case for what later would become the SM.
Well, there was also a 24 with a protoype Maserati V6, but it was different. This one was indeed the earliest thinking on the SM, but it is also significant in that it showed the Panhard body was more aerodynamic and light than the DS (or the SM). Citroen could have chosen to do this as the 1968 Panhard, it would have been interesting. A four-door version was theoretically ready too. Shame, they could have made interesting and good-looking 120mph hydropneumatic hybrids.
The Panhard was at the 2012 ICCCR in the UK. They could have sold these at a far lower price than the SM and avoid some of the issues that made the SM a failure. But perhaps the lure of a V6 Citroen was too strong to ignore, the SM could have existed alongside this cheaper Panhard…
‘The X4 engine, i.e. double the 24’s twin cylinder, was also cancelled.’
The mind boggles….what could Citroen have done with a 1700cc flat four in their lineup? ID repowered by Panhard? A GSS? 🙂
Part of the ’34-’35 Dynamic did have a profound influence on the design of one American car….the side windows treatment and clean, full belt-line would appear shortly on the ’38 Cadillac 60 Special!
When I was a kid, this (and the Citroen SM) was how all the cars were going to look like in the future!
I grew up about 30 km from the French border and there was a French Army Garrison stationed nearby. I saw and appreciated a lot of French cars, but Panhard were rare even then. I recall seeing the 54 model now and then.
Merci beaucoup, Paul!
I hadn’t ever given these much thought, but I was reminded of this while looking at an old Autocar test of the 24CT. Reading through the specs was eye-opening — we’ve gotten so used to seeing any slight variation from conformity trumpeted as a radical innovation that it’s genuinely jarring to see something that had such little orthodoxy. About the most conventional thing is the brakes, and even those were finned aluminum drums.
The 24CT and BT got disc brakes for MY 1965. The 17 sedan and the 24B kept the finned drums. Somehow, the models with finned drums look the best, like this early-ish 24CT. Quite a few came out with that wonderful “Prune” colour + white roof in 63-64.
Based on the test date of the Autocar review I was reading, it was a ’64 model — it was from early in the year.
The above identification of the finned-drum braked coupe as a 1967 had me thinking about disc brakes. In many ways, the Panhard was such an uncompromising car. Having drums in 1967 would have been unexpected, although large diameter finned drums were certainly good drums. Pontiac kept similar designs in production through 1968, and on cars that must have weighed more than twice as much as a 24CT.
Crosley adopted 4-wheel caliper type disc brakes in 1949, and Imperial used a radical expanding disc brake around the same time. Triumph installed front disc brakes on the TR3 in 1956. Jaguar made them optional on the XK150S in 1958. Mercedes-Benz made them standard on the exotic 300SL in 1961, and the Chevrolet Corvette made them standard for 1965. Meanwhile, Pontiac was still installing 8-lug finned aluminum drum brakes on their big, fast cars in 1968. I just read a race report from the 1973 Daytona 500 that attributed Richard Petty’s victory over Buddy Baker’s faster Dodge to Petty’s Charger being one of two cars in the field with disc brakes. The other was Team Penske’s Matador. Petty’s pit stops were much faster because he had brakes that worked, a concept that still wasn’t obvious to everyone after decades of disc brake use. Didn’t the D-type Jaguars use disc brakes to win Le Mans repeatedly?
I have seen a Dyna Z at a car show in Massachusetts. the first and last Panhard I’ve ever seen in my 57 years.
Au revoir, Monsieur Panhard. and merci beaucoups for the eponymous rods. Wish you could’ve convinced Roger Smith (among others) to forge these rods rather than stamp them, however. Then I wouldn’t have to spend several hundred bucks to upgrade mine to one that’s as effective as you intended it to be.
The older I get, the better-looking that 24 gets. Great article Paul. RIP Jean; what your eyes would have seen in those 101 years.
…there’s a Dynamique in the car museum in the centre of Brussels
Beautiful cars, those 24’s, and a challenge to the idea that any car with a small engine has to be poky and funny-looking. 60 HP was pretty competitive for a small car of the era, I’d think?
And those Art Deco Dynamics are just gorgeous!
Panhard is to cars what Centronics is to printers….
It’s too bad Citroen was so afraid of Panhard stealing their market share; I think the two brands were different enough for there to be room for both. If I were around in the mid-’60s and in the market for a small car, I’d strongly consider the 24 CT just for its cute looks (and also some practical features like the wraparound trunk lid and what appears to be awesome outward visibility). Then again, the two-stroke engine and rather drab interior might make me look elsewhere. But ulitmately the most awesome windshield wipers would win me over for good – these babies don’t just wipe your window, but do an awesome, mesmerizing, choreographed dance across your windscreen. I could watch it all day (or until it put me into a hypnotic state)…
I was starring at those wipers thinking to myself “How in the H do those articulate” and you did not disappoint, la673. So cool, but they seem to almost be distracting….
At the 2014 Citroen Rendezvous in Saratoga Springs there was a beautiful white 24. One feature that stuck in my mind was the small red warning light in the edge of the door that came on when you opened the door. A very elegant automobile.
We spent a month or so in Paris in 1964, when I was seven. I recall the PL17 as being singularly ugly, like a bad copy of an old Studebaker, but still remember the few 24 Coupes I saw as stunningly futuristic. By the way Paul, you mentioned l’Automobile Revue from 1969; I had the same vintage l’Année Sportive from Auto-Journale, bought new at the European Book Store in SF, full of pictures of every kind of racing car, from production and rally to NASCAR and Indy, all in French. I don’t know if 1969 was really a stellar year for cars, but at least for cars that were taken on the track, it was a significant year for me.
Louis Bionier.
That is the man who spent his life working for PL and became the chief-designer, the design of the Dynamic and Panhards last car the 24 series are all from his hands.
His last car design was the Citroën Dyane where he lent a helping hand the Dyane appeared in 1967, the year Bionier retired.
Panhard were really very futurustic, the Z12 Dyna was one of the first cars where they tried to arrange all buttons and switches around the steering column.
The Panhard 24 was made unofficially in numbers in Uruguay with a GRP body fabricated with molds made using an original 24 body as template. The story goes that a 24 was sent for repairs to a dealer and using some weird excuses it was retained long enough for the molds to be produced.
Two-cylinder Panhard engines are extremely difficult to work on, with roller bearing crankshafts, torsion-bar valve springs and the exhaust pipes being also engine supports. Attempts have been made to use a BMW motorcycle opposed cylinder crankshaft in one of those engines.
Interesting stuff I didn’t really know much about. One (among many, obviously) oddity of the 1967 Panhard 24TC is that the windshield and rear window are apparently put in with gaskets like was last done on American cars years before that, and neither one is covered with a stainless molding on this fairly expensive car. This was last seen only in a base stripper model of the cheapest offering of an American Big Three automaker in the mid fifties.
We were driving from Marshall IL to Terre Haute IN one day in the mid-Fifties in our ’46 Ford, Dad at the wheel of course, rumbling along at not-quite-60 mph as usual, when a Panhard, probably a Dyane Z like the one in the picture (only grey instead of black came sweeping past bearing roughly the same two-adult, three-kid load as ours, only a good deal more quickly and much more quietly. Dad said, “What the hell is THAT?”, and young Mister R&T Reader here said, “It’s a Pan-Hard, and it’s French, and it has just two cylinders!” Dad did not want to believe this, but he knew I had to have read it somewhere, so he just said something about Weird French Cars as the “Pan-hard” crested the hill well ahead of us.
I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, but we encountered a very pretty earlier Dyna Junior just outside the grounds of the Clingancourt Paris Flea Market, with a for-sale sign on the windshield, in a nice two-tone green. I went over to drool around it, and my father-in-law hollered out his usual precaution: “It won’t fit in your carry-on, Will!”