Going into the back catalogue has been a popular, sometimes successful, sometimes less so, practice for the industry for twenty or more years. The Mini, Beetle, Ford Thunderbird, Jaguar S Type, Chrysler 300, Fiat 500 and Rolls-Royce Phantom are all examples of it, to a greater or lesser extent. Perhaps three of these ideas have really flown, the others less so. But what about a brand with a history for innovation and modernity? Could Citroen pull it off? With a new technology to suit?
The original Citroen Mehari can be seen a cross between a 2CV or Dyane and a beach buggy, with a slightly more utilitarian and practical twist. A pickup with no doors and folding roof, rather than a pure beach play thing.
The original 1968 car was a plastic body placed on a Citroen Dyane chassis, and powered by the familiar 602cc flat twin engine. The one piece plastic body served in pickup or four seat open passenger form with flexible side screens and roof. The screen was flat, the interior simple to say the least and the summer time appeal of it on the south coast of France obvious. They are still around now, 32 years after production ended, being used as they were intended. If I lived in Provence or Languedoc….
Now cast your mind back to, say, 2015. Citroen was in a bit of a rut, product wise. Cars like the C1, the second generation C3 and C5, and the almost invisible C4 were not making any waves. Peugeot had ambitions for the DS range, to the extent that it would become a separate free stranding brand (not Citroen DS, but DS). Citroen knew better and more distinctive, character full hardware was coming, but something to help draw attention to such actions would be useful, and while we’re doing that, let’s have electric. Renault have the Zoe…
Hence, the E-Mehari. But where did it come from? From a logistics company, of course. Spend a little time in European logistics and you’ll soon meet the name Bolloré. This is a business with interests on logistics, worldwide, but also in communications, energy and electricity storage systems, including batteries. And the best way to promote your capability at that? A battery powered car.
The result was the Bolloré Blue Summer. It was built on a sturdy steel chassis with a thermoplastic body and flexible side curtains and roof. Power came from a 30 KWh lithium battery. Performance was around 70 mph, with a range of 120 miles in city use, and recharging was 13hours from a domestic supply. Don’t worry about the open road performance – the experience was not really ideal – more than its share of roll and pitch from the high mounted body on the steel frame. Off-road, there was some potential capability and for its intended use as beach resort runabout it would be fine. Many were sold to such resorts and hotels for guest use and hire.
Inside the experience was not great – no airbags, a kit car like creak and squeak environment and a distinctly non-mainstream experience, but not necessarily in a good way. The roof took two people ten minutes to fix, and internal humidity was quick to rise.
Bolloré contracted Citroen as the manufacturer, at the plant in Rennes in Brittany. And, then, seemingly the penny dropped.
Tidy up the kit car like styling to blend with the current and incoming Citroen themes, add a fixed roof, put some chevrons on it and sell it through French Citroen dealers, using the Mehari badge, updated for 2016. The E-Mehari was born.
It was never going to be a big seller, and it has now gone from the catalogue, as has the Blue Summer. So, to see one in a French town, away from the coast, was surprise.
Novelties don’t have to be successful to be fun or appealing, within necessary contexts, and I can see the appeal of this in the right environment. Around vineyards, by the coast or in the Camargue perhaps, in the summer, no rain….exactly the circumstances for which a Citroen Mehari is still ideal.
This one is for sale in Cassis. See you there (next) summer?
And for all you exhibitionists out there, this version of the Mehari will certainly attract some attention…
I became aware of this version a couple of months ago when the presenter of a French travel show (on TV5 Canada) was driving one from village to village. So I assume this thing was actually produced and made ‘road worthy’.
Pictures found on the internet.
I’m a fan of the original Mehari, both the idea and the actual execution of it, it’s simply perfect for what it is. This new one, while an interesting find, leaves me completely cold, it doesn’t have anywhere near the same personality or appeal of the original. That’s not necessarily something that’s lost merely by trying to be “retro”, the Beetle, Jeep, perhaps the Mustang and various other cars have managed it quite well, but this is one of the ones that did not succeed at it, unfortunately. The capability to actually do so and perhaps even the market are/were there, but this just falls far short of the mark.
I haven’t been to France since the 1960s, but I’ve seen Meharis in beach resorts in Spain. I can’t remember if Renault made a plastic copy – I know they did an R4 with no roof or doors but that was steel I think, and wouldn’t have lasted very long near the coast.
The E-Mehari was hardly in the spirit of the original, but then Citroen is a pale imitation of the pre-Peugeot company.
” can’t remember if Renault made a plastic copy … ”
They most certainly did.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-european/curbside-classic-1977-renault-rodeo-6-if-you-cant-beat-em/
Many thanks T, how could I possibly forget such a stunning looking creation…
Cool idea but they didnt show up at my local dealership, most other things have and there are a surprising for some number of Citroens on the roads here of all ages, EVs are moderately popular here though ex JDM Leafs seem to dominate the idea of just plugging into the 240v socket at home to refuel is catching on.
The blue model’s front fascia and headlights are simply atrocious. I do like the look of the white model front fascia, headlights and removable roof. Even with a steel chassis I would bet against it every time in an accident with anything larger than a motorcycle.
My mom and her husband had a Mehari in Alaska, and put many miles on it in the course of their daily errands, living as they did between Anchorage and Palmer. The car was utterly reliable, and drove easily over everything from ice-covered pavement through unpaved cross-country trails. While the lack of weatherproofing in an Alaskan winter me seem like a bad idea, Alaskans typically put on heavy Arctic gear outdoors then anyway, so simple shelter from the wind etcetera is all one really needs.
When they moved down to Missouri in the Seventies, they considered trailering the Mehari, but decided to sell it instead. I believe what they could get for the Citroen up there had a lot to do with that decision.
Forsaking Ferraris and Lambo dreamings, I often contemplated what the combination of a Suzuki Vitara (Geotracker), a first-gen RAV 4 and a washing-machine would look like – and it was this.
It looks as forced as the original looked honest.
Fascinating cul-de-sac of the unknown, though.
“E-mehari!” sounds like it could be an Arabic exclamation of disappointment. If it isn’t, I hereby declare it an English one.