CC Outtakes: T87’s Singles Collection (July-August 2023) – Part 3: European Vacation Special

Apart from a couple short trips in 2020 and 2021, I hadn’t had a chance to spend any meaningful time in the old country in the last five years. So 2023 became the Summer of the Great Big Holiday of European Countries I Used To Call Home, including a brief UK trip (which did not yield anything CC-related), over a week in western Switzerland and a month in several places in southern France. Hence the 2CV as the title pic, but it wasn’t all French metal, rest assured.

Flat-twin Citroens are still very numerous on French roads, despite having gone out of production in 1990. There were especially a lot of fully-restored Méharis about – a great summer/beach car if there ever was one.

Here’s another one – a very tidy series 1 (1968-78) example. Some of these are even getting EV drivetrains. I caught one that will have its day on CC sometime.

While we’re on the subject of Citroën EVs, I don’t know if you’re familiar with the new Ami two-seater. Also plastic-bodied, but taking cheapness to the extreme: identical front and rear end panels (only the lights are different) and identical doors, which means the left door is a suicide type, while the right door is of the front-hinged variety. 2CV-style half windows and a decal for the logo as well.

There is a definite pecking order among flat-twin Cits. The 2CV is the everlasting people-pleaser and still ubiquitous. The Méhari is the new favourite – ten years ago, they were tatty, now they’ve all been tidied up and rebodied (which is quite easy to do). The Dyane, on the other hand, is still in old banger territory.

This one was relatively presentable, but I saw some true basket cases about. And yet, they will not die.

But there is another rung below the Dyane. And that is the LN, unloved since its 1976 birth induced by Peugeot. It’s a Peugeot 104 coupé with a 600cc Citroën 2-cyl. and a single-spoke steering wheel for good measure. Abysmal.

Speak of the devil, and the 1972-88 Peugeot 104 appears. This is a later 5-door version, probably mid-‘80s. These are getting very rare now, but if you can keep the tin worm at bay, they will keep going forever, Peugeot style.

I took a few pics of 205s, but then quit when I realized they were still a daily sight in France. On the other hand, 309s are much more discreet, these days.

The 306 was a great car, but the Cabriolet version was, in its class, a remarkable one. Lovely dark purple paintjob on this one, too – or at least it would be if the owner gave it a good clean. This ain’t Tokyo, eh?

Now that it’s over three decades old, I’m calling it: the series 1 (1987-92) Peugeot 405 is CC material. It will never replace the 404, the 504 or the 505 in our hearts, but it did replace them in the range. And now decent-looking ones are becoming very scarce indeed.

Even the Swiss got the memo. Well, this is the spicy Mi-16 variant, so it would have deserved more attention than a lower-end car, but still.

Final Pug of the bunch: a rather forlorn 1981-91 J9 van. These were basically restyled J7s with a selection of 504 engines – Diesels were especially popular. Last French CoE van made, according to Wikipedia.

On with the Renaults, and the indefatigable R4 (1961-93). These have a rabid following back in Japan, but they are also still very popular in their country of birth.

Some of them even come out at night! This is a Savane, which makes it a late ‘80s / early ‘90s model.

Slightly older (late ‘70s / early ‘80s) but lovingly restored base model, sans hubcaps nor bumper guards. Best of the bunch by a kilometre.

By contrast, and unlike its Super 5 successor model, the original Renault 5 (1972-85) has seen its numbers on French streets plummet precipitously over the past few years. Do they not deserve to be saved?

Over in Switzerland, older Renaults are pretty thin on the ground too. All I could finagle was this mid-‘90s series 3 Renault Express. These Super5-based utility vehicles replaced the R4-based F4/F6 in 1985 and ran all the way to 2000, by which time the Kangoo had fully taken over small business hauling duties in Renault’s range.

Remember the Medallion? They’ve all turned to dust in North America I’m sure, but in France, where they were sold as the 1986-94 Renault 21, you can still see the odd one. The Nevada wagon is usually seen, because it’s pretty useful and hard to kill, but series 1 (1986-89) saloons like this TurboD are now rather rare.

When they facelifted the R21 for MY 1990, Renault elected to add a hatchback model to the range, which I believe the Medallion never got. It made sense, as since the R16, big Renaults were usually offered with a fifth door.

Here’s a car that has yet to have its full 15 minutes of CC fame: the Safrane. This Executive class Renault took over from the R25 in 1992. Available with anything from a 2-litre 4-cyl. to the ubiquitous PRV 3-litre V6, as well as several Diesel options, it was the last big Renault to sell in respectable numbers (about 300.000 units). This is the facelifted version (1997-2002), somewhat better looking in my opinion.

What killed the big French (and Italian) four-doors from the ‘90s onwards? Cars like this W124. Better and bigger engines, higher value, much better workmanship – it was hard to resist the call of the German saloons. The French could only counter with softer seats and cheaper running costs, which just didn’t cut it in that segment.

Even in Europe the eternal W123 is still running the show. This 200T variant is not one that is ever seen over in Japan, though the condition of this wonderful wagon reminded me of Tokyo Benzes.

Boy do the Swiss like Transporters! I went for a walk in Geneva and found three in quick succession. This T2 was the oldest…

…Probably followed by this very clean air-cooled T3.

I take it the Wasserboxer in this (larger) Westphalia Camper makes it a bit younger – post-1983, if I’m not mistaken.

In a different part of Switzerland, the logical conclusion to the T3 trio appeared: a squared-eyed (1986-91) Caravelle. Nice to be able to bag the three main T3 variants in one go!

But as it happened, the most memorable Transporter moment was this encounter on a mountain pass in Provence with a German-registered T2. I was on a bike at the time, but I had time to see it coming. The blue sky, green mountains (it rained a lot this year!) and orange & white van, complete with weird schnozz, just made for a perfect encounter.

Someone loves this E21 a whole lot! This is the poverty-spec 315, marketed only from mid-1981 to 1984, even as the E30 was taking over. A few added touches here and there, but the classic Bracq design remains unspoilt and gleaming in this lovely black paintwork.

Peugeot 205s are still extremely common in France, more so than many foreign competitors, such as the Fiat Uno, the Toyota Corolla or the Seat Ibiza. The third gen Ford Fiesta (1989-95), though, has kept more of a following. Or they’re just harder to kill.

Just one noteworthy Italian car in this Euro-centred post: a pristine (because Swiss) late-model Autobianchi A112.

Far more British cars were seen, curiously enough. It’s as if Brexit hadn’t happened – or as if some don’t want to accept it, perhaps. The Triumph 2000 and Landies here were snapped up in Provence, at a place that specializes in old Land Rovers. The pseudo classic van unfortunately hides the many classic 110s lined in the courtyard – alas, I could not get any closer.

Saw more than one of these over the summer, but only caught this one. Perfect for the climate, but that guy should really wear a hat.

This late model Silver Spirit was found at a Geneva garage that usually has interesting cars. This is a very Swiss Rolls: the same car in Tokyo, L.A. or London would more than likely have its radiator mascot and model name plaque on its rear end.

Genuine Lotus cars were plentiful further north, in the Canton of Jura. It was very wet when I went up there, but that did not deter the local Lotus enthusiasts from puttering about in the drenched roads. Lots and lots (like dozens) of Elises and Exiges – and the odd classic from the Chapman era, too. British car fans are never scared of a little wet weather.

Back to drier climes and onwards to the Japanese cars – yes, they do have a few of those in France too. This mid-‘80s L20 Tercel wagon has seen better days, but only cosmetically so. In European spec, this 4WD variant features a 70hp 1.5 litre engine, compared to 62hp for the US version and 83 to 90hp on JDM cars.

Down south and in rural areas in general, the outstanding sturdiness of the FJ40 Land Cruiser means a lot of them are still working for a living. Great 4x4s never go to waste.

Likewise, there is really nothing better than a drop-top Suzuki SJ40 Jimny – known locally as the Samouraï – for rough mountain roads in the summer. They are still very present here. Between 1985 and 1995, Santana built those under license in Spain with over 60% European contents, so it was sold as a European car, which also explains why so many are still puttering about.

Known in Japan as the 2^nd generation Chariot but sold in Europe as the Space Wagon, these Mitsubishi MPVs were not a huge hit on the French market back in the ‘90s. Nevertheless, this one has survived here for over a quarter of a century.

Only two American cars to see us off, but both are pretty interesting. This iconic K5 Blazer was riding high in sunny southeastern France. Odds are it has been converted to LPG, like many V8-powered Detroiters over the Pond.

But the real star of the show has to be this gorgeous 1934 Chrysler phaeton found in Geneva. Perhaps a CCommentor will know if this is a standard factory body or something made locally, as European coachbuilders were known to do with American cars in those days.

 

That’s it for this edition of the T87 Singles Outtakes. Back to our regularly scheduled program of Tokyo CCs as soon as possible, with a few French or Swiss ones mixed in for good measure.