Citroen Mehari – Everything you need to know

In brief

The Citroën Mehari was an open car produced by Citroën from 1968 to 1987. The Mehari was designed as a compact, inexpensive and practical car for the French countryside and was also used as an army vehicle. It was a popular car in France and was also exported to other countries.

Mehari

Based on the chassis of the 2CV, the Méhari has a lightweight plastic body. The design is very simple, with an open cabin and two seats. So not a car for winter sports. Indeed, it has no roof, although optional hard or soft roofs were available. Under the hood is an air-cooled twin-cylinder boxer engine from the 2CV. Its top speed is 110 km/h. So not a car for the Autobahn either.

Robust

The Méhari was mainly used as a leisure vehicle and was popular in the countryside because of its open cab and robust construction. It was also a popular choice for beachgoers and water sports enthusiasts because it was easy to clean and had good resistance to water. Today, you still regularly encounter it in southern European seaside resorts. It has become a bit of a fashion accessory.

Manufacturing

The Méhari remained in production until 1987, and although it was never a mass-production car, more than 150,000 were built. In the 1980s, the Méhari was replaced by the Citroën AX 4×4, a small SUV with all-wheel drive.

Aftermarket

Although the Méhari is no longer in production, it remains a popular car among classic vehicle enthusiasts. It is an iconic design and is still used as a leisure vehicle in France and other countries. There are also many aftermarket parts available for the Méhari, making it easy to maintain and restore the vehicle.

e-Méhari

There are also some modern references to the Méhari in the automotive world. In 2016, Citroën launched a special edition of the C3 called “C3 Aircross,” which has stylistic features of the Méhari, such as the plastic body and open cab. Citroën has also launched an open electric car in 2019, the e-Méhari, which is inspired by the classic Méhari.

Buying tips

The year of construction of the Citroën Méhari does not say everything about the quality of the car. Because the Méhari is modular, the chassis or sheet metal, for example, may be younger or older. Mileage also does not say a huge amount with the Citroën Méhari. This is because the counter has only 5 digits, so chances are you can put a “1” in front of the mileage displayed. Also, the motor or counter may have been replaced.

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