pelegri@ucbvax.ARPA (Eduardo Pelegri Llopart) (12/10/84)
The citro:en 2CV was presented in October 1948, and was still in production this year. I think that makes it the longest run in history (rebuttals?). I saw a car from the original run in the George Pompidour in Paris, and I recall it had just 1 headlight. The design specifications of the original car called for being able to carry a dozen eggs from the farm to the market under the roads then available. The suspension is ``interesting''. The current version has 2 opposed cylinders, 602cubic centimeters total. and 29 DIN horsepower (21kW). Weights 585Kgs, and, according to specs can make 115Km/hour, using 5.4 l/100k/90kmh. It is currently being classified as a 3 cv for tax purposes. It costs 28280 ff. eduardo.
haapanen@watdcsu.UUCP (Tom Haapanen [DCS]) (12/11/84)
> The citro:en 2CV was presented in October 1948, and was still in production > this year. I think that makes it the longest run in history (rebuttals?). > > eduardo. Naturally, a rebuttal! The venerable Volkswagen Typ 1 [Beetle] has been in continuous production since 1948, and it's still going strong, with production expected to exceed 21 million in the near future. The first prototype series of the VW was produced in 1934 (and underwent extensive roadtesting). On Hitler's orders, however, these cars were destroyed in 1940 :-(. The oldest surviving VW is a 1938 prototype. First production versions rolled off the line in 1939, but the production was stopped in, I think, 1941, in favour of building the Kuebelwagen and the Schwimmwagen. In 1945, a priest guided American troops to the town of Wolfsburg (called at the time KdF-stadt) in order to avoid Russian occupation. The factory was offered to both Ford and General Motors, but neither thought anything good could come out of it, so they declined. Well, the Germans restarted the production of the Bug, and, led by Heinz Nordhoff, made it the best- selling automobile in history. Incidentally, the oldest automobile design being sold in North America is the Porsche 911 ... \/ \/\/ \tom watmath!watdcsu!haapanen