The Citroën Diane 6 Méhari was made from 1968 until 1987. Almost 150,000 were produced and the vehicle took part in several major rallies.
Younger readers may wonder if the vehicle in the pictures was specially produced for a film — given the levels of refinement and safety engineering that are present in almost all modern cars and vans, it is indeed hard to imagine that this was a regular production model up until 26 years ago.
The Citroën Diane 6 Méhari, to give it its full name, was in production from 1968 until 1987, during which almost 150,000 examples were made.
It was intended to be an all-purpose vehicle of the kind that rural dwellers often take to their hearts — as they did in this case.
The roof was fully removable and the windscreen folded flat, meaning that the Méhari could be used for all sorts of pick-up and van-like loads, as well as passengers.
Although it looks flimsy to modern eyes, like the legendary Citroën 2CV, the Méhari was tough, reliable and able to absorb surprising amounts of abuse.
The Méhari’s ABS (plastic) bodywork meant that it could easily be produced in bright colours! The roof was removable and the windscreen could be folded flat, making it a surprisingly versatile load lugger.
It didn’t go rusty, either — at least, the bodywork didn’t — since it was made from ABS plastic.
Citroën Méhari models took part in the Liége-Dakar-Liège rally in 1969, the Paris-Kabul-Paris rally in 1970, the Paris-Persepolis-Paris rally in 1971 and provided medical assistance in the 1980 Paris-Dakar.
The Méhari was even used by the French army as its lightweight design made it easy to parachute drop the car behind enemy lines.
The model’s name – Méhari – comes from a word used in North Africa and the Sahara for dromedary camels whose speed and endurance makes them ideal for the tough conditions in the area, enabling them to transport people and goods.
Citroën is marking the 45th anniversary of the Méhari with a special exhibition at its C_42 showcase on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.