I would love to have a Citroën Méhari in my own garage. In good condition, they cost approximately €15. They are unlikely to be cheaper. The Citroën Méhari has become a major cult car in Europe.
I often come across Méhari's when I cycle in the southern French countryside. It is the farmer who likes to drive his Méhari out into the fields, or into the forest to hunt wild boar. I also have a picture on my retina of an elderly couple on their way home from the Saturday market in their open 2-seater Méhari with the wife's shawl fluttering in the wind, and the goods in the back. Faster and more comfortable than the tractor - and much more stylish.
The toughest Méhari consists of a rectangular "bed" on four wheels with a windscreen and two seats. More family-friendly versions have a rear bench seat, however the is optional equipment. Canopy with side windows in transparent plastic increases comfort a bit. The longitudinally wavy panel sides remind me of the panel sides of the iconic Type H, - the vans that today sell for insane prices. But Type H is off metall, while Méhari is off plastic.
Soft plastic like the wooden cars on the playground
Since production ceased in 1988, Méhari's cult status has grown. That prompted Citroën to develop a new Mehari. The jubilation went through the roof when the Cactus-M concept car was presented. A shortened Cactus without a roof, with a youthful color and holders for surfboards. Although not as tough as the original Méhari, it looked promising.
But Citroën scrapped plans to produce a Cactus-based Méhari. Instead, the e-Méhari emerged. A small, shapeless electric car that resembles the cars that toddlers play with on the playground. A car that no one understands. My southwestern corner of France is a real "Méhari country", because you constantly see old Méharis in garish seventies colors on the country roads and in the narrow city streets. At the local French Citroën dealer, there is not a single e-Méhari to be seen. Not even a poster. It is simply because in "Méhari country" there are no charging stations for electric cars.
It is not unlikely that the rental car companies in the South will eventually replace Suzuki Jimny jeeps with new e-Meharis. The farmers and wild boar hunters in France will probably still swear by the old Méhari for many years to come. Immortal with mechanical parts taken from the Citroën Dyane . This also applies to the air-cooled 602 engine, which is also shared with the 2CV6. Everything can be bought new. If you get hold of a usable plastic body, you can build yourself a brand new Méhari in a seventies look.
The world's coolest plastic car
Facts
A disadvantage of plastic bodywork is the danger of being ignited by pyromaniacs. They can set fire to the car at ease with a simple lighter. As mentioned in the film, a pyromaniac went around the French capital setting fire to Mehari's in the years 1973/74. According to Wikipedia, 63 Méharis went up in smoke in those years.
See
Citroen Cactus-M
