PROJET D'AMELIORATION GENERALE (VP5 Dyane)

By the mid sixties, Citroën's range comprised the 2CV, Ami 6 and the D series .  The 2CV was beginning to appear both dated and somewhat spartan in comparison to the Renault 3 and 4.  Flaminio Bertoni had died in 1964 and Robert Opron had been promoted to take his place.

The Panhard concern had been taken over by Citroën and Panhard’s design team, under  Louis Bionier was tasked with the redesign of the 2CV since at that time, Citroën was working on a new mid-sized car. Projet F had just been abandoned and projet G (the GS ) was under way; work was being undertaken on the new nose for the D series; work on the D Sport project which led eventually to the SM was well advanced and the Ami 6 was due for a restyling exercise which would lead to the Ami 8 . 

There were insufficient funds available to develop a completely new car so the decision was taken to redesign the 2CV - to modernise it and broaden its appeal with the intention of ultimately replacing the 2CV.  In fact, the 2CV would outlive its younger sister...

Although it is nowhere mentioned, it is quite likely that the Dyane was intended to be an example of badge engineering – a “Panhard 2CV” – the very name is evocative of the Dyna and the styling has, as one would expect, distinct Panhard overtones.  Officially its target was the Renault R4 which had been taking sales from the 2CV.

Above - René Ducassou's design dated June 1964 - a 3 door body mounted on a lowered 2CV platform.

Right - René Ducassou's design dated February 1965

Above -another design by René Ducassou from 1964 - the rear wings are integrated into the bodywork and the front is far from definitive.

Left - a dashboard design featuring the steering wheel from the 2CV AZAM.

Above - another design by René Ducassou from early 1965 - the shape is beginning to resemble that of the Dyane. Note the Panhard grill.

Above - a 1/5th scale plastiline model from March 1965 and left, a picture by René Ducassou showing the front and rear views of the scale model above.

Below - René Bellou's drawings of the yet-to-be-launched Dyane appeared in l'Auto Journal in March 1966 - a year before the car was launched.

Design sketches from mid to late 1965