Family Fortunes Part 15

With limited funds, with a PL17 (a facelifted Dyna Z) that could hardly go on for ever and was to be increasingly cold-shouldered by Citroen’s dealers, and with no real idea of how Citroen saw new model could not compete with a Citroen product. The solution was the 24CT of 1963.”That was agreed by Citroen – but only so long as it was a niche vehicle,” says Panhard. “I remember Cadiou, Citroen engineering director, saying to me Ί forbid you to use a new engine. No, no -you must use the existing mechanicals’. So all we could do was come out with a modernised body and in a niche not occupied by Citroen.”The 24 was entirely Bionier’s work, under my direction. I can still see Roland Peugeot coming to the launch and saying ‘that really is something extraordinary. You’ve managed to do that, with the team of engineers you have. It makes our cars look like trucks’. It was remarkable. Even today the 24 looks modern. It had an excellent press, but sales didn’t follow. You couldn’t have a two-door.
It wasn’t what the market wanted.”