The Thing may have cost $1000 more than a
Beetle convertible, but 21,598 drivers took to it as a dune buggy alternative
in ’73 alone. VW also built a small number of right-hand-drive 182s for
Commonwealth markets, yet a 1975 attempt to market the 181 in the UK as the
Trekker – British dealers objected to a car called ‘Thing’ was not a success,
with fewer than 100 vehicles sold.
One of those elusive British customers was
my own family and cruising along the A32 in HTK 275P gave me the youthful
impression that a 181 was infinitely superior to a Beetle convertible – a
feeling reinforced by an encounter with our featured car. No Beetle could hope
to offer the folding windscreen, split rear seat and surprisingly spacious cabin.
And, unlike the Beetle drop head, the 181 not only has four doors, but they are
also removable and interchangeable.
Volkswagen
181 front
‘It cost $1000 more than a ragtop
beetle but still sold 70,000’
True, certain sacrifices have been made,
such as the lack of sound insulation and winding windows, but just think of the
gains in practicality. The interior can be easily hosed out – VW provided drain
holes by the rear seat and there are absolutely no distracting luxuries, such
as ashtrays. The all-drum brakes require a certain amount of advance planning
and the high sills mean that you have climb on to the seats, yet the 181 is
ideal family transport along muddy tracks, with the noise of the engine
drowning out passengers’ objections to the rugged ride.
Volkswagen
181 side
Danielle Jupp is one of the growing
generations of young classic fans. “There is nothing quite like driving a car
that few people seem to recognize!” she enthuses. “It’s really practical for
towing, and how many other cars look good with a shovel attached to the front
wing?” As for the flat-four engine’s eager thrum: “That’s an essential part of
the 181 motoring experience, just as much as the folding windscreen.”
Looking positively elegant in comparison to
the 181 is the Méhari (‘swift dromedary’), which was devised by Citroën as a
simpler, front-drive replacement for the twin-engine 4x4 2CV Sahara. Sales
started in 1968 and, by the end of manufacturing in ’87, the Méhari had become
a ubiquitous sight with the French Army and Mallorcan holiday resorts alike. A
handful were exported to the US where they weren’t a success, despite Citroën’s
assurance that there was: ‘No worry if any part of the body is damaged. You
simply take it off, replace it and throw it away.’
Volkswagen
181 back
Volkswagen 181 specs
·
Sold/number: built 1969-’78/70,395
·
Construction: steel chassis, steel body
·
Engine: all-alloy, ohv 1584cc flat-four, with
single Solex 30 PICT-2 carburetor
·
Max power: 46bhp @ 4000rpm
·
Max torque: 72lb ft. @ 2800rpm
·
Transmission: four-speed manual, RWD
·
Suspension: independent, at front trailing arms
rear swing axles; torsion bars, telescopic f/r
·
Steering: worm and roller
·
Brakes: drums
·
Length: 12ft 43/4in (3780mm)
·
Width: 5ft 41/2in (1640mm)
·
Height: 5ft 33/4in (1620mm)
·
Wheelbase: 7ft 101/2in (2400mm)
·
Weight: 1920lb (871kg)
·
0-60mph: 24 secs
·
Top speed: 71mph Mpg 32
·
Now: $7,500
The model was initially billed as the Dyane
6 Méhari, with power from the familiar 602cc air-cooled flat-twin and a
two-seater open pick-up body made from injection-molded ABS plastic. In 1970, a
rear seat became an option as did the decadence of side doors, albeit removable
ones. A handful of 4x4 versions distinguished by a bonnet-mounted spare were
made between 1979 and ’83, but most were just front-drive.
Citroën
Méhari front
Citroën decided not to officially market
the Méhari in the UK, which is a cause for great regret. Who could possibly
resist a soft-roader with the 2CV’s slick dash-mounted gear change, soft
suspension and highly entertaining cornering attitude? The Citroën is a delight
after experiencing the Trabant and the Volkswagen. Given that the Deux Chevaux
was devised for abominable road conditions, the Méhari’s off tarmac abilities
are quite formidable. The plastic body is so light that the Méhari gives the
impression of floating along the various cart tracks. The famous basket of eggs
you could carry on the back seat would undoubtedly remain unbroken.
Citroën
Méhari side
Rear passengers enter the Méhari via the
integral step on the body side, while tall drivers won’t need to open the door
because they merely have to step into a world of vibrantly colored plastic. But
whether it is four-seat resort transport or a farmer’s hack for conveying some
pigs to market as witnessed outside of Santa Ponsa circa 1982 – the Citroën
will do the job without fuss, although with more fun than you could reasonably
expect for the money.
Citroën
Méhari side back
Colin Jenkins discovered his 1974 Méhari in
’97, in poor condition: “It was engineless and the hood frame was on the verge
of collapse.” After five years of negotiation, the Citroën was finally Jenkins’
and he progressively restored it, painting it yellow and fitting the front disc
brakes of the later models but retaining the original chassis and batters
(inertia dampers). The Méhari now makes trips to France and Italy, “as well as
being frequently used in better English weather”
Citroën Méhari specs
·
Sold/number built: 1968-’87/144,953
·
Construction: steel chassis, plastic body
·
Engine: alloy, ohv 602cc flat-twin, single or
twin-choke Solex carb; 29bhp @ 5750rpm; 29lb ft. @ 3500rpm
·
Transmission: four-speed manual, FWD
·
Suspension: independent
·
Front: leading arms
·
Rear: trailing arms; coil springs interconnected
f-r, inertia and friction or telescopic dampers
·
Steering: rack and pinion
·
Brakes: drums, fronts inboard (later discs f)
·
Length: 11ft 61/2in (3518mm)
·
Width: 5ft 1/4in (1530mm)
·
Height: 5ft 41/2in (1640mm)
·
Wheelbase: 7ft 101/2in (2400mm)
·
Weight: 1257lb (570kg)
·
0-60mph: 32 secs
·
Top speed: 67mph
·
Mpg: 45
·
New: FFr6996
·
Now: $7,500
