A number of the cars in the Lane’s collection are what we call “failed successes”: innovative designs that were ahead of their time, never found a market, or were just a little too unusual for the motoring public. This is the story of a Citroën 2CV-based city car designed for 1970s Paris: the Minima.
(Welcome to another article by Rex Bennett from The Lane Motor Museum — arguably the quirkiest car museum in the U.S., and a place filled with fascinating automotive history).
As Europe dug out of the rubble following World War II, the idea of car-sharing emerged as a solution to the growing problem of getting a car in an economy that was rebooting. The concept was simple: If you can’t afford to buy a car, share one. These ideas were mostly just on paper until France’s “Procotip” system began in 1971. It used in-vehicle “meters” fed by special tokens that enabled members to pay for usage by distance. The Minima was different because it was to be available for FREE — just grab a fresh baguette and a skinny cigarette, and hit the Champs-Élysées in a cheerfully-colored square car.
In order to understand the Minima, one must first look at its creator, Victor Bouffort. Bouffort is a lesser-known yet brilliant French engineer who focused on efficient forms of mobility beginning in the 1930s. His designs included the Lohr Fardier, a small four-wheel drive utility vehicle used by the French military, and the Valmobile folding scooter.
All of his concepts were linked by common threads of ingenuity and affordability. In the late 1960s, Bouffort had become increasingly aware of traffic congestion in metropolitan cities like Paris, and decided a solution was needed. Bouffort and his friend, novelist Henri Viard, observed that most cars carried one or two passengers. Their idea was to create a small car for city dwellers – two-seat vehicles with a length no more the width of a traditional car.
The prototype Minimas featured a tubular chassis, composite bodywork, sliding doors, luggage space in the rear, and a 30 hp air-cooled, twin-cylinder Citroën 2CV engine that could reach a top speed of 75 mph (120 kmh).
These cars would be available for public use all across the city. This was Zipcar or Flexcar years before the car-sharing industry really got rolling in the late 1990s.
The Minima was finally introduced to the public in a dazzling display at the 1973 Salon de l’Automobile in Paris, with the show car presented on the 56th floor of the then brand-new Montparnasse Tower. Following the launch, unfortunately, it garnered very little interest and plans for mass production were ultimately cancelled. Victor Bouffort passed away in 1995 at the age of 83.
This Minima was the third and final prototype, and remained in the Bouffort family for many years. Family friend Thierry Farges, co-organizer of the famed Retromobile show in Paris, acquired the car and became its second owner in 2017. Farges reminisced about his time with the Minima: “As a young man of 15, I felt ecstatic at the proposition of owning a prototype of Mr. Bouffort that I didn’t know was possible. Forty years later, I find one of the prototypes, I find the family and the adventure starts again.” Jeff Lane was in attendance at that year’s Retromobile show, and wound up purchasing both the Minima as well as the three-wheeler Bouffort prototype form Farges.
The Minima was an idea ahead of its time, but one that eventually gained traction. It’s clear to see that some design cues seen in the Minima were employed by the later smart ForTwo. The shape is similar, with slight variations of function such as its clever sliding driver and passenger doors and a hatch back design. Both the original ForTwo and the Minima have the engine mounted at the rear of the vehicle creating stability, with balanced weight distribution and ease of access for maintenance and repairs.
The Minima and the Bouffort three-wheeler are currently on display at the museum until next spring.
There are so many automotive innovations that either weren’t quite fleshed out, or were way ahead of their time. We’ll profile more of those lost-but-not forgotten creations in future articles.
(Special thanks goes to Rebecca Evans for her research on this subject!)
Images: The Lane/Retromobile
It seem to have also ispired the Peugeot 1007, a never sliding door city car:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peugeot_1007
NEWER!
– Still need a typing error correction possibility here…
Bouffort built some really wild cars. From microcars to weird streamlined things. It’s worth a Google image search. There used to be footage of his Peardrop car on Youtube but it seems to not be there anymore. It was like a Peel Trident with an amazing articulated opening bubble roof.
these remind me of the Taxis in Idiocrocy. I think it is the taxis.
First I think I would rather drive a Changali.
Second if I am reading correctly the designer designed the perfect car for Paris after WWII or in the 60s and started production in the 70s? I am surprised this didn’t become a hot seller.
Also at most I could wear this car as a pair of shorts. I damn sure couldn’t get me fat ass in it.
This is why city bikes and city cars haven’t succeeded.
City bikes are successful in many biker friendly cities.
Lets put it simply : if you want weird cars ( or other type of vehicles ) concepts, ask the French.
It started with Cugnot… And it really never ended.
Something about the font in that scooter ad – I swear at first I thought it said Valmobile…thic…efficient…unique…and portable!
I had to re-read it, but that first “c” looks like a “t”. Ha! For those that are wondering…it says “chic”.
“a top speed of 75 mph”
In something based on a 2CV, but smaller? Around Paris? Sound terrifying!
Have you (at the museum) tested this top speed? 😉
We’ve driven 2CVs at interstate speeds (70 mph) before, and although they struggle, they’ll make it there eventually. This even lighter Minima most likely would do 75mph, on flat ground with a tail wind, but it could do it.
But, yes, it really was for the city center.
That was my first thought.
The car was definitely designed as a city car. Tearing across the French countryside at 75 mph in what looks like a go-kart with a fiberglass shell around it sounds like a death wish.
The Lane Museum has been added to my automotive bucket list. The more I see and hear of this place the more I want to hop in my car and take a road trip to TN.
You will not be disappointed!
And a piece of useless trivia – this minicar seems to use the same wheels (well, rims) that were standard on Polish Fiat 126p. They’re called “cytrynki” (lemons, due to stampings shape, I guess) in Poland. So there’t that;)
link:
Good spot. These were popular with microcar manufacturers back then – they were forced to use brakes and wheels from mainstream manufacturers, but everything was massively overdimensioned for their needs. The 126 had some of the smallest brakes that were available at a reasonable price.
The same wheels were also installed on the Fiat 500R, beginning in 1971.
The styling was actually a little ahead of it’s time.Flat surfaces and angles didnt become mainstream until the 80s
Very cool little car! Those look almost like FIAT 126 ST or FIAT 500 wheels as well?
Love these Lane Museum updates.
Torch, we need an article on that Valmobile!
I’ll add it to the list o’ ideas. The Valmobile was a remarkable little machine that, like many of our cars, was lost to obscurity. Thanks for the suggestion!
Great idea for a fictional utopian society where objects would be treated with a sense of kumbaya. Just thinking back to phone booths and how they were treated, I’m not sure any free vehicle could be lowest common denominator proofed.
That’s a really good point I think.
Remember how durable the phone itself had to be? That Matrix-machine-like handset cord? Even the buttons (or dial, depending on your age) felt like they were welded to solid metal rods.
If this isn’t a future Torchmobile, I don’t know what is.
That four-wheel drive utility vehicle looks like a great little runabout on a farm or race track. I can imagine it filled with slicks, buzzing through the pits
Another thumbs up for the The Lane Museum, it is a must see destination The most unique vehicle collection and innovations that I’ve ever seen.