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Citroën FAF
Citroën FAF
Overview
Manufacturer	Citroën
Production	1973–1981
Body and chassis
Class	Compact SUV
Body style	2-door/no-door utility
Layout	FF layout
Related	Baby-Brousse; Citroën 2CV; Citroën Méhari; Citroën Dyane; Citroën Ami; Citroën Bijou
Powertrain
Engine	Flat-2
Chronology
Successor	Citroën C-Crosser; Citroën E-Méhari; Namco Pony Super (For Namco Pony)

The Citroën FAF is a small utility vehicle produced by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1973 until 1981.^[1] It was built using a combination of imported and locally sourced components in various developing countries.^[2] The body was made of easy to produce, folded steel panels, giving an appearance resembling a metal-bodied version of the Méhari.^[3] The flat metal panels and simple components were meant to allow for easier production, mostly in developing countries.^[2]

Origin

The origin of this idea was the privately built 1963 Baby-Brousse from Ivory Coast, and its many derivatives.^[2] Notably these include La Dalat (Vietnam), Pony (Greece), Jyane-Mehari (Iran), and Yagan (Chile).

The various Baby-Brousse cars were quite successful, selling over 30,000 units.^[2]

Both the FAF and Baby-Brousse are derived from the 2CV. The concept predates the FAF name, so it is often erroneously reported that some of Baby-Brousse vehicles were based on the FAF.^[3]

Name and target market

FAF stood for the French Facile à Fabriquer and Facile à Financer (Easy to Manufacture, Easy to Finance).

The primary target market for the FAF was Africa. However, the concept of a "second-class" car that was connected with the FAF seems to have affected its manufacture and sales remained low.^[4]

Pre-FAF cars

Namco Pony Greece U.S. Model

Pony rear

Citroën Yagan from Chile

The FAF idea coincided with the widespread production of Baby Brousse 2CV-based vehicles in many countries, so the two often overlap.^[5]

In 1969, Citroën's Vietnamese subsidiary began building La Dalat, the first automobile manufactured in Vietnam.^[6]^[7] Production ended when Americans departed Saigon in 1975 at the end of the Vietnam War.^[8] In total, 3880 Dalats were built.^[9]

In 1972, the Greek firm Namco began production of the Pony. This was the most successful version of these 'simplified' 2CV utility vehicles, selling 30,000 units.^[10] The Pony was exported as well, including to the United States of America.^[11] Production of this "poor man’s jeep," that benefitted from special tax rules, ended in 1983, two years after Greece joined the European Union. 67% of the parts were of Greek origin.^[10]

An attempt to start production in Sri Lanka by the Ceylon Transport Board in the early 1970s failed due to a dispute over royalties, but a prototype was displayed at the Republic Day celebrations in 1974.^[12]

Various kit car style bodies inspired by the FAF and Méhari, such as Belgium's VanClee, were also developed.

Production history

Country	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	Total
Portugal	180	30	180	240	180	810^[2]
Guinea Bissau	0	0	120	180	0	300
Central African Republic	0	0	0	60	0	60
Sénégal	0	0	0	0	15	15
Sri Lanka	1	0	0	0	0	1
Indonesia	0	0	60	540	0	600
Total FAF	181	30	360	1,020	195	1,786

References

^ "FAF Facile à fabriquer, facile à financer - easy to build, easy to fund page 1".
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Marsh, Julian. "Baby Brousse". Citroënët. Archived from the original on 2019-12-22.
^ ^a ^b Marsh, Julian. "FAF: Facile à Fabriquer, Facile à Financer (Easy to build, easy to fund)". Citroënët. Archived from the original on 2020-11-17.
^ "Citroen FAF 4x4 (1977)". Autoruote 4x4 (in Italian). New Explorer. 7 February 2014. Archived from the original on 2020-12-03.
^ "Curbside Classic: 1974 Citroën Méhari – Plastic Frenchtastic". Curbside Classic. 22 July 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
^ Ha, Thanh. "La Dalat: Mẫu xe "nội" đầu tiên ở Việt Nam" [La Dalat: Vietnam's first "domestic" car] (in Vietnamese). Giao Thong. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
^ "Citroën La Dalat – First Car Made In Vietnam". VJT Adventures. Archived from the original on 2017-05-19.
^ Clément-Collin, Paul (2016-04-08). "Citroën La Dalat: la perle de l'Orient aux origines africaines!" [Citroën La Dalat: the pearl of the Orient with African origins!]. CarJager (in French). Archived from the original on 2020-05-22.
^ "Lot 102: FAF", Vente des réserves de l'Aventure Peugeot Citroën DS (Auction Catalogue) (in French), Leclere Maison des Ventes, 2017-12-10, p. 72, archived from the original on 2017-11-26
^ ^a ^b "The "poor man's jeep" is back on the Greek roads". GR Reporter. 10 May 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
^ Gilbertson, Scotty (2016-04-10). "It's Greek To Me: 1983 NAMCO Pony-Citroën". Barn Finds. Retrieved 2021-08-26.
^ Moonesinghe, Vinod (8 December 2019). "The Royalists and the Citroën project". Sunday Times, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 19 August 2020.