Panhard 24
Panhard 24 CT ( 1966)
The Panhard 24 was the last civilian model, which was manufactured under the brand name Panhard.
Model Name
In the opinion of the Dynamic Club Panhard, one of the most important brand associations of France, which maintains close contact with the surviving former junior director of the company Jean Panhard, the 24 has no special meaning. However, it admits the possibility that there had been an inspiration through the continuous and partially successful participation of the company given at finding names with different vehicles at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 1950-1962.
The engine
Had the air-cooled two-cylinder boxer engine with 848 cc displacement, as with all post-war Panhard, blind cylinder, the cylinder heads were not thus removable. While this prevents leaks in a (nonexistent) cylinder head gasket, but difficult overhaul of the valve seat significantly.
1963: The presentation
On 24 June 1963, the Panhard 24 was officially presented to the press in a garden near Montlhery. Amidst the exceptional setting with roses and antique statues acting a vehicle in striking colors and roof Crusher / Corpus was on a platform in a pond light gray / issued, with Quetsche represented a dark purple hue. The final form of sporting surprised the audience. Shortly before, was still in the car magazine L'Auto -Journal published a drawing, which should anticipate the design. Also, the car shown here would have been revolutionary for Panhard, as it (from there only as 17B/BT ) defected with its trapezoidal shape but clearly from roundish Panhard PL 17. The sporty 24 therefore did this all the more. The shape of the vehicle was drawn by Louis Bionier, the house designer who had joined in 1921 Panhard & Levassor in and since then many projects had accompanied the lead. At the time, was a surprise to many that a person with such a long history designed so youthful vehicle in the automotive industry. His final realization should be the way the Citroën Dyane.
Was presented the new car in two variants. On the one hand there was the 24 C, referred to as a sports sedan with four seats, on the other hand was the 24 CT offered, which should be a coupe with 2 2 seats. However, this classification was only a marketing-oriented obscuring the distinction between the cheap and the better-equipped vehicle. With regard to space allowances and dimensions of the model variants differed not at all. In contrast, the C was equipped with the simpler engine that made 50 hp / SAE. In addition, there was a highly simplified dashboard, in which the instrument unit had been taken from the Type 17. The CT had the more powerful engine in Panhard traditionally as " Tigre " means, here in version 8 Tigre S. This made 10 hp / SAE remember what 10 km / h meant more in the final velocity. He also had circular dials reminiscent of the CD. In addition to the speedometer and tachometer there was a clock, a fuel gauge, ammeter and an indoor thermometer.
Despite the extensive presentation and the beautiful body of the trade press remained (and thus the customer), however, a significant weakness not hidden: Contrary to the athletic form proposed under the hood of a superannuated heart, which had only to offer a two-cylinder. This shortcoming was the Panhard family known. Too much she had given her current hope also a newly developed engine on the way. To this end them but have lacked the financial means at that time. Here, however, the price offered compensation. On the French market with 11,100 FF introduced the 24 CT was marginally higher than the Renault Caravelle.
The Star (L' Etoile )
In March 1964, came to the first modifications. The gear selector lever, previously characterized by a semi-circular shape, was completely straightened. The glove compartment lid got a grip and was now easier to open. Furthermore, were now mounted in the door armrests lights that should warn following traffic when opening the doors, set in chrome. Externally, these models can be identified by an asterisk ( Étoile ), who accompanied the signet Panhards on the right rear fender. These vehicles were long time on the used car market very sought and it remained under Panhardisten today. For the model year 1965, the star was accounted again.
The reorganization of the model
Sales of the 24 fell short of expectations. In particular, the C disappointed. Consequently, he was removed in October 1964 at the Paris Motor Show from the program. In parallel, the CT was a more powerful engine, the Tigre 10 S. With this, the car reached a top speed of 160 km / h In order to meet the increased performance, the drum brakes used previously and some weak were replaced by modern disc brakes.
The lack of economic success, the company met all the more, because now no longer standing, and the 17 available in order to guarantee utilization and profit. Therefore, the strategic decision was made to expand the range of programs of 24 to a limousine. Again recorded Bionier for the design of the four-door responsible, but does not make it past the development stage. The realization was ultimately blocked by Citroën. The former competitors became partners and drove the Panhard Models about his much larger dealer network. Was the basis for this procedure is that the two brands are not directly competing. Although Citroën 2CV offered at that time with the simple and the extravagant DS no mid-size car on, but there were plans to enter this segment. Internally F worked on the project, which was based very closely on the Renault 16. For this reason, recommended that those responsible for the Quai de Javel the owner family Panhard to refrain from further steps in this direction. In 1966, the Project F was however rejected shortly before the start of production.
The family acquiesced, but used a stopgap. At the Paris Motor already mentioned the 24 was presented as B and BT. The letter " B" stood for Berline, which translates sedan. The body of the vehicles was extended by 25 cm, which zugutekam of legroom for the passengers in the back seat. Externally, the sedan was indistinguishable from the coupe by the extended rear window. The B took over from C its motor and the drum brakes and the dashboard. The BT waited on the instrumentation and the disc brakes of CT, also he had a Tigre engine, but only the 8 p
Critics accused the B and BT to dilute sustained by the extended body, the harmony of the original conception. Nevertheless, these cars were the most popular in the buyer 's favor.
The BA: The savings model
Although the B models were successful, but they did not develop positive enough. Therefore, the sales team called for a low-end model to attack price. The management came to this desire for and presented in October 1965 to 24 BA.
The features of this car was reduced to a minimum. A dashboard with a round speedometer and without glove compartment door was combined with cheap padded and adjustable in any way seats. The simple door opening mechanism was taken on the set 17. The tailgate was not held by spring balancers open, but of rods, as they were common at the time in bonnets. These and many other similar details sprayed a peculiar charm that customers punished despite the low price with disrespect. Worse: Known for its technologically innovative and luxurious cars for their class companies took serious damage in his image.
The double end
On April 23, 1965 Citroën took over the absolute majority in Panhard. Since that time, 24 were delivered with the name Citroën Panhard on the nameplate. The owner family had decided to take this step because they believed that they could save so their brand name and be able to invest in, among others, the urgent need to develop a new engine. However, they had been deceived. More and more production capacities were converted to the production of " Kastenente " Citroën Fourgonnette. In addition, any further developments on the 24 were stopped. Thus disappeared the plans for an elegant convertible and a station wagon, not only in the drawer, but rather in the trash.
Against this background, for insiders, the official end of production on July 20, 1967 is not surprising. Unlike many other vehicles in which the last -built model rolled off the assembly line to the museum, it was delivered here regularly. It went in the equipment package BT to a sales representative of the company Pernod, decorated in blue and yellow in the company colors and provided with large brand logo on both rear fenders.
So the story of the 24 by 28 945 cars and at the same time the civilian production Panhards was terminated. Thus, a chapter of the then 73 -year history of France's oldest automobile manufacturer has stopped. Today, the company only defense here.
Special
In the late 1960s, decency revision of the body of the DS, Citroën was in a financial squeeze. This made great in-house development work impossible. Therefore, we resorted to an in-plant existing solutions back to redesign. From the Panhard - heritage, the set under glass double headlights were used, which replaced the hitherto conventional single round lights. This led to the striking change in the face of the DS. The redesign affected the commercial success of the vehicle positive.
The electrical system of the Panhard 24 renounced backups, but had a main switch on the steering column, which separated the battery from the rest of the electrical system. This unusual detail seemed to be a good anti-theft protection, as many unauthorized user, the vehicle could not be set in motion in ignorance of this peculiarity. However, the car had no steering lock.
The standard interior was extensive: There was a central heating and ventilation control with heating ducts for the rear window, which passed through the doors. The seats were out of the B and BA three-stage height adjustable. For parking light and headlight flasher existed separate switches. The illuminated glove compartment and the passenger sun visor with reading lamp meant at that time a real luxury. In the doors were even exit lights. Among the instruments included in the BT and CT trip odometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, ammeter, clock and indoor thermometer. Partly a retractable and lockable rear seatback has been installed.
In the development department at Citroën also some variants for the development of the model was developed so created 24 performance of two Panhard engines a four-cylinder boxer engine with more than 90 hp ( 66 kW). In 24, however, he did not play, but was left Panhard Levassor & for installation in armored vehicles. It was also up in the 1970s in use by Citroën some 24er - bodies to test engineering prototypes.