Citroën FAF
| Company type | Utility vehicle |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Predecessor | Baby-Brousse |
| Founded | 1973 |
| Defunct | 1981 |
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | Small utility vehicles |
The Citroën FAF is a small utility vehicle manufactured by the French company Citroën between 1973 and 1981. It utilized a combination of imported parts and locally sourced materials in multiple developing nations. Its body was constructed from straightforward folded steel panels, reminiscent of the metal-bodied Citroën Méhari, engineered for straightforward and cost-effective assembly, particularly targeting emerging economies.
Origin
The FAF concept traces back to the 1963 privately created Baby-Brousse in Ivory Coast and its various adaptations, such as La Dalat (Vietnam), Pony (Greece), Jyane-Mehari (Iran), and Yagan (Chile). These models, all built upon the Citroën 2CV, collectively sold over 30,000 units. The FAF developed from this heritage, although it is frequently misunderstood that Baby-Brousse vehicles were derived from the FAF.
Name and target market
The acronym FAF represents the French phrases Facile à Fabriquer and Facile à Financer (Easy to Manufacture, Easy to Finance). This vehicle was mainly intended for African markets. Nevertheless, its association with a "second-class" automobile reputation impeded production expansion and restricted sales volumes.
Pre-FAF cars
The FAF concept emerged alongside the global production of Baby Brousse vehicles based on the 2CV platform, often sharing similar design elements and market roles.
In 1969, Citroën’s subsidiary in Vietnam introduced the La Dalat, marking Vietnam’s first domestically assembled car. Production halted in 1975 after the American exit from Saigon, with a total output of 3,880 units.
Greek automaker Namco commenced manufacturing the Pony in 1972, which became the most commercially successful simplified 2CV utility vehicle, selling approximately 30,000 units. The Pony was also exported internationally, including to the United States. Production concluded in 1983, two years post Greece’s accession to the European Union; notably, Greek-made components accounted for 67% of its parts.
An effort by Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Transport Board during the early 1970s to produce a similar vehicle failed due to royalty disagreements, although a prototype was revealed in 1974.
Several kit car-style bodies inspired by the FAF and Méhari designs—such as Belgium’s VanClee—were developed for specialized markets.
In Iran during the 1970s, around 9,000 locally manufactured vehicles named "Mehari" were sold. Unlike other Mehari variants, these featured metal bodies painted in various colors, predominantly light blue by the late decade.
Production history
| Country | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | Total |
| Portugal | 180 | 30 | 180 | 240 | 180 | 810 |
| 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 |