Citroen Type C Price Guide

The Citroën Type C 5CV was the little Citroën that brought motoring to the French working class. It was a minimal, lightweight car with a 856cc engine that weighed just 350kg and could be started with one finger. Its clover-leaf three-seat body, originally available only in yellow, became an icon of 1920s Parisian street life.

The Car

The Type C was produced from 1921 to 1926 in both two-seat roadster and the famous three-seat clover-leaf torpedo configurations. The 856cc four-cylinder produced 11bhp; modest but adequate for a car of 350kg. The yellow-only colour policy for the first year was a marketing masterstroke; Paris was soon full of yellow 5CVs and the car became part of the city’s visual identity. A later variant used a proper four-seat body. The 5CV was marketed specifically at women drivers, an unusually progressive commercial decision for the era.

Buying

The clover-leaf Type C is among the most charming pre-war cars available. Well-preserved examples are rare; authentic clover-leaf bodies are rarer still. The Citroën Car Club and French vintage specialists are the resources. Any complete, correct Type C in original condition is a significant find.