Panhard 24

In short

• Built from 1963 to 20 July 1967; 28,651 made, mostly as the 24 CT coupé and 24 BT saloon.
• 848 cc air-cooled flat-twin: 31 kW (42 CV DIN) in the 24 C and B, 37 kW (50 CV DIN) in the 24 CT and BT.
• Front-wheel drive, four-speed all-synchromesh gearbox, separate tubular steel chassis.
• Designed by Louis Bionier, with twin headlamps under a transparent cover that Citroën's DS adopted in 1967.

Panhard 24 at a glance

Panhard from 1887 to the 1960s

Panhard's early decades were marked by racing and engineering firsts. Levassor was fatally injured in a crash during the 1896 Paris–Marseille–Paris race and died in 1897. From 1910 Panhard used the Knight sleeve-valve principle under licence, and from 1924 to 1940 every Panhard car had a sleeve-valve engine. In 1925 a 4.8-litre Panhard set a world record for the fastest hour, averaging 185.51 km/h.

After the war the range changed completely: the Dyna X of 1945–1954, the Dyna Z of 1953–1959, the PL 17 of 1959–1965 and finally the 24. Early aluminium bodies nearly bankrupted the company, and production went back to steel with the Dyna Z from September 1955. As its own sales fell, Panhard also built 2CV panel vans for Citroën, the car told in the history of the Citroën 2CV.

The PL 17 that came before

The 24's predecessor sold in much larger numbers. The PL 17, presented on 29 June 1959 and built until 1965, was essentially a facelifted Dyna Z with six seats. About 166,000 were made: 136,000 standard saloons, 23,500 Tigre saloons, 398 convertibles, 2,998 Break estates and 3,191 commercial vehicles. Its engine was cut from 851 cc to 848 cc in July 1960 to meet the tax limits. It gave 31 kW (42 hp DIN) in standard form and 37 kW (50 hp DIN) in the Tigre, the same two ratings later used in the 24. A PL 17 won the 1961 Monte Carlo Rally, driven by Maurice Martin and Roger Bateau, with PL 17s also second and third.

Price did not help. In France in 1962 a PL 17 saloon cost 6,990 to 8,240 francs, while the smaller Simca Aronde cost 6,340 to 7,450 francs. English Wikipedia links the PL 17's modest sales partly to its pricing.

A low nose for a flat-twin

Louis Bionier's body made the most of the engine. Because the flat-twin was low and air-cooled, with no radiator in front, the nose could be very low and streamlined. Twin headlamps were recessed into it under a transparent cover, a motif Citroën gave the DS in 1967.

The 24 had a separate tubular steel chassis with a steel body rather than a monocoque. Inside, the front seatbacks and seat height were adjustable, the steering wheel could be adjusted for position, seat belts were optional, and the heating and ventilation system included demisters.

The 848 cc flat-twin and front-wheel drive

The engine was Panhard's air-cooled boxer twin of 848 cc, with an 84.85 mm bore and a 75 mm stroke, mounted at the front and driving the front wheels through a four-speed all-synchromesh gearbox. It came in two outputs:

Claimed top speeds were 135 km/h for the long-wheelbase car with the 42 CV engine and 150 km/h for the short-wheelbase car with 50 CV. A slightly faster version with the Tiger 10 S engine is reported to have reached 160 km/h. With 37 kW and about 840 kg, a 24 CT has about 44 kW per tonne; the power-to-weight calculator sets that against modern small cars.

Brakes were drums on all four wheels at first, and they were criticised for weak stopping power and vibration. After 1965 the 24 BT and 24 CT received front disc brakes.

Five versions of the 24

The coupé was the more popular body: the C and CT together account for 15,804 cars, more than half of all 24s. An unofficial fibreglass-bodied 24 CT was also built in Uruguay, and the last of these were sold as 1968 models.

Citroën and the end of Panhard cars

In April 1965 Citroën took full control of Panhard's car business. The 24 stayed in production for two more years, and the last car was built on 20 July 1967; in autumn 1967 the civilian branch was absorbed into Citroën and the marque was retired. The medium-sized gap in Citroën's range was filled in 1970 by the GS, which is said to pay tribute to the Panhard heritage. Citroën's own story is told in the history of Citroën.

The Panhard company itself carried on with military vehicles. Auverland bought it in 2005, Renault Trucks Defense acquired it in October 2012 for €62.5 million (2012), and the Panhard company is listed as defunct in 2018.

Owning a Panhard 24 today

• Version: a 24 CT or BT has the stronger engine and, after 1965, front disc brakes.
• Rarity: the 24 C (1,623 built), 24 B (2,037) and the basic 24 BA (161) are the scarce ones.
• Brakes: an early drum-braked car stops less well than the later disc-braked versions.
• Chassis: the 24 has a separate tubular steel frame under the steel body, so both need inspection.

The 24 sits with the other French cars of the decade in the 1960s classics section.

Photo gallery