The 2026 Paris Motor Show made me feel like a kid again!
What a pleasure to see French automotive design smiling again. Discovering the remarkable concepts presented by French carmakers, I felt something I had been missing for quite some time: genuine excitement, emotion, and above all, impatience to see these bold design statements translated into production cars.
And yet, among all these beautiful creations, one stole my heart as it did for so many visitors and journalists: the reborn legendary Citroën 2CV!
As someone who has always been passionate about the automotive industry, and particularly fascinated by André Citroën and his extraordinary vision, this revival has a very special meaning to me.
I still remember walking through the ADN parking lot every morning, passing Jean-Pierre Ploué’s own 2CV. A little piece of automotive history, parked among the cars of those who were busy designing the future. And today, seeing Gilles Vidal and the Pierre Leclercq Citroën design teams reinterpret this extraordinary icon is genuinely moving.
How could we forget that the original 2CV was born from a radically different vision of mobility, with prototypes hidden away during World War II, some eventually rediscovered decades later at La Ferté-Vidame! And now, more than 75 years after its introduction, the spirit of the 2CV returns with a new electric interpretation potentially reaching showrooms around 2028.
Of course, the journey from concept to production is never straightforward. And I am particularly curious to see how much of its delightful simplicity, ingenious interior architecture, colorful materials and unconventional seating will survive the transition to series production.
But if these concepts remind us of one thing, it is that automotive design must continue to surprise us, inspire us and – occasionally – make us fall in love.
This issue of DVN Interior explores some of the most exciting interior innovations unveiled in Paris, from materials and seating to new cockpit architectures and human-centered design.
And there is so much more to share that this week’s instalment is just part I; a second newsletter dedicated to the Paris Motor Show will come next week.
Welcome back, 2CV. We’ve missed you!
