Introductory text
The presentation of this replica is the opportunity to salute the work of the team comprising 160 students and 50 supervisors, accumulating 50,000 hours of work and 1,500 kg of metal, across 11 production sites.
The first crossing of the Sahara in an automobile took place from 19 December 1922 to 7 January 1923 with 5 Citroën half-tracks. No return was initially planned, but encouraged by the success of the operation and the reliability of the vehicles, the crew suggested doing the return journey in the same way, thereby doubling the scope of the exploits. Besides the phenomenal technical success in 1922 with half-tracks built on the basis of Citroën B2 10 HP model K1, it should be remembered that this expedition paved the way for the famous Citroën Crossings (Black, Yellow...) and also for unchartered paths, subsequently revisited for the operational maps of all nations. The exploits were reported at the cinema and in books, a demonstration of a know-how and an adventurous spirit that Citroën has always embodied. Without forgetting to mention the small story in the bigger picture: the crew was accompanied by Flossie, a dog who inspired in Hergé the character of Snowy from The Adventures of Tintin.