Two examples of Citroën Bijou, a 2CV-based coupé produced and sold exclusively in the UK in small quantities in the 1960s, are currently for sale. Both have been restored.
From the mid-1920s to the mid-1960s, Citroën had a factory in Slough, England, where models were assembled for the local market as well as for export, mainly to countries where people drive at left. A 2CV derivative exclusive to the United Kingdom was born there, in particular because the “Deuche” did not meet with the expected success across the Channel: the Bijou. This small coupé, which was intended to be urban and more elegant than the 2CV, was launched in 1959, the same year as a certain Mini. The dazzling success of the latter and the higher price of the Bijou sealed its fate. Just over 200 were produced until the model was discontinued in 1964, with the exact number varying according to source. The same goes for the number of copies still in existence: between 50 and 150 depending on the counts. One thing is certain: the Citroën Bijou is a rarity. But now two copies are on sale at the same time.
![Citroën Jewel grille](https://www.largus.fr/images/images/bijou-av.jpg)
TO READ. Citroen 2CV (1958). A rare UMAP coupe from the barn
Less than €15,000 for one of the rarest Citroëns?
Using the chassis, architecture and mechanics of the Citroën 2CV, the Bijou has a fiberglass three-box body. Its rear part is reminiscent of that of the DS, whose coupe also takes up the single-spoke steering wheel. Its lines are the work of Peter Kirwan-Taylor, who notably designed the first Lotus Elite.
![Citroën Bijou base 2CV](https://www.largus.fr/images/images/bijou-avg.jpg)
![Citroën Jewel back](https://www.largus.fr/images/images/bijou-arg.jpg)
Some owners have had their Jewel fitted with the 602cc engine of newer 2CVs replacing the original 425cc. This is the case of the 1962 Jewel which will be offered at auction by Osenat on March 28, 2022 in Fontainebleau. Restored in 2011 in England, it was acquired and imported into France by its current owner in 2016 and now has a “collection” registration certificate. This beige copy with black upholstery looks very neat; it is estimated at between €10,000 and €15,000.
![Citroën Jewel interior](https://www.largus.fr/images/images/bijou-interieur.jpg)
A Citroën Bijou turned from scrap to jewel
The other Citroën Bijou currently for sale is on the other side of the Channel, more precisely in Abingdon to the south of Oxford, and it is even more exceptional. After 25 years in the hands of the same owner, it was acquired by its current owner about four years ago as it gradually turned into a wreck in the middle of a field.
![Citroën Bijou rear lights](https://www.largus.fr/images/images/bijou-ar.jpg)
It then underwent a complete restoration, bodywork dismantled. Chassis elements were replaced, brakes and suspension were refurbished, a new wiring harness was installed and the bodywork was completely renewed, such as the engine and the gearbox.
The exhaust system was replaced, the seals were changed and the interior was redone by hand with red upholstery as the original, contrasting with the gray of the bodywork. The parts dedicated to the passenger compartment alone cost £8,500 (around €10,000) and the work, documented, totals £90,000, or nearly €108,000 according to the house’s description sheet Bonhams.
![Citroën Jewel gray](https://www.largus.fr/images/images/bijou-d.jpg)
Leaving the factory in 1961, the car looks newer than new and its mechanics have not yet been broken in, the car having been driven very little since it was completely rebuilt. Given the amounts advanced for restoration and the surge in prices for rare 2CVs in recent years, one can be surprised at the modest estimate of between £25,000 and £35,000 (€30,000 to around €42,000) for this Citroën Bijou. Auctions are open online until March 31, 2022.
![Citroën Jewel steering wheel](https://www.largus.fr/images/images/bijou-tdb.jpg)
![Citroën Jewel engine](https://www.largus.fr/images/images/bijou-moteur.jpg)