Projet Y, Projet TA, Projet VD

Projet Y

In 1968, Citroën signed the PARDEVI accord whereby Fiat took over Michelin's 49% stake in Citroën and acquired Maserati from Orsi.  Maserati supplied the engine for the SM.

Projet Y would have shared a number of components in common with Fiat.  Early studies employed the floorpan of the Fiat 127. 

In the early seventies, Citroën’s range comprised the 20 year old 2CV and its derivatives, the Dyane, Ami 8, and Méhari, the newly launched SM and GS and the ageing D series.

Notwithstanding the restyling exercise on the Ami 6 which had turned it into the Ami 8, or the fitting of the GS engine in the Ami Super, sales never achieved the levels Citroën had hoped for so an Ami replacement project was instigated.

Projet TA

Projet TA was therefore initiated. 

The design brief was for a small, four door car, equipped with torsion bar suspension and powered by either the A series flat twin or the flat four from the GS.

In 1973, Fiat sold its share of Pardevi to Michelin and the following year, Michelin having decided to return to its core activity of manufacturing tyres, sold Citroën to Peugeot.  Georges Taylor (born in Bucharest in Romania) became Chairman and Managing Director.  Peugeot decided to rein back Citroën's finances and the SM was dropped. 

Projet VD

Projet TA was redefined to incorporate the floor pan of the Peugeot 104, thereby permitting the use of the 104 engine and transmission.

This new project was baptised Projet VD (acronym for Voiture Diminuée or small car) which eventually led to two cars - LN and Visa. 

The torsion bar suspension was abandoned in favour of the 104’s McPherson strut/trailing arms setup.

Above Fiat-based Projet Y
Below Projet Y2

Above and below Projet Y.
Below left Y van