Specifications
- Engine
- Two cylinder, two stroke, air cooled. Bore, stroke: 63 mm x 63 mm (393 cc). Motor cyclists at the time were used to mixing oil into their fuel, but the manufacturer belatedly realised that this might compromise the 400's standing as a "car", and from the summer of 1958 "two stroke oil" was held in separate reservoir with a semi-automatic dispenser on the right side of the engine bay.
- Compression ratio
- 6.4:1 with 12 hp, later increased respectively to 6.6:1 and 14 hp.
- Suspension
- Four wheel independent. Four double acting hydraulic shock absorbers with coil springs. Front anti-roll bar.
- Manual transmission
- 3 speed plus reverse, with 2nd & 3rd synchromesh. 4 speed available in non-U.S. markets.
- Brakes
- Hydraulically operated drums of 6.75 in (171 mm) diameter.
- Performance
- With only 18 hp (13 kW), top speed is 50 to 55 mph (80 to 90 km/h), depending on road grade, wind conditions, etc. Achieving top speed takes a leisurely 25 seconds. Fuel economy is about 5L/100KM.
The British Motor magazine tested a 400 de luxe saloon in 1959 recording a top speed of 51.8 mph (83.4 km/h) and acceleration from 0-40 mph (64 km/h) in 23.0 seconds and a fuel consumption of 55.3 miles per imperial gallon (5.11 L/100 km; 46.0 mpg). The test car cost 351,725 "old" French Francs, usefully cheaper than the 374,000 "old" French Francs domestic market starting price quoted towards the end of 1958 for the cheapest version of the larger but (even) less powerful Citroen 2CV.
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