Tintin Forums

I know it's a Citroën, isn't it? What model is it?

RicardoOlcese

Do you mean their green car that appears in Black Gold and Emerald, or their racing car at the end of Red Sea Sharks (should be Stock de Coque in Spanish, according to the "books" guide)?

If it's the latter, then here's a handy list of most, if not all, the cars, made by a fellow member a while back. I haven't got the book to hand, but I think their racing car here is blue and vanilla?

The turquoisey green car in Emerald and, actually, at the end of Red Sea Sharks too, is a Citroen 2CV. It was made in various models for decades, and was a great fun and economical car, if not very powerful or fast (or safe by today's standards!) We had a few over the years in my childhood/teens.

It was somewhat mocked by some, though usually affectionately. Although Hergé may have been highlighting its slight ridiculousness in making it the Thom(p)son's car of choice, he and his assistant Bob de Moor did produce a series of advertisements for the Citroen 2CV, which (from my memory of seeing them somewhere) highlighted the car's adventurous off-road abilities, so he may have rather liked it.

You don't see many old ones on the road now. (I read somewhere that its engine wasn't suitable for having a catalytic convertor fitted once unleaded petrol became the norm.)

Other than their perennial favourite 2CV, there are a few other vehicles with which the Thom(p)sons are associated that I can think of.

The red car they drive in The Cigars of the Pharaoh would seem to be a sort of hybrid, apparently of an Amil Car CGSS (the radiator and front - as stolen and driven by Tintin in Land of the Soviets), a Bugatti Type 35 (the general profile of the vehicle), and an Alfa Romeo Type P3 (the long exhaust pipes running the length of the sides).

The tow truck they drive in Land of Black Gold is a Chevrolet; the little green car is said to be a Citroën 5 CV, although it has a slightly different radiator, and a fully open back seat rather than a jump-seat, so perhaps another model or a hybrid again; there is of course also the iconic red Willys Jeep they have crossing the desert.

There may be others, but I think that that just about covers it!