The Ireland Made – Stories of Irish Transport team were given special access to a private car collection, which included an immaculate 1977 Citroën Méhari formerly of the Irish Army.
In 1977, the Irish Army acquired six of these unusual 4×2 utility vehicles to be used as runabouts on bases within Ireland. Named after the swift dromedary camel, the Méhari was designed by French WWII fighter pilot Count Roland de la Poype. Based on the Citroën Dyane 6, the Méhari featured a lightweight ABS plastic body, a 602cc flat-twin engine, a 24-volt electrical system and narrow durable wheels. Its plastic body could be fully opened above the waistline, making it ideal for military duties.
LAUNCHED IN A RIOT
On paper in the late 1960s, a plastic vehicle sounds like a non-starter. And yet, on May 16th 1968, while student protests were raging and bringing France to a complete standstill, the Citroën company decided it was the perfect moment to unveil their Mehari 4×2 utility vehicles. The launch took place, far removed from the tear gas and barricades of Paris at the Deauville golf course.
What Citroën revealed was… unusual, to say the least. A quirky little pick-up with a modest 28 to 32 hp engine and a body made entirely of ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic the same stuff used in Lego. Compared to today’s cars, overloaded with fragile electronics, the Mehari was almost absurdly simple: its entire body was made up of just eleven easily replaceable parts. Designed by Roland de La Poype and built on the Dyane 6 platform, it was first introduced under the name Dyane 6 Mehari.
PRACTICAL CAMEL
The name “Mehari” comes from the masculine noun méhari, used in North Africa and the Sahara to describe dromedaries, those resilient desert camels known for their endurance, off-road agility, and ability to carry passengers and goods over long distances. It’s a name that fits Citroën’s Mehari perfectly. Like its namesake, the Mehari was built for rough terrain, practical utility, and unshakable reliability.
One of the Mehari’s standout features was its clever modularity. Need more seating? A section of the floor flipped up to become a backrest, turning the rear into space for two extra passengers or there was an optional rear vinyl covered bench seat. Need cargo space? Fold it back down.
Its practicality didn’t stop there. With a plastic body and stripped-down interior, it could be cleaned, inside and out, with a power-washer. Add a full winter canvas cover, and it became sealed against the elements.
20-YEAR PRODUCTION
The Citroën Mehari, a lightweight car with a plastic body, may have seemed an unlikely candidate for success. Yet between 1968 and 1987, nearly 145,000 units were produced, including 1,213 of the 4×4 version. While most were built at Citroën’s Forest factory in Belgium, production also took place across seven other sites in France, Spain, and Portugal.
Over its nearly 20-year production run, the Citroën Mehari saw just three main versions—a surprisingly small number given its longevity. In 1979, Citroën introduced the most significant update: the 4×4 Mehari, offering off-road capabilities that remain impressive even by modern standards.
MILITARY RUNABOUT
As a combat vehicle, the Méhari’s plastic body offered little protection, but for lightweight, low-maintenance transport around military bases, it was an ideal solution. Between 1972 and 1987, the French Army ordered a total of 11,457 Méharis for exactly that purpose.
The Irish Army also recognised the practicality and low operating cost of the Méhari. In 1977, they purchased six vehicles registrations 992 to 997 JZC to serve as runabouts on military bases. Interestingly, the Army had specified that radio mountings be installed on the left rear-side interior of the cargo bay; however, the selected radios ultimately proved too heavy for that location.
Following their disposal in the 1980s, several Méharis from the 1977 batch have resurfaced. Vehicle No. 1 (registration 992 JZC), is now part of a private collection and featured in our video. Another, 997 JZC, was recently restored at the Curragh Base Workshops, while 993 JZC previously owned by an ex member of the Defence Forces as a runabout in Spain was sold to a dealer in the Netherlands. No records exist for the remaining three vehicles, which were likely sold at public auction during the 1980s.
The Méharis proved effective enough that the Army ordered six more in 1979 and registered with 380 to 385 DZI plates, one of which 381 DZI, was sent to the UK for overhaul, where it was repainted yellow. Unfortunately, there is little detail available about the rest of this 1979 batch. If any of our followers have information on their whereabouts, we’d love to hear from you.
GRASS CLIPPINGS
While researching this story, we came across a mention in Karl Martin’s Irish Army Vehicles – Transport & Armour since 1922 that highlights just how light the Méhari’s footprint was, so much so that one soldier living on base reportedly used it to collect grass clippings from his lawn. Remarkably, the last rugged Citroën Méhari registration 997 JZC remained in service with the Army Depot Cavalry until 2000.
LIMITED EDITIONS
In 1983, two limited editions were launched. The Méhari Plage, with its bright yellow paint and summery styling, was available in Spain and Portugal. That same spring, the Méhari Azur made its debut in France, Italy, and Portugal, an elegant, beach-inspired version limited to just 700 units.
The Méhari also found popularity as a rally vehicle, competing in events such as the 1969 Liège-Dakar-Liège, the 1970 Paris-Kabul-Paris, and the 1971 Paris-Persepolis-Paris rallies. In 1980, the Méhari 4×4 showcased its practical capabilities in the Paris-Dakar Rally, where ten specially equipped units were deployed to provide medical assistance along the demanding route.
MÉHARI 4×4
In 1979, Citroën introduced the Méhari 4×4, a more capable variant featuring a single engine, unlike the earlier 2CV 4×4 Sahara, which used two. It also included a spare wheel mounted on a specially designed bonnet. A total of 1,300 units were produced. Production of the Méhari ended in 1988, with no direct replacement introduced.
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Sources of Information and Photo Credits
C.D.S. – Citroën Communcations
Carole Nash
Claude Calliet
Creative Commons
Historic Garage
Media Stellantis
Mil Web
