Note from Paul Magès to Mr. Fabien regarding the testing of the 2 CV AL12 with hydrostatic transmission (11 December 1963)

In this document

This handwritten note, dated 11 December 1963, is addressed by Paul Magès to Mr. Fabien, with a copy to Mr. Richer(d) p. 79. It concerns the 2 CV AL12 with Hydrostatic Transmission car.

Magès explains the rationale behind the ongoing tests: "in order to make a decision one day or another regarding the potential launch of such a solution, it is essential not to neglect anything in the tests" p. 79.

He specifies that the goal is in particular to "know what failure cases can occur and especially under what conditions" p. 79. This, he says, is the reason for the driving of the 2 CV AL12 at a location transcribed with uncertainty, perhaps "la Ferté" p. 79.

Magès concludes with a firm instruction: the car "must therefore continue to be driven as long as the hydrostatic transmission problem is not abandoned, and this without mileage limitation" p. 79.

The page bears two handwritten numbers at the top right ("63" and "44"), probably filing references, as well as an illegible signature above the repeated date "11.12.63" p. 79.

Context

The hydrostatic transmission is one of the research projects conducted by Paul Magès and his team at Citroën to offer an alternative to conventional gearboxes, using a hydraulic pump/motor pair to transmit engine power to the wheels.

The 2 CV, Citroën's small popular car, served as one of several test mules for this experimental research during the 1960s and 1970s, alongside other models such as the 3 CV or later the GS.

This type of internal note, addressed to managers in the Design Office, is part of the usual technical validation process preceding a potential industrialisation of an innovation at the manufacturer. In 1963, Magès had long since joined the Citroën design office, where he had already been working on hydropneumatic suspension since the early 1940s (plans of 17 February 1944); he would continue his career there until his retirement in September 1974 (Photographs of Paul Magès' retirement (1974)).

Archivist's perspective

This short handwritten note clearly illustrates Magès's working method: before any industrial launch decision, he demands exhaustive tests without compromise on mileage, in order to identify all possible failure modes p. 79.

This document is probably part of the same test campaign as the Endurance monitoring of the 2 CV A12 with hydrostatic transmission (1963-1966), which documents the driving mentioned here over several years.

It also testifies to the engineer's methodical caution, anxious not to rush an industrial decision on a still experimental technology — a stance that would be found ten years later in the Record of mileages of test vehicles with Hydrostatic Transmission (1960-1973).