The Citroën brand prepared an unusual experience for Czech journalists as part of the presentation of the Duckar project. It was not a traditional press conference, but an impromptu interview similar to the show On the Boat with the famous moderator Mark Eben. It is not surprising that he accompanied the interview, as he is a long-time ambassador of the brand.
The Czech crew will head to the Dakar Classic, which starts together with the main categories on January 5 next year, in a Citroën 2CV, popularly known as the duck. Compared to the production model, the car has undergone only minimal modifications, the engine under the hood has 650 cm³ and an estimated 26 kW, acceleration to 100 takes less than a minute and the car can continue at a maximum of 120 km/h. The brakes are original, but the chassis, for example, unusually has two shock absorbers on each of the wheels.
Barbora Holická, who has raced Citroëns countless times, will sit behind the wheel of the extravagantly colored duck. Her sidekick and navigator will be Lucie Engová, daughter of the legendary racer Břetislav Enge and sister of the only Czech F1 pilot Tomáš Enge.
Photo: Citroën
The Duckaru girl crew in the company of Mark Eben.
An integral part of the team is also Tomáš Neruda, specialist in 2CV cars and chief mechanic of Duckaru. “When Bára came up with the idea of going to the Dakar with this car, I said that it was stupid that I would not rebuild the car and go to the Dakar with her. Well… I built the car and I’m also going to the Dakar,” he described behind the scenes of the preparations with a smile.
The project with the duck, which celebrates the 75th anniversary of its first performance this year, also caught the attention of the Czech representative of the Citroën car manufacturer. The girls were supported on their way to the Dakar Classic with a check worth CZK 100,000, which is supposed to help them realize the project and, above all, bring the iconic French car to the finish line. On the way to a huge challenge, we wish the whole crew good luck and, above all, solid equipment!
