Real Road Test: Panhard's Last Gasp - the 24. I loved it! (despite breakdowns...)

Best wipers ever! But that aside, the engineering prowess within the Panhard 24 is absolutely incredible. Play HubNut Bingo by having a drink every time I say "remarkable" or "extraordinary." Please drink responsibly... A frothy aircooled 848cc flat twin produces 50bhp and makes for a very entertaining drive in this, the final Panhard. Find the club at: www.panhardclub...
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Want to help Hubnut for free? Don't forget to like the video if you like it, and share with your friends if you really like it! Thank you all.

[@gregharvie3896]

Hi Hub Nut, from Sydney, Australia, when I was a kid in the 60's one of my mates was the son of a French diplomat, his mum had a brand new one of these, but it was the later one with the disc brakes & the longer wheelbase and proper size rear seat area in pale lemon yellow with a black & grey interior , it looked very smart , sounded really kool & everyone wanted to know what it was . Claudine used to "flog" it really hard and give it maximum revs before changing a gear, she was seriously adept driving it , his dad had a DS21 Citroen. Hearing the sound of it was like going back in time to being a 9 year old again , and not a 66 year old as I now am. So Hub Nut keep finding these terrific period pieces. As the soundless boring plasticky Ev's are coming

[@gregharvie3896]

So "-Hub Nut-" I have kept 4 classics and have no modern car now. My favorite weapon of choice is my (prior to me) one owner and in 2012 50,000mile 1967 Jaguar mk10/420G it's an ultra-high output factory car with bronze head & tuned that's how its doctor owner ordered it, with the aussie Jaguar neva-rus galvanized steel sports exhaust, Jaguar factory heavy duty suspension with factory Koni gas shock absorbers. It's in mechanical time warp condition, as is the beautiful deep maroon ox-blood leather, an extra cost option as it's wet dyed thicker but softer leather in 1960's money this was $500 more, that would be like $5 thousand more now!! I love the sound of the exhaust drone in sustained second gear it is evil, stunning & masterful all in one splendid sound. A year into my ownership I fitted it with electronic ignition had it tuned & dyno tested to be perfect & the printout was 350 horsepower, with its factory suspension handling package and cream paint this really, truly is a BIG cat in sheep's clothing, looks very tame but has serious punch and handling to match, as those Koni gas shocks KILL any wallow, stiffen the whole car like a modern sports car suspension setting wiping out any lean in cornering too.

[@tonyduncan9852]

Wow. Cheers. Those were the days.

[@chrispenn715]

I love Panhard - the only company that made Citroen look normal......

[@bartverbrugge8131]

I totally loved your video. I own a Panhard 24 BT since 2001. It is black, with red upholstery, and completely original. Never had real trouble with it. I did not hear you mention the names of the guys who did this outstanding design. Here they are: Louis Bionier (1898-1973) and René Ducassou-Péhau (1927-2006).

[@yacinek.r.o7846]

okey now i wanna see it!

[@gbode7762]

What I love about these is just how modern they look. You could add a few minor modern styling features, throw an EV sled underneath it and wouldn’t look out of place as a brand new car

[@MartsGarage]

I really enjoyed this road test, what a fantastic machine! I spent a stint in the research dept at Rover in the 70s and they had a Panhard Dyna in there. they were looking at the construction of the aluminium body. It was a 4 door and one rear door was steel. Presumably a service replacement. All the best, Mart in Solihull.

[@channex8179]

French car design was at its best during the 70s it's sad that they seem to have lost it now.

[@42anyd]

That alloy Dyna from Rover is still around and as yet not reassembled

[@raymondo162]

@@42anyd ................ be ready for yah nex friday mate

[@deadkemper]

You cannot argue that those back light clusters are an incredibly futuristic design ..arguably 80s

[@jamesdecross1035]

Arguably 1930s… the architectural modernism of the ocean liner. A delight.

[@coops206]

Similar style used on the Jaguar F-type

[@deadkemper]

@@coops206 bingo

[@the123king]

I think the design reeks of the 1970's. I think that we can all agree that this thing doesn't look like early 60's design.

[@richlee509]

I always thought they were bmws lol

[@j-medsystems7142]

I could admire the styling all day long. What an oddball beauty! I've only seen a Panhard once. Probably they were never popular in Finland, if officially imported at all.

[@Ragnar8504]

I don't think I've seen more than one Panhard in my entire life so they're quite rare in Austria too. That was a PL 17 MK1 two-door I saw in 2006 at a 1950s retro show. Back then I'd have sworn that was a two-stroke engine because of the sound and the tinge of blue smoke.

[@jimmyj1969]

They were not a common sight anywhere, I guess, but I remember a few in Greece in late '80s - early '90s, when the country was still a vintage cars heaven...

[@calbackk]

Maybe not popular, but not unusual. I (born -55 in the Kokkola-area) remember them well.

[@Rom3_29]

I have to look up old 1950-60s Finnish Car magazine (Tekniikan Maailma) maybe there’s test drive.

[@marcelromijn2227]

My 24BT (longer wheelbase with the 60hp engine) that I got early this year has been very reliable I have to say. But it did need an engine rebuild to get there. It's a blast to drive!

[@itsmephil2255]

With how rare that car is, I'd be scared to drive it Nicely done Ian 👏

[@steverolfeca]

My father bought a Panhard in San Francisco in 1955-56. Amazing vehicle- lightweight aluminum body, Alfin brakes, surprisingly fierce 2-cylinder engine, etc…

[@martinneumann7783]

😮WOW! 😮I didn't expect that at all: a Panhard 24 ct! My favourite car of all times! Thank you so much - Ian and owner of this green beast - for showing it to us. I own several Panhard models, books, postcards, a Panhard keyring and the dream to drive a 24 bt or ct or a PL17 one day. 👍😃👍

[@andrewgurney6019]

What a beautiful looking car, we sure have lost the ability to make stunning looking cars. Great review Mr H, thank you.

[@peterpanda1970]

One of my favourite things to behold, Panhards. Always ahead of their time in design

[@christopherhunter2892]

I have been waiting for this one. When I was around 8, a friend of mine’s father had a 24 bt. He had various French cars around the property. I remember a trip to North Berwick in the Panhard and thought it was sensational. It was the later disc brake version in a lovely bronze metallic. A bit agricultural at low speeds but very smooth at high speed. When one considers this car came out out in 1963, it looks so advanced . They also appeared in some lovely colours. I have an article from Autocar Oct 1991 and I think this may be the car featured in it. The trouble was the car was too expensive in Britain and cost nearly E Type money. Sad that Citroen killed off the brand.

[@andysalter4473]

When we were on holiday France near the town of Plougenast, we stayed in a converted farm. The English owners had several cars and hidden in a barn was a Panhard in red. It was in very good condition but was missing its engine and hadn't run for 7 years and he was afraid that it wouldn't run again due to parts/time/money. A shame really, cars like this need to be driven and admired!

[@HarborLockRoad]

Add a subaru front boxer, and go hunting porsches! 👍

[@smoothmicra]

Gorgeous colour, and you can see where Citroen got a few design ideas! Very nice, a real collectors item.👍

[@graemew7001]

What a stunning little car, the design is just utterly gorgeous and it's a classic I would love to own. I will admit that I'd heard of Panhard Cars but had no knowledge of this one so thanks Ian for adding another car to the list of my 3 car garage to make the decision even harder lol

[@davidpeters6536]

Well done, time these had a bit more recognition. DS got all the praise for being ahead of its time but Panhard was ahead of everyone. First one I saw was in France on a holiday trip to Spain in 1964 and I was hooked.

[@SubTroppo]

In the early Noughties I used to know an English guy who lived on a canal boat in the south of France. He had two Panhards parked on the bank nearby. I believe at least one of them was a runner. I loved the look of them and I am glad now to know some of the back-story and that HubNut is so enthusiastic about them.

[@olik136]

that sounds like a real life Duncan MacLeod.. Didn't he live on a house boat in Paris- driving a Citroen DS in the 90s TV series?

[@SubTroppo]

​@@olik136 That name or series is not on my "radar".

[@simonhodgetts6530]

Thanks for this - I’ve been intrigued by the last Panhard for sometime now, but have never seen such an in-depth road test of one until now. A very, very interesting, and beautiful car!

[@stephenconway2468]

I saw these once when an old man came to pick up a dog at our house. I remember the crazy dog sitting on the seat as he and the old man drove away. Great looking car and way ahead of it's time.

[@micheltebraake7915]

This is a very special car, never expected to see it in the UK, you are lucky Ian. I have seen a number of Panhards racing during the Classic 24h of Le Mans in recent years.

[@niallsommerville9941]

I have to say the body styling reminds me of so many other cars, NSU springs to mind and for some odd reason, even an SM, it's none the less gorgeous for it though. What a fabulous machine, glad you got to share it with us.

[@kw9849]

The Corvair had a very heavy influence on the styling of the NSU, Panhard, BMW 2002, and a few others.

[@niallsommerville9941]

@@kw9849 Thank you, that was my mental thread, just couldn't remember the names

[@stippolyte]

Don't know what it is but something tells me that you absolutely loved this Panhard. I'd take a guess you'd be beyond happy to have one in the Fleet. Very impressive spec and engineering.

[@marcelromijn2227]

So great to see you enjoy it! I agree, Panhard was crazier than Citroen was. As an example: the B switch under the steering wheel is for a battery disconnect; you need that as the Panhard has no electrical fuses whatsoever. If something goes bad just stop and pull that battery switch. The gears are hard to find as it is a cable-operated linkage that runs in a U shape underneath the driver's side, they needed that to keep the entire flat floor. Panhard military division ended up in Renault Defense, then into the Volvo Group, and around 2018 stopped existing (now just a department in the Volvo group). I really love driving my 24BT (drum brakes) which drives like a classic sportscar but without the risk of oversteering. And it is still comfortable. The engine likes to be put at work.

[@billg7205]

I assume the battery disconnect is a high current relay switch? I would imagine owners have fitted some of the harnessing with fusing, in the modern day.

[@marcelromijn2227]

@@billg7205 Actually the switch operates a steelcable that pulls on a big (high current) switch right at the battery terminal. Fuses are indeed a popular upgrade.

[@peterduxbury927]

No Fuses? Then I would be compelled to (at least) fit a 25A on just the +ve Terminal of the Battery, since everything is fed from there.

[@kuzmanmeramov1729]

Panhard will always be my favourite car ever, thanks for making review,you have brilliant sense for cars indeed.

[@Strike86]

Always been very intrigued by the design of this car - you can see one in the background of almost every video on Jay Leno's channel (he has one in his garage). The interior and exterior design are astonishingly ahead of their time. So much intelligence in the design and layout.

[@dalethomas360]

Purely by chance, I've just had a guided tour of this car by the Owner. What a lovely car with some unique engineering built into it's design. Thank you, John. It was a pleasure learning all about this car from yourself.

[@dalethomas360]

Forgot to say, Hubnut. Have now got a new channel to subscribe to, after being directed to you. Loving the content 👍

[@chucku00]

In France there are still Citroën dealerships/garages (especially in rural areas) that welcome Panhard cars and help the owners to maintain and preserve them.

[@jameslong9845]

As a 24CT owner (one of only two in the southern hemisphere I believe), I can't fault the research. Well done.

[@boronsniify]

One of my “bucket list” cars - so efficient due to its advanced design. Handsome and aerodynamic, too - as you said, one can see it’s influence on Citroen’s DS facelift and subsequent models. Just wonderful!

[@martian9999]

for the four-door, Panhard's advert motto was "130 km/h, 600cc, 6L/100 km, 6 seats". A marvel! (Two decades later, my Citroen Visa came close, but not quite -- 650cc, 125 km/h, 7L, 5 seats... but it was good enough to be one of the most enjoyable cars I ever had).

[@danieleregoli812]

One of the most amazing cars ever made, such a remarkable design! Wow. Beautiful.

[@richleonard55]

I really enjoyed that. What a great video. As a small boy when this was around, I was fascinated by its chic styling and, as you say, the utter Frenchness of it. In those days when you travelled in France it was an intoxicatingly different experience - everything was excitingly 'other'. The Panhard and many other French cars of the time embodied that distinctly French view of the world.

[@thomasalbrecht5914]

Great find and congrats on one of your most enthusiastic and elated reviews! The Panhard 24 is one of the weirdest and most beautiful cars ever, I completely agree with you and am just as smitten with it.

[@huwdavies6650]

My Peugeot e2008 actually features a Panhard Rod in its rear suspension to improve lateral stability. Panhard knew what they were doing and a lot of what they did is still valid today.

[@majormojo]

Ian, your enthusiasm for this car comes through in every comment! Thank you for showing us this unusual machine.

[@anthonyknox1493]

What a fantastic car! The styling has elements that are lightyears ahead of its contemporaries.

[@HLife719]

As a child in the late sixties I would occasionally see one particular Panhard in traffic on my way to school in a city close to Frankfurt. It was the only one I saw in decades. Its odd looks fascinated me at the time. How marvelous, that such a wonderfully differently designed and styled model was actually put into production, with all the involvement, effort and dedication that required. Anything automotive out of the ordinary today seems to want to impress and show off.

[@steveandalisonweinert8206]

This must be John Passfield's 24ct! Had a ride in it myself a number of years ago. Briefly owned a 24bt (the longer version) but found it a challenge for a tall driver. Have a PL-17 tigre, which is the four door preceding model, which I have restored here in the USA. My first PL-17 I owned in England ended up going down under to Australia. The UK Panhard Club are really fine folk, do a wonderful newsletter, and are a huge resource.

[@42anyd]

Hi Steve you did indeed have a ride in this car

[@DarrenVelSatis]

Just totally amazing and beautiful, and that engine sounds absolutely delightful, this is a car that cannot be criticised whatsoever.

[@MrKenny777]

I think that is one of the most beautiful car designs I ever seen. Absolutely gorgeous and deliciously French.

[@mowbraybird]

I remember seeing one of these Panhards being restored in Portugal. A very distinctive machine.

[@ProdigalPorcupine]

That is one of the prettiest little cars I've ever seen! Every angle is special, and the colour suits her perfectly.

[@adamknopp6631]

More videos like this please. Old, obscure and nuts are everything I like in a car.

[@jorgefernandez-mv8hu]

What a beautiful car to look at and drive. Thoroughly modern in design. Glad for the ride along.

[@garethonthetube]

I used to see these occasionally on our family holidays to France in the late 60's/ early 70's. I love these quirky vehicles along with the original Citroen Ami (Ford Anglia style rear window).

[@jon-paulfilkins7820]

Many years ago when visiting a friend, a neighbour of theirs had 2 of these, one was a drop top, stunning looking cars.

[@nk53nxg]

That is such a cool little car, love the styling, especially for the mid 60's. Such a shame Panhard never got the chance to live on further.

[@KarlAdamsAudio]

What an amazing thing, such style & quirky engineering. Contemplating the incongruously peaky little engine, with air cooling & a roller-bearing crankshaft I can't help thinking that Soichiro Honda would have approved.

[@erik_dk842]

I have a childhood memory from a vacation in France with my parents, where i saw an abandoned Panhard laying on its roof by a river.

[@AllThingsAlex]

Never seen one of these. What a fantastic thing, and great design. That interior is glorious!. What a fascinating story. Thanks for sharing :)

[@jgsburnett9532]

Great to see a road test of the 24CT. My father had a PL17 back in 1961 and I passed my driving test in it. The PL17 was expensive enough at not much under £1000 in 1961 and sadly was eventually replaced with something other than a 24ct. Oddly Panhard were not sold through Citroen dealers in Scotland (not sure about the rest of the UK). In Edinburgh it was actually the Renault dealership. There were only a few PL's in town and when one owner lost his key he asked to borrow our key and it actually fitted the door and started the car. French! I still have the sales brochure for both the PL and C ranges. I may be wrong but I think that there was either conversion to right-hand-drive or some assembly work carried out at the Citroen factory in Slough. We collected our car from there ourselves.

[@richdelgado3405]

I don't know which is cooler: that gorgeous car, or that gorgeous color!

[@wailinsnorty3859]

Bit quirky, bit loveable, bit fantastic. Totally great. Thanks for road testing this one. Good stuff.

[@declanclark5316]

I've wanted one of these since I saw one in a car magazine as a kid in the early 1980s. Really enjoyed this, Ian, thank you :-)

[@gregburkhart9764]

I recognize this car as one I received as a child in an assortment of little plastic autos.

[@reallynotpc]

I remember these from childhood holidays in France but knew nothing about them until now. Sounds like fun!

[@bondbug73]

Always wanted to get to see a road test and walk around of one of these amazing cars. Wasn't disappointed. Gorgeous example.

[@davidpeters6536]

It's a shame they didn't put a boxer 4 with abetter gearbox in it when it got disc breaks.

[@marcelromijn2227]

@@davidpeters6536 They had one ready but Citroen forbid them. There have been also prototypes with the DS and even with the Maserati engine..

[@channex8179]

Gotta love the French Ian they were always ahead of the game in terms of ride comfort and suspension technology it's a shame they are no longer. I grew up in the 80s with a very Citroen / Fiat centric dad who loved Italian and French cars, We always had a Fiat and a Citroen on the driveway oh and always a 2cv in the garage whilst all my mates parents had boring old ford's and vauxhalls. We still mess with 2cvs now

[@richaddulieu1967]

Ian what a beautiful looking car for 1963 absolutely amazing 👏 😍 👌 🙌 ❤

[@michaelwright2986]

IIRC (which is by no means guaranteed) the Index of Efficiency category at Le Mans was a Panhard benefit until the Lotus Elite turned up, causing, I think, an adjustment in the rules. I only knew about Panhards because a friend at school was crazy about them (efficiency); the mad Chemistry master one day turned up, not in his customary home-built ratty special, but an Elite, causing something of a re-evaluation about what we thought about him. I'm in my anecdotage, I know, but the chance to talk about Panhards and the Elite is a bit overwhelming. Mumble mumble cross-overs SUVs aesthetics of a video game mumble mumble.

[@bladder1010]

Beautiful! And I love the fact that you are doing the intro broken down at the side of the street. Absolutely adds to the charm. 👍

[@hideouslyugly]

I love it's styling. It looks like the Citroen DS at the front. It seems so modern, not like a 1964 car. Lovely.

[@neilsheppard6673]

What a fantastic car, a model for fans of engineering indeed! I was aware of Panhard, but not this model. Great test and review. 👍

[@rafthejaf8789]

I love French cars! As a child I used to go through France down to Spain with my parents and I remember seeing Panhards and thinking how unusual they were. From the time I could drive I have owned French cars : Renaults mainly, the 4,12 and the amazing 16TS. The best one of all though was perhaps the best car ever made, the citroen DS 21. This Panhard is great and seems to share some aspects with citroens. It was ahead of its time in a way and especially so when you think of cars being made in Britain at that time. From certain angles it looks a little like an NSU RO80. My dad had one and that was another amazing if flawed car!

[@timcarpenter2441]

The engines were amazing. I do believe the GS/A was the natural successor. The 4 door styling was far more quirky and would not age as well. They had bench seats and column change, though - a plus.

[@heikkiremes5661]

Cor blimey! That's astonishing!

[@kjh789az]

Back to the future with Panhard! Love it. More french than a frenchman. Thanks for sharing this with us. 💖💖💖💖💖

[@angusford8442]

Great road test Ian. Always impressed by the amount of research you do on each vehicle. Keep up the good work.

[@jamiemx5]

Great video, superb car, love the soundtrack and swooping lines around the sides and bootlid. Spot on 👍👍

[@fredmahar5431]

Love Panhards , and that 24 is gorgeous!!...thanks for sharing!

[@douglasfur3808]

Massively brilliant, style and engineering. So French so Hubnut. These road tests, when you get to drive a dream car, are the best. And we get to share your delight in driving.

[@rolandgrant8669]

Well done Ian, great video and your enthusiasm really came across. Great car too; just think what was on offer in the UK at the same time. Seriously good stuff. Thank you

[@thattubesound2214]

"...a knitting needle in a box of spark plugs..." Absolutely classic! I thoroughly enjoyed this ride in a Panhard. In the States, most folks have never heard of them, much less seen Panhards. As always, excellent job. I'm glad that I recently discovered your channel. Cheers from Utah, USA.

[@jefferysmith3930]

Outstanding job making the best of a bad situation. Didn’t miss a beat doing a roadside review of a broken car while traffic wizzed by. Hats off to you for that one. I’ve seen these cars before but never a driving review. Looks like an absolute hoot to drive

[@alfamonk]

When I was young I used to think they were awkward-looking wierdos of the automotive world, but as I've got older and learnt about their amazing technical achievements (check out the LeMans CD) , I'm in love.

[@peterriggall8409]

Local fellow here has one. Private import from when he lived in France. Fascinating and thanks for increasing my knowledge of these cars.

[@stephenphillips8956]

Thank you John, from me too! Fabulous car and we all got to hear it rev!

[@holgerwittmann8419]

Looks awesome! Especially with that colour, and it looks cool inside too!

[@peterbroadhurst6797]

What a fantastic car. It brings back so many memories of my holidays in France in the 60's. The two cars I remember most were the Panhard and the ami8. Bearing in mind we were traveling in a converted Morris post office van called Fred these French cars looked so modern. Thank you Hubnut for a wonderful video.

[@SeattleSoulFan]

I saw one of these in Berkeley, California, ca. 1976. I asked the owner where he got parts, and he said, "Paris." As Hubnut mentions, the crankshaft runs in roller bearings. If you lug the engine, you'll destroy the bearings instantly.

[@mpersad]

Well that was rather special! What a car, and what a terrific review.

[@theclocker7406]

Great video - this has been my dream car since I was a teenager (in my 50's now), and possibly one of the best French cars ever made! A little known fact is that the marvellous 2 cylinder engine was actually based on a helicopter engine. Sadly I've never seen on of these in real life.

[@keithwilson1554]

Thank you for bringing Cars I will never get to see.

[@filiannuzzi5871]

Really enjoyed that one. What a car. Thanks Ian.

[@aaronbiggin1103]

Panhards are lovely looking cars. It would be great for Citroen to bring back panhard as an ev brand. Great video as always Ian.

[@HarborLockRoad]

Now theres an idea, repro body of rust proof fibreglass over an EV backbone chassis, thus, any euro classic could be resurrected rather cheaply!!!

[@keef71]

that view of the car straight on from the front, it reminds me of a grasshopper..........and i remembered those crazy wipers from the renault GTA

[@Rjhs001]

What an amazing car Ian. I think I love it almost as much as you do. Thanks for a great video.

[@aston-martin-internationalist]

Wonderful they are! Front end always reminded me of the Lamborghini 350GT.

[@colinjones2505]

What an absolute stunner! Never seen one close up before, and knew absolutely zilch about them either. The dashboard is so modern, and the general overall design features too. Lovely.

[@carlmichael5592]

The 'Lancia of France'. I like that a lot, seems very apt.

[@bsimpson6204]

What a gorgeous car inside and out, note how the door trims merges into the dash, lovely

[@bennyhannover9361]

The Panhard cars are full aluminum cars like Aston Martin… the prototype from 1940 was developed for the French branch of the Alcoa aluminum company from US as a route petite voiture. It is merely the Dyna X layout with a two cylinder Boxer of 500 to 660 ccs

[@Lot76CARS]

Ian, just brilliant, great car, great colour and interesting to hear the brands story. Reminds us how many long standing brands can fail despite long histories.

[@niklaswejedal463]

Yay! Another one of my French favorites! Very intresting to get to know more about it. I think I only saw one or two of these ever.

[@TheStobb50]

What a lovely car and what a lovely insight to panhard thank you

[@waynetetley584]

Awesome. Always loved these since I saw them as a child in Paris on hols in late 70s 😊👍

[@robhosking9399]

Wonderfull video Ian ! I've never see one of these, and this road test was phenomenal. What a cracking little car.! It should have been a world beater for a small coupe.!

[@corrbhan5138]

I remember the Panhard 24 very well. Growing up as a child in the sixties (born in 1959) I remember a 24 BT (as opposed to the 24CT in your video) in our small town in the Netherlands. It was often parked accros the street from the few shops in the town. And I loved it! It was blue, and I thought it looked like flying saucer on wheels! I pleaded with my father to get one, but to my disappointment he made it quite clear that he wasn't going to swap his fintail Mercedes (albeit a low-spec 190 diesel) for a two cylinder car. I was devastated. Thank you so much for this video!

[@marcelromijn2227]

Great story. Any chance you remember the license plate? My 24BT has a long history in NL and was blue originally. But apart from one picture in the late '80s I have no history from before 1995.

[@corrbhan5138]

@@marcelromijn2227 No, that's too long ago. I can only tell you that in the sixties it was always parked in Bilthoven.