1954 PANHARD JUNIOR

Dyna "Junior" X 87 At the 1951 Paris Motor Show, Panhard, the oldest car manufacturer, proved that it wanted to cater for young people by presenting a very attractive 2/3-seater roadster. This novelty was presented as "a young car within the reach of the young". The initial idea came from an American company, Fergus, who wanted to compete with the British roadsters, which were selling very well, with a simple and inexpensive European car. Panhard set to work and designed the little Junior on the basis of the Dyna X. The coachbuilder Di Rosa was responsible for the prototypes. The project did not come to fruition but the car was nevertheless marketed. Production began in April 1952. The equipment was minimalist and the comfort was rather spartan. The bonnet is symbolic, but the performance is very good and the model is very popular. This nice roadster is offered at a lower price than the sedan with equivalent mechanics in 4 or 5 HP respectively the 745 cc or the 851 cc. The first year saw the production of 681 cars. Its performance allowed it to compete with young drivers. In 1953, a cabriolet with descending side windows was added to the roadster and the chassis frame was widened to allow three people to sit in it. In June, the front grille inherited from the Dyna X was replaced by a very simplified one with a single large horizontal bar. The 4CV model no longer sells at all, and customers concentrate on the more powerful version. 18 units of the 4CV find takers against 2,793 5CV models. The Junior was the best selling Panhard model in 1953! The 1954 model found 791 customers. 378 Juniors were produced in 1955 and production stopped in April 1956 after the last 48 units. The Junior was a short-lived model that left its mark on a whole era. Fun and easy to drive, it held the road very well. Its performance is close to 125-130 km/h. Its simplified shape and uncluttered styling give this performance-engined "sports car" an unforgettable edge. One thing is for sure: it leaves no one indifferent. The example presented is a gold coloured convertible described by the owner as being in perfect working order and fully serviced. This Junior belongs to an important collection of Panhard "Twin" cars. The black upholstery is in very good condition. The fenders are equipped with aluminium shoes of the most beautiful effect. Under the bonnet, the dynamo has been replaced by a more efficient alternator. With less than 5,000 units built in all versions, the Junior is a rare car. It is still as much fun to drive 60 years after the first model was released. With its inimitable, carefree face, the Junior has made a whole generation dream.