Unique road trip brings rare Citroën to Carlisle for the Import & Performance Nationals

Carlisle Events

CARLISLE, PA – Unique and rare things find their way to Carlisle each May for the Carlisle Import & Performance Nationals. The cars and trucks that adorn the showfield were primarily manufactured overseas and once state-side, rarely go back. For 2022; however, one French made Citroën is coming to the states, traversing many of them, then going back to Europe as part of its journey of a lifetime.

The Citroën 2CV was introduced to the world as part of the 1948 Paris Mondial de l'Automobile (Auto Show) and had lasting impacts on French car culture for 40 more years. Of course, its impact reaches beyond its years of production and each spring in Carlisle, the Citroën’s are celebrated as part of the French showfield and hosted by the Citroën’s at Carlisle club.

This particular 2CV is powered by a 29-horsepower engine and is 35 years old. Fully refurbished, the fun commences in LA in April and heads east, crossing southern states like Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas before angling north and east through Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. After a quick pass through of Michigan, the journey enters western Ontario before dropping down stateside again in New York. From a pass by Niagara Falls, the drive continues through Pennsylvania to Washington D.C., before coming back into PA for a visit to Carlisle on May 14. After all the pomp and circumstance in Carlisle, the journey continues towards Philly, then north through New Jersey and into New York City.

But wait…there’s more. A 6,000+ mile journey isn’t complete without its final 2,300 miles in Europe. After boarding a ship in New York City, the 2CV floats its way to Land’s End in the Southwest of the United Kingdom. Once rolling again, the trip winds through both city and countryside in England and France before entering Nice, Italy on July 24. With a day of rest in Nice, the trip forges on to its July 28 destination of Rome.

The journey isn’t just about some people driving a classic car from LA to Rome, it actually has a real purpose; raising awareness and support of Kennedy’s Disease. Per the Kennedy’s Disease web page, the disease “is a rare X-linked recessive genetic progressive neuro-muscular disease. Both the spinal and bulbar neurons are affected causing muscle weakness and wasting (atrophy) throughout the body which is most noticeable in the extremities (legs/arms), it is especially noticeable in the face and throat, and causes speech and swallowing difficulties, major muscle cramps as well as other symptoms.”

Be at Carlisle for the grand entrance at Carlisle, meet the group associated with the road trip and support their cause along the way. The Carlisle Import & Performance Nationals is actively taking registrations for the judged and non-judged showfield, vendor registrations, and selling discounted spectator tickets in advance of the May offering. Learn more about the special displays and get involved today by calling 717-243-7855 or online at CarlisleEvents.com.

Carlisle Events is a partner or producer of over a dozen annual collector car/truck events. Events are held at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds (Carlisle, PA), Allentown Fairgrounds (Allentown, PA), and the SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus (Lakeland, FL). The season schedule includes four automotive flea markets of varying size, four auctions, as well as individual specialty shows featuring Corvettes, Fords, GMs, Chryslers, trucks, imports, tuners and performance sport compacts. Founded in 1974 by friends Bill Miller and Chip Miller, events hosted at Carlisle attract enthusiasts annually from all corners of the globe. More information is available at www.CarlisleEvents.com or www.CarlisleAuctions.com.

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Want a taste of Old Cars magazine first? Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine.