The U23, or Type 23, was a light (2-ton)

truck A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame constructi ...

introduced by Citroën in 1935. Although the

engine cowling A cowling is the removable covering of a vehicle's engine, most often found on automobiles, motorcycles, airplanes, and on outboard boat motors. On airplanes, cowlings are used to reduce drag and to cool the engine. On boats, cowlings are a cove ...

and front body appeared similar to the Citroën Traction Avant's, the U23 had a conventional

rear-wheel-drive Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, in which the engine drives the rear wheels only. Until the late 20th century, rear-wheel drive was the most common configuration for cars. Most rear-wheel ...

layout. Production lasted through 1969, and approximately one million were produced. The truck was powered by a 1911 cc four-cylinder petrol engine, with a 1767 cc four-cylinder

Diesel engine The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-ca ...

made available in 1936. One major customer was the French military, who ordered large quantities of Type 23s after the declaration of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. At the time of the German invasion, more than 12,000 had been delivered in less than ten months. About 6,000 were pressed into German service after the French defeat of June 1940.German Military Vehicles of World War II, Jean-Denis G.G. Lepage, p. 95

Bus A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a road vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van. It is most commonly used in public transport, but is also in use for cha ...

and

coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Co ...

versions, called the Type 23 RU, were introduced in 1941. The U23 underwent a major restyling in the mid-1950s, giving it a wide horizontal grille that incorporated the headlamps which were previously mounted to the fenders. It was gradually replaced by the Citroën 350 to 850 range, also called ''Belphégor'', which had been introduced in 1964, although U23 production continued until 1969. File:Citroen U 23 (1).jpg, Type 23 RU File:Citroën Type 23 - Coupe Florio 2013 (avant)1.jpg, Facelifted Type 23

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Citroen U23 U23 World War II vehicles of France Trucks