Citroën 2CV Fourgonnette Dimensions, Payload and Practicality: AU to AKS 400 Explained

The Citroën 2CV Fourgonnette is a family of small commercial vans, not one vehicle with one universal specification. The AU and AZU are generally rated at 250 kg, the AK 350 at 350 kg and the high-roof AKS 400 (also called AK 400 in some references) at 400 kg. The AKS 400 roof is reported as 20 cm higher than the preceding form. Those are historical model ratings; they do not prove that a particular restored van is safe to carry the same load today.

Exact overall and cargo-bay dimensions are often requested, but no complete, variant-specific factory table was published in the cited historical material. For garage fitment or a loading plan, measure the individual vehicle and check its year-specific paperwork rather than turning the 20 cm roof change into an assumed overall height.

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What the 2CV Fourgonnette was designed to do

Citroën introduced the Fourgonnette in 1951 as the commercial derivative of the 2CV. It used the 2CV formula—front-wheel drive, an air-cooled two-cylinder engine and deliberately light technical solutions—in a box-bodied van intended for small businesses, tradespeople, farmers and local deliveries. Citroën’s historical descriptions emphasize function, robustness and economy. Those are period design aims, not results from a modern road test.

Production continued through several generations until March 1978. Citroën Communication’s 2014 Retromobile materials record 1,246,306 examples produced through the end of production. Citroën Professional’s current historical timeline describes more than 1.2 million vehicles over roughly three decades; the difference is simply the precision of the count and the way the history page rounds it.

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Because the body, engine and carrying rating evolved, “2CV van” is too vague for a purchase, restoration or fitment decision. Identify the model designation, production year and market before relying on any specification.

Variants and their rated payloads

The following figures are nominal historical ratings attributed to specialist vehicle-history and technical sources. They are not a weighing certificate for an individual survivor, and equipment, body repairs, corrosion, registration rules and tyre ratings can change what is prudent today.

Names are not used consistently. Some specialist pages write “AK 400,” while others use “AKS 400.” Treat those labels as a terminology issue and verify the identification plate, chassis number and contemporary documents before ordering parts or comparing values.

What the payload number means

A nominal payload is the load the manufacturer’s specification assigned to that model under its original assumptions. It is not the mass of goods you can automatically place in a fifty-year-old van. Payload includes everything added after the empty vehicle in the condition defined by the paperwork: cargo, occupants, tools, spare parts, aftermarket equipment and sometimes fuel, depending on the stated weight convention.

For a specific van, start with the permissible mass and unladen mass shown on its registration documents or an authoritative period handbook. Subtract the measured or documented running weight, then reserve capacity for the driver, passengers and permanently fitted equipment. If the documents do not state those values, obtain a certified weighbridge measurement and ask the relevant registration authority how the local rating is interpreted.

Dimensions: what is known and what is not

There is one well-supported relative dimension: the AKS 400 roof was raised by 20 cm, according to the Retro Design technical reference. That tells you the high-roof body was intended to accept bulkier loads than the earlier form. It does not tell you the vehicle’s absolute height, the internal standing height, the distance to the roof at the rear doors or the amount of usable space lost to wheel arches.

No complete, variant-by-variant factory table covering overall length, overall width, overall height, wheelbase, cargo-floor length, floor width, door aperture or internal cargo height is published in the cited historical material. Publishing guessed figures would be especially risky because body panels, markets, model years, tyre sizes and restorations can alter a measurement that matters in practice.

How to obtain a fitment measurement

1. Identify the exact van: AU, AZU, AK 350 or AKS 400, plus model year and market.
2. Find the factory brochure, handbook or body-repair document for that year. Confirm that its dimensions distinguish overall height from internal cargo height.
3. Measure the actual vehicle on level ground with the tyres inflated to the specified pressure. Record the highest point, including roof fittings, and the widest point including mirrors if a garage entrance is involved.
4. Measure the loading opening, not just the cargo floor. Note the narrowest width, sill height, door swing and the clearance above the wheel arches.
5. Allow operating clearance. A garage measurement that exactly matches the roof height leaves no room for a sloping floor, suspension movement, roof rack, door seals or a misaligned approach.

For a garage, record entrance height and width separately from the internal bay dimensions. For a pallet, appliance or sheet material, measure the object in its transport orientation and compare it with the narrowest door opening before considering the floor area.

AK 350 versus AKS 400: what changes in use

The AK 350 and AKS 400 represent the progression from a longer small van to a higher-capacity, higher-roof version. The earlier model’s 350 kg rating is useful for relatively dense but moderate loads. The later AKS 400 adds 50 kg of nominal carrying capacity and the reported 20 cm roof increase, so it is the more suitable starting point when the load is tall or when loading posture matters.

That advantage is not unlimited. A higher body can change the vehicle’s centre of gravity, and a full payload placed high in the compartment is less desirable than the same mass kept low and secured. The raised roof also does not automatically provide a wider doorway, longer floor or more axle capacity. Check each of those attributes independently.

Panel van or Glaçauto family conversion?

Not every Fourgonnette has the same interior. Citroën’s press materials describe a Glaçauto configuration with side windows and a rear bench, making it suitable for family use. This was a conversion rather than the standard enclosed commercial arrangement.

Windows and a bench change the practical calculation in several ways. They occupy side-panel area that would otherwise be solid, add mass, reduce the uninterrupted loading volume and alter how cargo can be restrained. A passenger conversion may also have different seat-belt, registration and insurance requirements in your jurisdiction. Do not use a panel-van loading plan for a Glaçauto, or assume that a Glaçauto’s seating arrangement matches a factory passenger car.

Mechanical layout and day-to-day practicality

Front-wheel drive

Driven front wheels give the van a compact mechanical layout and leave a relatively simple rear load area. On a slippery surface, traction depends strongly on how much weight is over the front axle; placing all the cargo at the rear can make the front light and reduce steering grip. Keep heavy items low, forward of the rear axle where possible, and secure them against movement.

Air-cooled two-cylinder engines

The 2CV-based engines are mechanically simple and air-cooled. The AU is reported with a 375 cm³ engine, while the AK 350 is associated in the vehicle-history source with a 602 cm³ Ami 6-derived unit. AZU and later versions changed over time, so an engine badge or seller description is not enough to establish the exact specification. Confirm the engine number, gearbox and paperwork when originality or parts compatibility matters.

Light construction and modern expectations

Lightweight construction helped the Fourgonnette achieve its small-commercial purpose, but it also means that age and corrosion deserve more attention than the headline payload. A van that was rated for a particular load when new may have weakened chassis sections, tired suspension arms, worn brakes, perished tyres or non-original wheels today. Simple mechanical design can make inspection and repair accessible, but it does not remove the need for structural assessment.

How to judge a surviving van’s usable payload

Use the historical figure as a model-family reference, then establish the present vehicle’s limit through documentation and inspection.

• Check identity: Match the chassis or identification plate to the registration document and confirm the variant designation.
• Check legal mass: Record the permitted gross mass, axle limits and any local restrictions for historic or commercial vehicles.
• Weigh the van: A weighbridge reading with normal fuel, tools and fitted equipment is more useful than an estimated “empty” weight.
• Inspect structure: Have the chassis, floor, suspension mounts, spring pots, body supports and load floor checked for corrosion or repairs.
• Inspect stopping and contact points: Brakes, steering, wheel bearings, tyres and wheels must be suitable for the intended mass and speed.
• Plan restraint: Use attachment points and restraints appropriate to the cargo. Do not rely on the side panels or a bench seat to stop a heavy object.
• Recheck after loading: Confirm that no axle is overloaded, doors close without contact and suspension has safe clearance.

If any of these checks is inconclusive, reduce the load or obtain advice from a qualified inspector familiar with historic Citroën vehicles. The 250, 350 and 400 kg figures should never be used to justify loading a structurally compromised van.

Buying, restoring or using one for work

For a collector

Correct identity and period configuration may matter more than carrying ability. Verify whether the van is an AU, AZU, AK 350 or AKS 400, whether the body is original and whether a later engine or conversion has been installed. The “AK 400” and “AKS 400” naming variation is a reason to consult period documentation rather than reject a vehicle solely because one label is absent.

For occasional hauling

Choose the body style that fits the object you actually transport, then measure the opening and floor. Keep loads low, distribute mass evenly and secure everything. Occasional use does not make an old brake system, tyre or chassis automatically safe.

For regular commercial work

The historical ratings and compact dimensions explain the Fourgonnette’s appeal, but a modern operator must also consider reliability, legal inspection, insurance, emissions or access rules and the consequences of downtime. A surviving example may be excellent for light local duties, events or promotional use while being a poor substitute for a modern delivery van carrying heavy loads every day.

Bottom line

The 2CV Fourgonnette range spans the AU, AZU, AK 350 and AKS 400 generations, built from 1951 until March 1978. Historical payload ratings rise from 250 kg to 350 kg and then 400 kg, with the AKS 400 distinguished by a roof reported 20 cm higher. Those figures explain the evolution, but they are not a present-day load certificate. Because no complete factory dimensions table is published in the cited historical material, measure the individual van and obtain year-specific documentation before planning a garage fit, cargo load or restoration.

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