CarBrandLogos archive · Panhard · 1959

PanhardPL 17

A restyled flat-twin saloon that won the Monte Carlo Rally outright.

Photo: Guillaume27 at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0

The story

A defining chapter in Panhard history.

Explore the ideas, engineering and context that shaped the Panhard PL 17, then continue into its specifications and place in the marque's lineage.

Origins

The PL 17 of 1959 was a thorough reworking of the Dyna Z rather than a new car, with a revised front and rear, a cleaner interior and better rustproofing, still riding on the 850cc air-cooled flat-twin driving the front wheels. Saloon, cabriolet and estate bodies were offered.

Panhard PL17 001 · Arnaud 25 · Public domain

Design and engineering

Its great moment came in 1961, when a PL 17 won the Monte Carlo Rally outright. On a snow-and-ice event where light weight, front-wheel drive and modest power were genuine advantages, Panhard's odd little saloon beat far more powerful machinery, and the company used the result in its advertising for years.

Panhard PL 17 Kombi 1963-1965 · Buch-t · Public domain

In production

About 166,000 were built to 1965, making it Panhard's most successful model. By then Citroën's control of the company was tightening, and the 24 that replaced it would be the last car Panhard ever made.

Panhard 17B Relmax & PL17 · Andrew Bone from Weymouth, England · CC BY 2.0

At a glance