Citroen H Van

My ripple-panelled riposte to the VW is the equally practical H Van, which is as capable (if not more so) than the overrated Type 2.

- Ian Seabrook

For me, this friendly battle is a no-brainer. Launched in 1947, the Citroën H Van is simply one of the best vans ever designed. Even today, few can match it for its super-low floor and near six feet of headroom, even with the standard roof. Certainly, you’re not going to match it by putting the engine in the load bay...

These days, front-wheel drive vans are pretty much the norm for light duties, with rear-wheel drive only called upon when serious weight needs to be carried. Back in 1947, the H Van was nothing short of radical. Monocoque construction and the mechanicals all being crammed up front with the driver left the floor height super-low, aided by torsion bar springing. The H Van actually made far better use of space than the Traction Avant that it borrowed its engine and gearbox from. Unlike the Traction, the H has the engine ahead of the gearbox – the rearmost pair of cylinders actually sit in the cabin, accessible via a ‘coal scuttle’ panel that lifts out.