With the old Citroën it can go in any direction. Some models were beautiful because of their amazing design and advanced technology, others were especially charming because of their disarming simplicity. The Visa undoubtedly fits into the latter category and received a facelift in 1981.
The Citroën Visa appeared in 1978 as a compact model that slowly had to push the sturdy to mildly aged 2CV and its derivatives Dyane and Ami into the background, although with such legends that is certainly not an easy task. The car undeniably looks more modern than the aforementioned cars and received a sleek, relatively high carriage with slanting rear wheel arches. It was striking that (apart from the four-door “Décapotable”) it was always a five-door hatchback, while the choice of three- and five-door bodies for these types of cars was customary for a long time.
An early Visa is nicknamed “pig nose” in enthusiast circles because of its somewhat typical front party. The somewhat narrow grille is included in the plastic panel that also serves as a front bumper, which together with the somewhat sad looking headlights indeed yields a rather distinctive front.
It was precisely this front that had to lose out in 1982. A more modern, tighter facade with a larger grille was added. Once again, a major role was reserved for black plastic, but instead of the grille the entire front was now enclosed. Larger light units appeared at the rear, which now extended to “around the corner” and could therefore also be seen from the side. That side view has been a bit more modern since 1982, thanks to a black frame and ditto B-pillar.