Images from The Past of The Citroën U55 Cityrama Currus, the Best Bus Ever Built in History
In 1956, Groupe Cityrama, a French travel company, asked Currus, a renowned coachbuilder, to create a revolutionary bus for modern tourists visiting Paris.
This bus, designed for quick and comfortable sightseeing, became a public transport marvel. Post-World War II, Currus was known for converting Renault cars into police vehicles, but the Cityrama bus was a more ambitious project. It was built on a Citroën lorry chassis and featured a diesel engine.
h/t: vintag.es
The bus boasted a design that eclipsed even the famous DS 19 and Facel Vega FVS cars. It had a retractable roof, large windows, reclining seats, multilingual commentary, and on-board catering, accommodating 50 passengers. The Cityrama bus became a tourist attraction, with drivers taking pride in operating it, although it was intimidating for other motorists.
Currus made 5 to 10 of these buses, and in the 1960s, Cityrama ordered a more standard bus based on the Saviem chassis. Currus closed in 1975, but their unique bus was featured in the 1960 film “Zazie dans le Métro.” By the 1980s, these buses were phased out, with only one believed to remain, leaving a lasting impression on 1950s Paris visitors.
