Sharp little record-setter

It might be a fairly cheap little 1/43 scale model by Universal Hobbies, but there's just something about the shape, and the story, of this La Petite Rosalie Citroen record-setter that makes this one of my favourite cars in my diecast collection.

As one friend said, "it'd make a good axe". That's sharp!

Now here's the story, lifted word-for-word from a posting by
my friend RT, posting as "Featherless Biped" at
www.scale143.com. where I hang out online. Over to you, RT...

"With this car, Citroën intended to demonstrate the reliability of their cars. This was done in 1933 with this car and a team of drivers. With officials watching, the car was driven on a track for 133 days and nights and only stopped when it had covered 300,000 km (186,000 miles)! It averaged 93 kph (58 mph). This brought Citroën great publicity. Petite Rosalie broke or established 300 other records. The record was made using Yacco motor oil."

Couldn't have said it better myself, thank you RT. 

This is the great thing about collecting diecast cars: you discover cars you didn't know existed and you read stories you've never read before. And for me, you also stop and think how utterly intrepid the pioneers of motoring were: 133 days of slogging it out around a track, without the benefit of a windshield or roof or any kind of creature comfort. This is one car which proved its worth, piloted by an unheralded group of drivers (and backup mechanics) who must have been as tough as Dad's axe.