Reading the content of the article you linked, the first version had 9hp and was "notoriously underpowered". Most 2CVs actually came with engines around 30 HP. This car also weighed only 560kg, which is lighter than even a Smart Fortwo. Modern crash safety standards mean it's effectively impossible[0] to produce street legal cars that weigh less.
The fact that a car was once successfully sold in Europe with such a low power to weight ratio doesn't mean it would succeed in today's market. Consumer expectations have changed. They could change again, but there would have to be a good reason.
[0] Lighter cars could be made from more exotic materials, but those would drive the price out of reach of the average buyer.
The fact that a car was once successfully sold in Europe with such a low power to weight ratio doesn't mean it would succeed in today's market. Consumer expectations have changed. They could change again, but there would have to be a good reason.
[0] Lighter cars could be made from more exotic materials, but those would drive the price out of reach of the average buyer.