This 1967 2CV appeared for sale at Bohnams Scottsdale Auction on January 23, offered at no reserve, but with an estimate of between $40,000 and $60,000 USD. The listing claimed it was gifted by Billy Joel to Christie Brinkley, but it also raises a few questions…
Bonhams stated that it has a 425cc engine that produces 12 hp. The photos clearly show a 602 cc, 29 hp engine.
It is quite possible that when writing the listing Bonhams queried 1967 2CV specifications and found that the engine size was 425 cc. Overlooking that, it also means that Billy Joel purchased more than one 2CV when he was married to Christie Brinkley. (More about that in a moment.)…
This 2CV’s history is stated as:
Purchased by its current owner in the mid-1990s directly from Ms. Brinkley, the car has since remained in careful, enthusiast stewardship for nearly three decades. Throughout this period, it served as both a beloved driver and a cherished conversation piece.
As we have written extensively in Citroënvie, most 2CVs sold in the USA from 1998 onward were “aged” to conform to import regulations that they be 25+ years of age. The rule allowing the importation of classic cars over 25 years of age into the USA was established in 1988. Applying that rule, this 2CV registered as a 1967, would mean that the car had to be purchased by Billy Joel in 1992 or sometime thereafter, unless this was a 2CV brought into the USA prior to 1988 and resold to Billy Joel.
The car is no doubt distinctive, and it has a Charleston dashboard but those are not Charleston colors. That style of dashboard was introduced in 1980, so if the car was brought into the USA between 1980 and 1988, that might explain the wrong interior seat covers and the strange paint colors, as it could have been well used for a few years then been gussied up for the sale to Billy Joel at some point.
One thing is for sure, Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley divorced in 1994. He would not have bought the car for her after that.
What we do know is that it has a Fournet orange-painted frame and is late model car. That would most likely indicate that it was either purchased from Michel Fournet who imported 2CVs into the USA, or from David Allen who was doing the same and reselling some 2CVs already in the USA. Perhaps it was purchased from some other person, but unlikely as Billy Joel had found David Allen in Buford, GA and purchased a burgundy and black Charleston from him in 1990 with the help of Greg Long at Escargot Motors, in Toronto Canada.
Billy was playing a concert in Toronto at the time and had seen a burgundy and black Charleston sold by Escargot parked in front a restaurant that had bought it as a promotional vehicle. It was right across from his hotel and he asked his agent to get it — or one just like it.
With 2CV production winding down in Portugal that year, acquiring new 2CVs as candidates for “like new but on restored frames” sales, were no longer possible. That aspect of the business was ending for both Fournet and Escargot. Greg had ordered some 2CVs (he thinks about 10) from Fournet as Escargot’s last order.
Greg recalls;
“In the final days in 1990, when it was still possible to order new 2CVs, Fournet—our supplier—asked how many cars we wanted. I said ten, which was a huge order and a major risk for a company our size. Fournet purchased new cars and used their parts to build “new” vehicles on top of restored, original frames that were 15 (Canada) to 25 (USA) years old. Those frames were painted in bright colors so Customs could easily see they were original frames with their original vehicle identification number plates.
Around the same time, I managed to get our Escargot Motorcars brochure and my business card to Billy through a friend who was a Toronto police officer. He was working security for Billy during his Toronto concert—guerrilla marketing at its finest!
In the end, though, Billy ordered the car from David Allan. One of those last ten cars was effectively “given” by me to David for that sale. So I’ve always liked to say that both David and I had a hand in getting Billy his 2CV.“
Knowing what a really nice “as new” Charleston is, why was this car purchased, unless Billy had acquired it prior to his concert in Toronto and wanted a better one?
Looking at the photos, it is pretty clear that there is considerable rust underneath. It is highly unlikely the car would be that rusted unless Christie drove it in the Long Island beach surf. If the car was in careful enthusiast stewardship after purchasing it from Christie Brinkley, why now can it’s condition can best be described as a gussied up beater?
The dates of the windshield stickers indicate a different purchase timeline to the current seller. November 16, 2001 seems to be date it left Christie’s ownership though road registration expired on April 24, 1998. Why does the listing state that it was acquired by the seller in the mid-1990s? Was he storing it for her under he ownership up until November 2001?
But wait! There was recent sale of this car. It was listed on Bring-a-Trailer as a “27-Years-Owned 1967 Citroën 2CV” and sold for $21,500 USD on July 14, 2025.
So this auction is not only a misrepresentation, it is also a flip with the 7 month owner hoping to sell to an unsuspecting buyer who will shell out big bucks for a 2CV with a Christie Brinkley pedigree!
And if you’re wondering what became of Billy Joel’s “real” Charleston. On April 25, 2004, then 54, he lost control of it a rain-slicked road in Bayville, New York, crashing into an unoccupied house. He suffered only a minor cut to his finger and was not charged with any crime, with police citing slippery conditions as the cause.
Key Details of the crash:
- The Vehicle: A burgundy and black 1967 Citroën 2CV.
- Location: Bayville, Long Island, near his home.
- Damage: The car sustained front-end damage, while the house suffered a cracked foundation and damaged bushes.
- Context: This was the third of three car accidents in a two-year period (2002–2004).
- Aftermath: Joel was not intoxicated, and police reported no evidence of drugs or alcohol. He later attributed this period of accidents to “mental fog” and depression following 9/11.
Billy’s 2CV was towed away with minor damage, and parts of the grille were later auctioned for charity.
Update — Jan. 24, 2026: Bonhams sold the Christie Brinkley 2CV for $24,640 USD. Here is the text of listing:
LOT 155
1967 Citroën 2CV Chassis no. 7080428
Estimate: US$40,000 – US$60,000CA$55,000 – CA$83,000
1967 Citroën 2CV
Chassis no. 7080428
425cc Air-Cooled OHV Flat 2-Cylinder Gasoline Engine
Single Carburetor
12 bhp at 4,000 rpm
Four-Speed Manual Transaxle
Independent Leading Arm Front and Trailing Arm Rear Suspension
Front Inboard Drum and Rear Drum Brakes
- Finished in an eye-catching and playful two-tone scheme of yellow and blue
- Fitted with retractable blue vinyl roof, 15″ steel wheels, and front mud flaps
- 29-year single ownership
- Celebrity provenance, previously owned by supermodel Christie Brinkley, gifted by Billy Joel
- Features gray cloth and vinyl interior with rare Veglia instrumentation
THE CAR OFFERED
Presented here is a delightfully distinctive 1967 Citroën 2CV, chassis 7080428, in a its vibrant two-tone yellow and blue livery, colorfully complemented by the iconic blue retractable vinyl roof and gray-cloth-and-vinyl cabin, but by its compelling provenance, having passed through the hands of supermodel and entrepreneur Christie Brinkley, who received the car as a personal gift from her then-husband, singer-songwriter Billy Joel.
Purchased by its current owner in the mid-1990s directly from Ms. Brinkley, the car has since remained in careful, enthusiast stewardship for nearly three decades. Throughout this period, it served as both a beloved driver and a cherished conversation piece.
The car’s two-tone exterior, a lively blend of yellow panels offset by blue wings and roof, brings exuberance to its famously minimalist lines. While the current vinyl roof displays some light tears, this honest cosmetic patina documents the authenticity of its years on the road and encourages either preservation or modest refurbishment in the next custodian’s hands. The 15-inch steel wheels, mounted with well-worn Michelin tires, and the fitment of mud flaps at the front, both speak to the car’s strong period-correct character and French-market heritage.
Mechanically, this 2CV’s 425cc air-cooled twin-cylinder engine is reported to run and drive well, having benefited from recent preparation for sale, including a new battery, comprehensive ignition service, and fuel system flush. Paired with the famed four-speed manual transaxle, the powertrain provides the feather-light agility and surprising comfort for which these Citroëns are beloved; power is sent to the front wheels through supple, independent suspension.
Celebrities have long been drawn to the 2CV’s unpretentious joie de vivre, and the connection to Christie Brinkley and Billy Joel endows this car with narrative value few collector cars can match. Records accompanying the sale (including service and registration history) testify to the stewardship of its present owner and ensure a reassuring history.
A rare opportunity to acquire a celebrity-owned 2CV with lasting provenance, this example represents the ideal intersection of eccentric charm, simplicity, and star-studded history. It stands poised to captivate its next caretaker—as it has for each of its fortunate custodians before.