space was available from model year 1964, when the spare wheel was moved from beneath the luggage space to under the bonnet, where it fits around the air filter. This is possible because the wheels have no centre — that is formed by the finned aluminum brake drums. Sales The Panhard saloons produced after the Citroën take-over were not priced aggressively. In 1962, there were five different versions of the PL 17 offering or of maximum power and priced in France at between 6,990 and 8,240 francs for the standard sedan bodied versions. The similarly sized Simca Aronde came with power outputs ranging between and , priced between 6,340 and 7,450 francs. The Panhard was a little longer and a little wider, forcing dealers to explain why an 850 cc Panhard should cost more than a 1300 cc Simca. Panhard connoisseurs, including many taxi owners, appreciated the PL 17's superior road holding and fuel economy, as well as the extra space afforded by the Panhard's greater cabin width. Less pleasing were the awkward gear box, still without synchromesh on the bottom ratio, and the steering which was heavy at low speeds. Performance, especially for the top of the range "PL 17 Tigre" was helped by the Panhard's lighter body, although the extent of Panhard's weight advantage had been reduced over the previous decade as aluminium had become more expensive and light metal panels had been substituted for some of the steel ones. Pricing issues may explain why PL 17 sales levels were too low to enable the model to reach the volumes of the Aronde. A sporting two-door coupé with a fibreglass body on PL17 basis was built from 1956 until 1963 by Arista as the Passy and later also Sport, with the Tigre engine. Not much lighter and only marginally faster than a regular PL17, the rather expensive Arista did not find many buyers. Motor sport In 1961, a Panhard PL 17 won the Monte Carlo Rally. Evidence that this was no mere fluke came from the PL 17s that took second and third places, showing that a lightweight car with an 850 cc engine could be more than a match for heavier cars with more muscular power units. Rally Victories {|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; " ! No. ! Event ! Year ! Driver ! Co-driver |- | 1 | 30ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo | 1961 | Maurice Martin