Peugeot DMA

1941

The Peugeot DMA was a light commercial truck built by Peugeot between 1941 and 1948, notable as the first commercial vehicle from the manufacturer to use a forward-control cab design.

Overview and History

Introduced in March 1941 during the German occupation of France, the DMA featured a forward-control design to maximize load space. This configuration placed the driver at the front, but the engine was partly inside the cab. The rear-wheel-drive layout prevented a low, flat load floor like its front-wheel-drive competitor, the Citroën TUB. Over 11,000 DMA trucks were produced, many of which were used by the German army during the war. After the war, production continued for civilian use in France.

Features and Legacy

Engine Versatility The 2.1L petrol engine could be adapted to run on charcoal-derived gazogène due to wartime fuel shortages.

Durability The DMA had a simple, robust design with thick welded body panels.

Successors The DMA was followed by the Peugeot Q3A in 1948 and then the front-wheel-drive Peugeot D3 van in 1950.