An idea that originated in the West African nation of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in the early part of the 1960’s inspired a totally different cult following not only in Africa but also in France, Iran and distant Chile & Vietnam. 

In 1961, Maurice Delignon, a French carpenter who had settled in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, owned one of the variants of Citroen 2CV car. He often went into the jungles^ for hunting and missed the versatility of a Land Rover. Though the Citroen 2CV was robust yet, it was constrained by its doors, space for keeping hunting equipment, etc. Also in tropical Africa where temperatures easily go to 45 degrees celcius, the steel body of the 2CV made it hotter in the jungles. 

So he approached a garage and went on building the car and turning it into an SUV. He used parts from the Citroen Type H and made it appear like a military Jeep. Delignon named it "Baby Brousse" (Baby Bush^, in French). 

This new vehicle caught not only the attention of cocoa plantation owners but also two French businessmen who were partners in the firm Ateliers et Forges de l’Ebrié in Abidjan. They started building the first batch of SUV’s using basic sheet metal components and bolting them together, instead of welding). This new concept was a success right from the beginning. They sold a number of these vehicles to plantation owners in Ghana, Guinea Bissau in West Africa.

A rally starting from Abidjan to Paris brought the Baby Brousse to international attention, including the management of Citroen who worked further on this model to bring the FAF range of vehicles. 

Meanwhile, the Baby Brousse became so famous that they got produced in Vietnam as the Dalat, in Chile as Yagán, in Iran as Jiane, etc. 

^ known as bush (in Africa)