Did Citroen just make the ugliest car ever? - discuss

[GiveMeABreak]

The e-Mehari would be a better option for me it I had to choose between the two. 2 Adult seats in the front and maybe 2 small people in the back, 35 MPH, and no C3 Pluriel shenanigans fiddling with the roof configuration - as there isn't a roof as such - it seems there are roll up press stud windows and some plastic inserts that go over the 2 roof sections - presumably stores in the boot.

It is marketed as a beach buggy, so take it for what it is. Won't be sold in the UK, but €28k and €87 a month to hire the batteries! That bit I'm not keen on.

Picture credits from Auto Express and AutoEvolution:

[Michel]

Fair enough, I respect your individuality, and hope they make a go-faster version for you. But still, I'm sure you know you're in the minority on this marmite-motor?

Seriously, if they made one that did 60mph and had a range of 60 miles, I'd buy one tomorrow. It'd be ideal for my journey to work, and safer than my usual mode of transport in winter!

I think this bit particular is genius "To save costs, the body is completely symmetrical; not only left-right symmetrical, but also front-rear symmetrical, except for the doors and the roof. The doors open in opposite directions, with the driver having a suicide door while the passenger door opens conventionally, allowing the same panels to be used.

[Jay-Bruce]

https://microlino-car.com/en/microlino 230 km maximum range / 90 km/h max. speed 496 kg kerbweight, all electric?

[NewcastleFalcon]

Even less important to my own assessment of the Ami than whether it is liked or disliked by others, is whether it is liked or disliked by a minority or majority of posters on this thread. I would say that as far as Stellantis-Citroen is concerned the Ami quadricycle and its subsequent clones have created more of a buzz than the rest of Stellantis offerings put together.

Stop with the 'ugly' talk it's transport, gets you from A to B cheaply looks don't matter.

...and one of the most successful motorised transport vehicles ever is the Honda Cub which has had great longevity and sold by far the greatest number of units in the history of transport. It did/does exactly what you say Gibbo, "gets you from A to B cheaply looks don't matter". It never was or intended to be in the same market as, or look anything like a Triumph Bonneville, a BSA Gold Star, or a Harley Davidson.


Honda super cub, 1st Gen. 1958, Left side
Mj-bird, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The Citroen Ami is a Quadricycle, and, modern quadricycles don't look like "cars" (happy for anyone to come up with an exception) just as the super cub didn't look like a motorcycle in the traditional sense . As mentioned previously the Fiat Topolino Quadricycle derived from the Ami, looking like a baby Fiat 500 is the closest you get.

Here's a real life Quadricycle spotted the other day, a heavy quadricycle at that. It has more poke than the Ami (which as a light quadricycle is limited to a max speed of 28 mph (45 kph) ) and the heavy quadricycle has no speed restriction as such, other than that as a consequence of the constraints of maximum power (15kW) and weight (450 kg). In the days when it was imported it was known as the Twizy 80 in the UK, (80kph (50mph)) although as said there is no speed restriction on a heavy quadricycle.

Falcon Original
19 July 2023

Renault have come up with their Twizy replacement and known as the Duo and the Bento. As you might expect the on the ball FCF has a thread on it...still awaiting the first positive comment on that one from the FCF Faithful, who lets face it aren't really much of a market for these things!

viewtopic.php?t=72607&hilit=bento

Neil

[Jay-Bruce]

The e-Mehari would be a better option for me it I had to choose between the two. 2 Adult seats in the front and maybe 2 small people in the back, 35 MPH, and no C3 Pluriel shenanigans fiddling with the roof configuration - as there isn't a roof as such - it seems there are roll up press stud windows and some plastic inserts that go over the 2 roof sections - presumably stores in the boot.

It is marketed as a beach buggy, so take it for what it is. Won't be sold in the UK, but €28k and €87 a month to hire the batteries! That bit I'm not keen on.

Picture credits from Auto Express and AutoEvolution:

Marc, how did you do that cool looking gallery thing in the post?

[GiveMeABreak]

Use tables via the Full Editor Jay, then insert your images like this example which would put 2 images into a table. Repeat as necessary.

Code: Select all

[table][tr][td]Image 1 Here[/td][td]Image 2 Here[/td][/tr][/table]

[Michel]

Renault have come up with their Twizy replacement and known as the Duo and the Bento. As you might expect the on the ball FCF has a thread on it...still awaiting the first positive comment on that one from the FCF Faithful, who lets face it aren't really much of a market for these things!

viewtopic.php?t=72607&hilit=bento

Neil

Again, not fast enough. Someone needs to tell these manufacturers they're missing a trick. Whichever way I go to work, there's either motorway or a busy 60mph countryside road. 50mph just isn't fast enough to be safe. I don't need range, or massive luggage capacity. My commute is 25 miles each way, there's only me most days. I rarely use a car with anyone else in it, and we have Mrs Michel's for that.

[MattBLancs]

The Citroen Ami is a Quadricycle, and, modern quadricycles don't look like "cars" (happy for anyone to come up with an exception) just as the super cub didn't look like a motorcycle in the traditional sense . As mentioned previously the Fiat Topolino Quadricycle derived from the Ami, looking like a baby Fiat 500 is the closest you get.

I'd say the G-wiz was the most "looking like a car" quadricycle - for me it's only the ugly details that take the edge off it. It's got an air of "it was too expensive to make bits from scratch" approach - very common with the kit car world, but kit cars generally it looks like someone was attempting to make the available, nearest match part commonly available work with the design. The G-wiz has more of a pin the tail on the donkey aesthetic!

On the 28mph Vs 50mph/power limited: light Vs heavy quadricycle regulations - 50mph ish would be enough to bring it into sensible consideration. Yes it'd be a hazard on the motorway/fast A road still but more a viable option than a literal "city only" 28 plodder. How odd that doesn't seem the template for any quadricycle marketed in the UK!

[Jay-Bruce]

Renault have come up with their Twizy replacement and known as the Duo and the Bento. As you might expect the on the ball FCF has a thread on it...still awaiting the first positive comment on that one from the FCF Faithful, who lets face it aren't really much of a market for these things!

viewtopic.php?t=72607&hilit=bento

Neil

Again, not fast enough. Someone needs to tell these manufacturers they're missing a trick. Whichever way I go to work, there's either motorway or a busy 60mph countryside road. 50mph just isn't fast enough to be safe. I don't need range, or massive luggage capacity. My commute is 25 miles each way, there's only me most days. I rarely use a car with anyone else in it, and we have Mrs Michel's for that.

81mph top speed, 81 miles range, two seats, similar stature to an Ami - I give you the Smart For Two EQ:
https://www.parkers.co.uk/smart/eq-fort ... -2d/specs/

[Hell Razor5543]

Fair enough, I respect your individuality, and hope they make a go-faster version for you. But still, I'm sure you know you're in the minority on this marmite-motor?

Seriously, if they made one that did 60mph and had a range of 60 miles, I'd buy one tomorrow. It'd be ideal for my journey to work, and safer than my usual mode of transport in winter!

I think the electric Carver (shown on a recent episode of Top Gear) might be close. 50MPH and a range of 80 miles.

https://www.carverelectric.co.uk/

[NewcastleFalcon]

I think the electric Carver (shown on a recent episode of Top Gear) might be close. 50MPH and a range of 60 miles.

https://www.carverelectric.co.uk/

That is a very interesting vehicle, and plenty info on it, maybe lost in this thread in the Citroen section which I think has more than answered the initially posed question both on the yes side and the no side. I may start a thread on "Small Electric" to cover what's new in the non-car area of small electric vehicles, and kick it off with the fully charged vid on the Carver.

Neil

[Hell Razor5543]

I think the electric Carver (shown on a recent episode of Top Gear) might be close. 50MPH and a range of 60 miles.

https://www.carverelectric.co.uk/

That is a very interesting vehicle, and plenty info on it, maybe lost in this thread in the Citroen section which I think has more than answered the initially posed question both on the yes side and the no side. I may start a thread on "Small Electric" to cover what's new in the non-car area of small electric vehicles, and kick it off with the fully charged vid on the Carver.

Neil

I won't dispute that, but I was merely making a suggestion for Michel, as he was pointing out a niche in the electric vehicle market that appeared to be unoccupied.

[NewcastleFalcon]

I won't dispute that, but I was merely making a suggestion for Michel, as he was pointing out a niche in the electric vehicle market that appeared to be unoccupied.

Yes apologies James, your reply was definitely part of the flow of the thread. I have now set up a thread to assemble news and info on the developing area of small electric vehicles which aren't classed as cars, quite a few of which got a mention in passing as part of this thread. The Carver I wasn't aware of and an interesting find.

Neil

[MattBLancs]

[DHallworth]

I had a deposit on one of them but the reliability issues that people were reporting led me to asking for it back.