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I know some of you dear readers think I'm too infatuated with small cars underpowered toys foreign And you're right, but that's not why you rub your eyes at the Ami 8 visually difficult; he is the only other French vintage car I found parked on the streets, roamed we walk on our trip to Paris, but I am delighted with my lot; Ami was very high on my list of cars I was hoping to find after a Peugeot 404, even if its not the earliest and most bizarre Ami 6 and get what both Ami6 and 8 look pretty tame compared to the car Citroën expected to build in its place Get your glasses ready sun.
Before we get there, the Ami 6 often appears on lists of ugliest cars in the world, it certainly scores high in pure eccentricity But every child looks beautiful to his mother, and Citroën designer Flaminio Bertoni , who also designed the exquisite DS Goddess, called the Ami 6 his favorite car there and it almost seems tame compared to the Citroen car was planning to build a model of medium size.
Yes Citroën was an adventurous society in the early fifties, the gap between the small cheap 2CV and the DS was large very upscale, and Cocinelle was to bridge his boxer engine sits under the front seat, and drove the front wheels extremely aerodynamic and super-lightweight, Cocinelle was the car most radical producing almost never.
When Citroën canceled the project, it needed a quick and effective solution for mid-level car Having taken control of Panhard Panhard see history here, Citroën sold Panhard sedan to its own concessions, but which was only a stop gap the solution was to add a larger body to the frame of the platform 2CV, keeping the suspension, and the expansion of its boxer twin engine 435 to a whopping 602 cc and since Citroën was concerned the new Panhard 24 similar competition size under development, it banned a four-door version, which is partly why the beautiful Panhard 24 arrived both a coupe and a wheelbase two-door sedan which was intended to be a four-door sedan.
In fairness to Citroen and Bertoni, it must be emphasized that the Friend famous face would not be so weird L'Ami was the first production car ever to use the rectangular headlights, and originally they were to be incorporated in a slim design forward over much more harmonious.
But the authorities thought the lights were too low, and the front end has been redone with the lights in a higher position, and much more awkward We can thank the French bureaucrats for the appearance of the Friend of all cars still uglier list the Friend basis was simple rectangular lights left and the high-end quad club had lights anyway, even attractive babes French stand weren t going to be able to dip those eyes adequately.
But not the Rear Window inclined, which was developed by Mercury a few years earlier, and also used by the Ford British Anglia Its practical purpose here is to leave a large trunk in a short car because Citroën had decided specifically against a hatchback R4 which came out the same year as the Ami 6 is probably wish they had gone the same route.
I just have to share this picture that shows the cars in their rapid cornering attitude of the suspension of Citroen connected the front and rear wheels on each side, but what was missing was an interface side to the other the result is as Keeling on a sailboat Folks just got used to it, or jumped Dramamine But despite the attitude, these cars were still riveted on the road and could be conducted deceptively fast.
L'Ami 6 appeared in 1961 and was built in 1971.
In 1969, the Ami 8 was introduced with a front end that restyled smoothed part of the extreme deformity, and with an inclined hatch to replace the breezeway window and a power of a boost to start from 28 to 32 hp, which was brought up again after 1973 no pathetic 35, 36 cubic inches maximum speed was claimed to be 74 mph, but only saw 65 Bus in their test ambling 0-50 no 60 took an economy 30 was 44 miles per gallon; great for time; ugly compared to what modern diesel engines of today to reach with two times heavier cars and many times the power.
L'Ami 8 was also available in the wagon version Break I found, like the Ami 6 The rear cargo area is quite room, thanks to a very low floor.
s Now here is the kicker with this car, it has a trailer hitch, I know the Europeans have done remarkably lightweight travel trailers, but I can not imagine that even the smallest of them would have been as drawn at this Ami 8 car Glacial is the only word that comes to mind at least a large part of France is relatively flat.
But help was available towards the end of the Friend of long life of twenty years in 1973, the new four-cylinder boxer for the GS was also available in the aptly named Ami super Listings promised 85 mph The great friend was not a sales success, and disappeared after a few years, while the Ami 8 soldiered along until 1979 it might be the last 70 years.
But it wasn t the engine transplant only received the Friend Unsurprisingly, Citroen was always adventurous an early adopter of the rotary engine, and created a joint venture with NSU, increased locomotor, to build the coupe based M 35 Ami was the test bed for the 500 cc, 49 hp twin-rotor engine in total, 267 sections were built, and finally the rotation found its way into the GS Birotor But the timing was no accident energy efficiency OPEC oil embargo paramount, and the motor rotor for the three new large Cx never saw the light of day canceled another expensive project that helped push Citroen almost bankrupt and the Peugeot arm.
L'Ami 8 has the typical single wheel radius Citroen, and the usual gearshift umbrella handle the 2CV pioneered was a fairly spacious car, if somewhat narrow, since the 2CV itself was quite long boxy shape Ami made the most of.
For palliative, Friend had a long and reasonably successful life, with just 800K built Citroen has wasted a lot of time and money on a new midsize car, the F project when Renault showed a production car very similar with their new R16, Citroen has pulled back the cap and started over, with GS advanced they finally built what they had to obtain an aerodynamic car advanced with decent performance and excellent efficiency, I one in the Portland box, and we'll get to it someday, once you have recovered from all Francophelia Until then, I'll leave you with this last blow to sear your friend in banks memory.
Yet, the first model in the form of inheritance or the French BREAK call was the best selling car in France in recent years, particularly in rural areas; s where fuel economy and practicality are the most important features for a car sold.
The MAI great I have good memories of those where my father was a KP 140 H in the Renault R 16 and we were surprised by AMI 8, although that's what we thought, dad swore and was determined not not be defeated by AMI so we continued the darn thing and eventually regained the lead, the guy in the MAI did not leave there and creaped next to us, that's when I saw the SUPER sign on the front wing, and understood it was something completely different.
I'm always a little worried when Citroen has put the word break on their cars Did they know it can mean failure, or split into two.
They eventually don t, but if they do, they have to live with it, since a break is what we call in French car whatsoever Citroen, Ford, Volvo or whatever Don t ask me why.
And Paul, by the way, Ami 6 break also had a trailer hitch my father Hey, we had a caravan and summer, Friend us took the caravan from A to B slowly, but there was no AC and no stereo, not all landscapes were flat we went to Brittany, we went to the Dordogne Oh, by the early 1970s, the best vacation I ever had these ugly ducklings were fantastic small cars .
Is that long shooting-break comes.
Good question, I'm not so sure it can be done in reverse brake Break was a carriage pulled by horses, first, at least that s what Wiki says FWIW here's my theory when Peugeot started making the first mass -produced French wagons was 203 in 1940, 403 in 1955, they were called Paul or commercial please correct me family if I'm wrong and it is the people of terms used.
I do not think anyone called a break a break before the 1960s, it must have something to do with the cart ID Citroën DS He was supposed to be more upscale than the Peugeots, and someone in Citroën must have noticed that the British came up with something quite exclusive called brake shot that seemed more stylish and pleasantly non-Peugeot-like, as commercial or family way, not only the wagon DS I'll have to double-check this, but even modest Ami 6 and 8 cars were officially called pause, and other automakers soon followed suit Simca 1100, Renault 12.
Thus, the term has taken on and through the 1960s and early late 1970s everyone used it as a matter of course so much so that, for example, the last Volvo 240 cars sold on the French market in the early 1990s was officially called the read it break even if the car to cheer as the epitome of car Perhaps that art where VW had the idea of their atrocious campaign Das Auto 20 years later, but they'll admit.
My friend super white parents exactly as it was the first car I ever mounted in I only have memories of this very vague, but I remember how it felt They sold for 50 quid when he was 6 years.
The floor had rusted through it had belonged to my great-uncle, was immaculately maintained and probably had 30 or 40,000 miles on the clock My mother saw years later parked in a ski resort, had a look below and saw the repair work infused at home on the floors.
Ugly, yet so convincing Every time I saw one in Europe as a child, I could not keep my eyes until he was out of sight.
There's something so oddly compelling about this car is perhaps the contrast it presents compared to my middle American experience of everyone having an average size or full size car parked in the garage next door a pickup half ton.
In the seventh picture down, showing the sedan to Back 3 4 ocean view, a few odd questions erupted with the likely interference of the trunk compartment lid hitting the roof, not compromised opening presents no problems and was there an off switch to prevent the lid from slamming into the roof.
This is a Belgian Ami6 the Vorst plant with upholstery in the trunk, which the French have didn t There were many more differences, better protection against rust was one of them.
Take a look here it is in Dutch, but the pictures are great.
Oh, I did not even think that having a stem to hold it open.
And, yes, the photos are great I could read enough to know the French and Dutch specific photos.
My little find the original Beetle spectacular thing to see on the road they love just for them, it is not anything like they never used to go crazy on each JEEP until they see enough perseverating stop whenever they spotted a scarabs are rare they find exciting things to do as a child that grew up around them for a decade, I hardly recognize.
I've never seen one in person Ami 6 Yet I think I understand their appeal Like most Americans have no experience with these cars, they have no way to understand the redeeming qualities designed it Moreover, most have no idea of the environment or the French culture was like when these cars were designed, developed and produced.
Therefore, we can do a little more to watch her appearance and trying to understand how differences suggest its logic, using only our own We end up calling ugly because we can t understand why it looks the way it does we call something ugly when we do not understand why a difference occurs that didnt seem to improve a standard.
This is also why these cars are so visually riveting design is so different, we can not help but try, and fail, to assimilate in our car design experience if it looked like a flying saucer, we wouldn t find so interesting problem with this car is that we can not really label and store it requires a new own category, and most people, which requires a lot of work and it is an irritation.
Experience different cultures can be mentally exhausting feat Ami 6 stimulates and exhausts those of us with extensive knowledge of the car because it breaks so many of our assumptions and rules, it is a French revolution for many.
Finally, there is not many other automakers who took the Ami 6 and had this car eccentricities impact on their automotive designs and concepts If the attempt contest similar visual elements in their cars, the Ami 6 wouldn t look so amazingly different today.
It is _ENGLISH_ and all they do is different.
Once you drive a 2CV in a car, you will either be taken or dismayed.
I prefer liked, but a bit slow and too small to carry the junk I like to wear.
OTOH once I learned to work in a garage Peugeot how to maintain the French cars, they're damn near invulnerable robust and great to drive.
That's right, French is the cheap category, efficient operation, very comfortable in the horrific and large enough for 4 streets to go to a Sunday meal 4 hours in a remote country restaurant The French population was more more and the government has boosted growth by paying money monthly children, the amount of time for each child, it was necessary after the horrible world wars These cars were great for carting the family around without eating grocery budgets it seems that French manufacturers are losing their francité a little bit the population increased, budgets are better and so are the roads.
Citroën had a very dull period, especially in the nineties, but they seem to be on track with their DS3 models, DS4 and DS5 I like especially the new C4 Cactus.
This was the only Citroën pleased me in the nineties, the Saxo VTS 16V 1 6i, a hot hatch segment B Introduced in the second half of the nineties course, I liked a small hot hatch being nearly 20 years younger than I am now.
As we all know every tiny French cars are underpowered The French were, are and always will be the true masters of the segment B Hot Hatch is underpowered relative through If each car is low power, no underpowered car.
Johannes, unfortunately here in the UK gave us the Saxo monstrosities like this, agressively led by 17 Thus, despite my love for French cars, and Ami pair, I hate Saxo.
I always liked Euro B and C segment hot hatches, I'm still doing other words, in the full plate safely factory, well maintained and with a proud owner Unfortunately, after the first owner of these small rockets seem often be swallowed by a black hole of bad taste I know, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
I even like them that way, the Peugeot 208 GTi 30th anniversary meeting with the new B-segment King yes, that painted two tones is the factory.
And I had enjoyed a lot of Peugeots in addition to my 59 2CV AZ ALL were large cars if it is very different.
Rode as Caddies treated as insert your favorite sports car here and were incredibly inexpen ive to operate.
Even my almost died in 1963 Renault Dauphine was a pretty cool little car outside of the clutch system Ferlic I've never been completely sorted.
first car in our family was a brand new 1971 Renault 4 TL, bought on my recommendation Later, I had two Peugeot 304 also considered as a sequence I Citroën BX They were so comfortable, oh so easy to work with and I oh rusty loved them anyway I am with you, Nate.
first car in our family was a brand new 1971 Renault 4 TL, bought on my recommendation Later, I had two Peugeot 304 also considered as a sequence I Citroën BX They were so comfortable, oh so easy to work with and I oh rusty loved them anyway I am with you, Nate.
Pops bought a black Peugeot 304 sedan with sunroof and stuffed _five_ of us children, his second wife over there for the long hot summer travels, he was a strange man and didn t leave the windows open although it opened occasionally this wonderful sun roof.
I would like to find a new player and Hab day French cars are an acquired taste.
Friends have had and loved old Citroën DS, they're just too weird for me.
I am old and trying to avoid buying over course projects, now sells a buddy out of his virgin low mileage Vintage Honda Motorcycles tiddler only few, he trusts.
Well done, it is certainly etched in my memory banks, I have seen many Ami 6 and Ami 8 live a stone's throw form the French border and having a French garrison stationed in our city, I am intrigued by Ami 6s to rear window inclined wrong I thought the main reason was to provide maximum head room for rear passengers.
The steering geometry of the 2CV and his siblings was something special front suspension has large caster angle so that camber increases as the wheel steers in a corner The body sway would then put the flat tire on the tarmac that is the reason these hemorrhoid rockers could get stuck so it was also a good exercise for the biceps.
My father bought a new Ami6 brand in 1965, don t have many memories of what I was 2 when he was in the small and strange cars or for most of his life and I got to experience a number of them I'll have to ask my mother why he got rid of it but I'm not probably guess the Cleveland winters have eaten up.
The ladies of white shoes open toe worked on the assembly line Looks like their jobs could have been the final inspection, but still.
French wine, French cuisine Yes Yes French Country, Yes, Yes Yes French Fries Women Cars French, Uh, no.
I find the dash along the flanks sides of Ami similar to the latest Mercedes Benz and BMW cars and I wonder if this is a feature that enhances their cx, aero evaluations I've owned many French cars here in Australia and some was fast, Renault 16TS, but all had sumptuous seats, tower, handling and superb rolled a little in the corners, but he was responsive and easily controllable lean unlike many barges wallowing in me a French car all day on a rough bush road or driveway wind bendy mountain were these simple machines mechanically without the need of velvet and all the trappings that embodied the Brougham culture, but they are just as attractive to me.
Are the blinds rear window of the blue.
I am usually considered Citroens be among the ugliest cars out there yet I am always fascinated by them, these were certainly more interesting than today's cars, that's for sure.
Re break this word appeared in the late 17th century and refers to a trolley 4 wheels used to break horses During the 18th century, it changed brake go and ask the Brits why Finally, the car was used for hunting expeditions and shooting brake became the French took a fancy to the vehicle and called shooting brake Maybe they kept the name more snobbery When the first wagons or wagons or Kombiwagen or giardiniere or rural, you name were built, they used wooden body that resembled the horse carts, hence the label.
I had 69 DS 21 from brake 90 also known as the safari base 2CV car with a good driver can really Scoot I was in the foothills of the Sierra and go in my 85 LTD It was slightly downhill and Charleston just never hit the brakes; never saw the lights turn could be the French bulbs or wiring tho I tried to stay with him and when my tires started squealing, I gave up.
Classic Citroen Ami 8 break curbside Meet My Little Friend French Ugly, Citroen, break, meeting, ugly.
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