We thought carmakers had learned their lesson back in the early 2000s. Namely not to make concept cars so much better than the production versions that follow. Why? Because all these concepts do is falsely raise expectations. So it is, I’m afraid with the Citroen Ami One concept versus the Ami production EV just launched. I love the concept and quite like the production car too, but I can’t help feeling I’d love the one we might yet get in the UK more if I’d never seen the concept at all. We’re fully aware at YesAuto of the various roles of concept cars throughout history but the difference between the two vehicles here is too great. Compare and contrast our picture collages and associated explanations for evidence…
Where did the Ami One concept’s chunky stance go?
It’s instructive to compare the cars side by side and their respective sizes. You often hear about a new car being “longer, wider and lower” than the previous model to improve its stance. In this case however, the Ami production car is shorter (–9cm), narrower (–11cm) and taller (+2cm). On a car that’s not very big in the first place those changes make a big difference. Consequently, you can see that the Ami has lost the chunky charm of its Ami One conceptual cousin. Which is where the problems start…
Honey, who shrunk the doors (and wheels)?
One of the coolest and most innovative things about the Ami One Concept was its symmetrical one-door design, able to hinge on either side so that only one door style has to be manufactured to reduce costs. That this design feature is retained for the production car is great. But the door has also shrunk, changed shape – from downward- to upward-tapering – and is now positioned next to a less shapely windscreen angle and part of an overall body design that would appear to sit on much smaller wheels set within less pronounced wheel arches. One upside is a better turning circle (8m in the concept vs. 7.2m in the production version) and having driven both concept and production versions I can back that up. Still…
…And got rid of the sharply-angled exterior lights?
Sure, concept vehicles often sport head and tail lamps too complex or expensive for production. But in the case of the Ami production car the more regular replacements are not even in the same shape or placement and scream low-rent and cost-cutting to the point that the vehicle’s character is dramatically changed (for the worse).
…Then slashed the interior colour and trim budget?
Again, conceptual interiors often represent big flights of fancy, in terms of (impractical) material use and (lack of) budgetary constraint, but the Ami production car cabin is so stripped back to its soul-less plastic surface and dull colours that if you hired one from a ride-share company – one of its intended use cases – you might think the previous driver had robbed most of its contents. Of course, the idea is to make the Ami quadricycle compete with scooter rather than car customers. But if you don’t spend enough then no-one will be seen dead in the Ami in the first place. Major customisation options for private customers and a few quid more spent on UK rental versions could improve matters greatly. Please consider, as I still want to see this car on these shores.
Keyword: Concept vs. production: Why the Ami One should never have been made