Citroën Ami Super

Believe it or not, this estate was the more conventional of the Amis!

To say that David Scarff is the owner of a rare vehicle is a slight understatement, as his 1975 Citroën Ami Super Estate is an unusual sight even in its homeland. It is also one of the most determinedly individualistic vehicles you are ever likely to encounter.

This story commences in the late 1950s when Citroën initiated Project M to bridge the gap between the 2CV and the ID19. The new model employed the Deux Chevaux’s floorpan with power from a 602cc version of the well-known flat twin unit, allied to very distinctive coachwork from the great Flaminio Bertoni. The resulting Ami 6 made its bow on 25th April 1961 and Citroën promoted it as the ideal bourgeois transport to compete with the Renault Dauphine. Across the Channel, some dealers hoped it would prove ideal for motorists who craved a smart, lightweight, four- door saloon. There were also hopes it would appeal to those Britons who had previously regarded the Slough-built 2CV and Bijou with suspicion.

Unfortunately, the price was a rather steep £823.14s.9d (nearly £173 more than a Ford Anglia 105E De Luxe), while dealers also faced the challenge of selling the Ami 6’s looks. The Motor found it ‘utterly different from “ordinary,”’ while Autocar very accurately believed: 'Some will undoubtedly be appalled by its appearance.' The 1964 Break (Estate) looked more conventional and was instrumental in the Ami becoming France’s most popular car in 1966, but UK sales still proved limited. The claim: 'The chances are you’ve never seen a car like this in Britain before' proved sadly prophetic as the 6 was available only by special order, and just 823 examples found buyers.

It was not until the advent of the more restrained 8 Saloon with its fastback rear screen in March of 1969 that the Ami started to become a more familiar sight in this country. Motor found the station wagon version to be an excellent load carrier and economical, but possessing modest performance. The Super would remedy this issue, and its development owed much to the GS, which debuted in 1970. Two years later, the GS gained the option of a new 1222cc engine, which left Citroën needing to find another use for the earlier 1015cc Boxer units. Their solution was to fit them to a new flagship version of the Ami, combined with inboard front disc brakes, a floormounted gear lever and a unique suspension layout lacking the front-to-rear interconnection of other 2CV family members. Citroën modified the inner front wings, bonnet, front panel and bumper mountings, but otherwise the bodywork was the same as the Ami 8. However, enthusiasts could distinguish the Super from its cheaper stablemate via six extra front air intakes and its black radiator grille. The launch took place in January of 1973 with the adverts promising: 'Citroën comfort, motorway power, budget price.' Dealers could proudly claim that despite a weight penalty of around 150lbs more than the 8, the Super’s 88mph top speed was 12mph superior. They could also point out that the Estate offered five- door versatility and a distinctive sense of charm. In addition, it was 67% more potent than a standard Ami, but was probably quieter.

In terms of prices, by 1974 the Super saloon cost £1125.94, nearly £180 more than the 8, while the Estate was £1192.23. The brochures ambitiously boasted of complete instrumentation (ie. a voltmeter was standard) and the charm

of 'an attractive, practical new fascia finished in chic Havana colour.' The specification also included electric windscreen washers, a fitting that was the envy of many a Dyane 6 owner, while reclining front seats were an additional £19.89 on the five- door versions. Autocar believed the Super Saloon to be 'a Q- car par excellence,' finding the 0 to 60mph acceleration time was nearly half that of the Ami 8. They concluded: ' We found the car a lot of fun in traffic and on the motorway and we would have loved to hear the surprised comments from one TR4 driver and a lad in a hot VW. There has been nothing quite like this Citroën since the original Mini- Cooper.'

Autocar very accurately believed: 'Some will undoubtedly be appalled by its appearance'

Car appeared equally impressed with the Estate, finding it to be: 'practical and versatile in addition to handling well and possessing good road holding and a fine ride.' By contrast, What Car stated the Super was 'a car for Citroën lovers only,' in addition to grumbling about 'precious little equipment and what it has is of poor quality.' The Ami was a controversial choice for a British driver of the mid-1970s, as it would have inevitably prompted mass gossiping in Fine Fare about one of those strange foreign cars in the neighbourhood. Not entirely surprisingly, few Supers found homes in the UK, but to be fair nor did it enjoy much success in France. Domestic sales of the Ami range were markedly declining by the middle of the decade, with annual production now under 100,000. The Super raised the brand’s profile, but suffered reliability and fuel consumption issues.

Yet a select few British consumers revelled in its performance, ride comfort and clever touches such as removable bench seats, ideal for that roadside picnic in the New Forest. Nor did the Super have any direct rivals in the UK. The Mini 1275GT was also FWD, but was more expensive at £1293 and had only two doors, while BL promoted it as chic urban transport. Early hatchbacks such as the Simca 1100, the Fiat 127 and the Renault 5 occupied a different market sector. Similarly, a fourdoor Ford Escort 1300E was far more costly at £1574 and was for motorists of the Peter Wyngarde School of Tailoring.

Production of the Super ended in September of 1976, three years before Citroën discontinued the Ami in favour of the Visa. Just over 42,000 Supers left the factory – 24,797 saloons, 19,222 estates and 801 vans. Corrosion rapidly decimated the survivors’ ranks, making David’s example all the more fascinating. A first impression is that despite the bodywork decals, the Super represents the antithesis of the 1970s Medallion Man ideal. At that time the Hillman Avenger GLS and the Vauxhall Magnum boasted vinyl roofs, sports wheels and glove box room for a bottle of Hai Karate aftershave. Meanwhile, the Super appealed to the driver who appreciated quality and innovation rather than chrome trim and posing in the A32 Little Chef car park or cutting a dash at the Berni Inn. To look at LYO is to be mesmerised by a speedometer that appears to have been sourced from a 1950s B-film spaceship and a dashboard layout that gives the impression that the factory workers blindfolded themselves before randomly hurling switches at the fascia. The floor gear lever appears slightly incongruous in the Ami’s cabin, while the most accurate description of the bodywork is 'different.'

David is a long-term devotee of the Citroën A-Series family, which includes the 2CV, Bijou, Ami, Dyane, Mehari, Visa and LNA. He explains: 'My interest started at the age of seven in 1979 when my father

bought his first one, a 1972 Vert Chamille Ami 8. It was so wacky and different from anything else we ever had with a gearstick that came out of the dashboard and the bench seat in the front. It leaned over when you went round bends, and had a flat twin engine that made a unique noise – I loved it. Father got to know the local Citroën specialist, a guy called Peter Pearcey at Wolsey House Motors about two miles from where we lived, who had a field behind his workshop full of old DSs, GSs, Amis, Dyanes and the odd CX and 2CV. He had a RHD Ami 6 Break and at least five Ami Supers at any one time; it was heaven to go and play in the cars whilst father was doing business.'

Two years later, David's father bought a 1973 GS Club Estate, but an accident in the severe winter of 1981/1982 saw it temporarily off the road. Consequently, the family needed transportation. 'So father picked up this tatty old blue Ami Super off Peter,' says David. 'My reaction was "Wow!

An Ami with a GS engine, a gearstick on the floor, slotted wheels, and best of all Go Faster stripes." What wasn’t there for a 9-year- old Citroën mad boy to love? We may have only used it for a short time as my mother wasn’t keen and my father had his GS rebuilt, but the Ami Super was engraved in me. Fast forward a few years, and after I passed my test I knew I would only own one type of car: a classic A-Series Citroën.'

This proved to be the case, and over the past three decades David has been the custodian of more Dyanes and Amis than he can remember. His fleet has included a pair of 6 Breaks, and he is currently the owner of a very handsome 1964 6 saloon, but until 2018 this line-up never included a Super. 'Even when new, they were a rare car,' he explains. 'People just didn’t want them, and you couldn’t give them away; they were mainly cut up for sidewinders. The French weren’t that interested because of the higher tax bracket than the 8, and in the UK people’s attitude was they could pay a few hundred pounds less for the economical Ami 8 or a few quid more for the much more advanced GS.

For many years David believed Super ownership was an impossible dream, until a chance chinwag with a Citroën Car Club friend and Citroën specialist, Barry Annells. He just happened to mention he had one tucked away in a barn, and that it was right-hand drive. David went and looked at it, and from what he could see,

the Ami was very solid and rust-free. He naturally bought the Super, and says: 'After a lot of blood, sweat and tears, it was restored and back on the road. Fortunately, the previous owner had dry stored the Ami, and it was rust-free. That meant the refurbishment process was mainly a case of reassembly and paint. I want to thank Barry and Peter Annells at Bourne Citroën Centre, Rob Moss, and all at Chevronics.'

David has since undertaken a little research, and as far as he can make out, his car is one of only eight right- hand drive survivors. However, he is sure there must be more hidden away, waiting to be discovered. As for road manners, David says of his Super: 'It is a joy to drive, and it really flies. The floor gear change doesn’t make any difference to me. The extra weight is accounted for by the anti- roll bars front and rear and the stronger chassis, so it handles very well. This also means the Super does not corner like an Ami 6 or Ami 8. Compared with a conventional modern car it still leans, but not so far that it becomes alarming. My only complaint is that it is not very economical, and with today’s petrol prices I tend to use my Ami 6 a good deal more as that gets twice as many miles per gallon. That said, the Super is fantastic for towing my trailer tent.'

Of course, during the 1970s the Ami Super frequently confounded the sort of driver who believed that Ro-Style wheels and Mungo Jerry sideburns automatically equated with high performance. Nearly five decades later, David regularly encounters similar experiences, and says: 'I have a laugh on the one-way systems in Bedford when the boy racers can’t shake me off.' As with his Ami 6s, the Estate attracts a great deal of attention and one familiar experience is to see startled members of the public mouthing ' What is it?' or words to that effect whenever LYO passes them.

David cannot envisage ever parting with his Ami Super Estate, for it is a remarkable car with a distinctive charm and a proudly idiosyncratic appeal. Moreover, it is a vehicle that hails from an era when the double- chevron badge denoted uncompromising individuality. As one advertisement of the day claimed: ' When you drive far, you drive in the motorway fast-lane,' doubtless leaving startled Triumph Toledo owners in your wake.