CAR OF 1961 CITROËN AMI 6

The Ami 6 was the last creation of the automotive designer, Flaminio Bertoni. By the late 1950s, Citroën’s need to bridge the gap between the 2CV and the ID19 was acute and the result was a light saloon intended to appeal to the female driver. The Ami had lines that were refreshingly distinctive – the reverse-slope rear screen was to maximise interior space – and its cornering was entertaining.

British motorists were offered the Ami 6 by special order from their local Citroën dealer although they were never to be a common sight on British roads – £823 was a very steep price for a small car. Autocar thought that ‘some will undoubtedly be appalled by its appearance’. But in its homeland, the Ami 6 was widely regarded as a transport that was as chic as a Serge Gainsbourg LP and by 1965 it was France’s best-selling car. And understandably so.