Currently reading: Citroen Ami Buggy arrives in UK from £10,495

As toughened micro-EV is confirmed for the UK, with just 50 units crossing the Channel

Citroen’s rugged, special edition Ami Buggy will go on sale in Europe next month, with a highly limited number of the French firm’s electric quadricycle heading to the UK. 

Already on sale in the UK in both passenger and commercial form, the tiny Ami city car has proven popular in Europe. The Ami Buggy meanwhile will cost £10,495 in the UK, limited to just 40 units. A total of 1000 will go on sale across the continent. 

The Buggy edition is based on a one-off concept, initially designed to highlight its versatility. It gains off-road elements such as a Khaki exterior paint with gold wheels, and black protective bodywork including a skid plate, wheel arches and a rear spoiler.

Its roof, meanwhile, is a removable, foldable canopy, while the doors have been replaced with a pair of side gates. The Ami Buggy’s roof also gains an extended overhang which acts as a sun visor. 

We drove the one-off Citroen Ami Buggy concept in 2022. So, what do the Buggy’s rugged styling and features add to the small EV? Read on to find out… 

Citroen Ami first drive

The Ami Buggy Concept is essentially a modern French reimagining of the Mini Moke and other small beach buggy concepts. With its small-but-chunky tyres, fun styling elements and open-air driving feel thanks to the absence of doors, you can see the appeal of using one for carefree cruising basking in sunshine on the French Riviera.

That appeal is tested somewhat in the cold, windswept car park of Stellantis’s UK headquarters near Coventry. Instead of letting in a cooling sea breeze, the open sides expose me to a stiff, icy wind.

I consider stopping to attach the transparent rainproof panels that can be added in place of doors to offer some protection from the elements (inspired by those on the Citroën Mehari, apparently). But in truth, they’re a bit of a faff, and with limited time I opt to press on, especially since the imminent threat of rain has added some urgency to our test drive.

The Ami Buggy may have rugged styling that hints it can conquer all elements, but as a one-off concept that was built purely for show, there’s a fear that wet weather could damage it. Best hurry to get some running in, then.

Except hurrying isn’t really an option: the concept’s chunky mud tyres, set off nicely against matt gold rims, look fantastic, but they only just fit within the Ami’s wheel arches. Turn the wheels too far, and they’ll start rubbing at the one-off’s customised bodywork. Largely limited to travelling in a straight line and very gentle turns, it’s predictably impossible to actually learn anything about the Ami Buggy’s dynamic potential. 

That said, I’m not sure that matters. Taking a regular Ami for a quick dash around the nearby streets of Coventry is a reminder that this machine isn’t really about dynamics or driving thrills: its mission is offering affordable motoring freedom. In its original form as an urban runaround, the Ami is as much a rival to e-bikes and e-scooters as full-size cars. 

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Likewise, the Ami Buggy may have rugged styling, but the aim isn’t to offer off-road thrills: it’s a tool to get you to the beach in relative comfort, and probably turn some heads doing it.

97 Citroen ami beach 2022 drive autocar tracking rear

On that count, the Ami Buggy certainly delivers. The special design elements look fantastic in the metal, from the bull bars and light covers welded directly onto the steel chassis to the roof-mounted spare wheel, and the speckled black effect of the paint adds a subtle touch of dynamism. 

Other flourishes include the words ‘pilot’ and ‘co-pilot’ added to the roof on each side of the car, and yellow arrows on the spoiler to show the direction of the airflow.

While the doors have been removed, Citroën has added small frame doors that add some hint of side protection. The gaps in the doors feature detachable bags that can be used for storage - perfect for small items you’d need for a day at the beach, or a rain coat to cope with Coventry’s fine winter weather.

The frame doors open using the regular Ami’s door opening system, although in truth I found it was easier just to step over them to get in and out of the vehicle. 

The interior of the Ami is a relatively no-frills place, and the Buggy’s cabin is similar, although there are a handful of design touches that add both style and practicality. The steering wheel features a small bumbag attached to it with a magnet (which looks better attached to the wheel than it probably would around my waist), while the smartphone clamp has been replaced with a more stylish cylindrical holder. Citroën’s idea is that tube could be engraved with the car owner’s name, just in case you’re likely to forget such things as your own name.

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85 Citroen ami beach 2022 drive autocar cabin

Elsewhere, cupholders have been added, and there’s a new removable speaker positioned in the dashboard behind the steering wheel. The idea is that speaker can be removed so you can play music in whichever sunny French seaside destination you’ve parked up for the day at. Should your trip out run into the evening, a roof-mounted light bar is intended to offer a torch-style light.

That device also comes in useful in adding a touch of light to an otherwise gloomy Coventry day - but then so does the Ami Buggy Concept. As a one-off that was never meant to be taken all that seriously, it’s hard to really offer any firm conclusions on. But in showcasing a possible future use for the Ami, it’s hard not to be excited at the possibility of a relaxing cruise in a production version. Although perhaps somewhere warmer than Coventry…

James Attwood

James Attwood, digital editor
Title: Acting magazine editor

James is Autocar's acting magazine editor. Having served in that role since June 2023, he is in charge of the day-to-day running of the world's oldest car magazine, and regularly interviews some of the biggest names in the industry to secure news and features, such as his world exclusive look into production of Volkswagen currywurst. Really.

Before first joining Autocar in 2017, James spent more than a decade in motorsport journalist, working on Autosport, autosport.com, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, covering everything from club rallying to top-level international events. He also spent 18 months running Move Electric, Haymarket's e-mobility title, where he developed knowledge of the e-bike and e-scooter markets. 

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gavsmit 23 May 2023

Proof that car prices have gone completely nuts if Citroen can get away with charging this sort of money for a glorified mobility scooter.

At least it gives people more than just the ridiculous looks to use as an excuse to poke fun at the owners of these horrible, expensive for what they are, things. 

But, if people want such a cheaply made, very compromised, form of electric transport, why do we need to buy it from an overseas manufacturer? Surely we can make something better and cheaper than this in the UK and improve our economy in the process?  

Anton motorhead 23 May 2023
Just curious to know how much downforce that rear spoiler generates at 25mph.
MrJ 23 May 2023

More interesting to look at than the standard model, but still an ugly little blob. 

Also, too many compomises required where safety is concerened.