Citroën has given the quirky Ami microcar a new look for its fourth birthday.
Revealed at the Paris motor show, the 28mph two-seater has a new "sympathetic and more mature" front end which nods to the face of its spiritual successor, the 2CV.
The new Citroën Ami features vent-style grooves on its more pronounced wings, black 'eyelids' on its new headlight housings and a smile-shaped indentation in the middle housing Citroën's new logo.
The lower corners at both ends now have more pronounced edges, too, which the brand says makes them look more like Lego blocks - and there are new graphic motifs on the side panels and wheel trims which are designed to "appeal to the younger generation".
The firm says it has sold 65,000 Amis worldwide since it launched four years ago, making it "a real social phenomenon". The new version – which still has a range of 45 miles, a top speed of 28mph and a maximum charging speed of 3.6kW – lands in the UK early next year, and is expected to remain one of the cheapest 'cars' on sale with a list price of around £8000.
To celebrate the unveiling of the new Ami, Citroën's designers have created a radical new buggy version that comes with a kite surfboard holder and a special storage cubby for the kite sail. The brand hasn't stated any production plans, but the previous Ami Buggy concept did evolve into a limited edition that costed £10,495 in the UK.
Citroën's sibling brands Opel and Fiat sell their own versions of the Ami – the Rocks and Topolino, respectively – but have not yet indicated that they will give their versions a similar overhaul.
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This looks better than the original, but I wish manufacturers and journalists would stop going on about supposed "nods" to classic vehicles, we can all see that this doesn't bear any relation to a 2CV. I keep reading about the rear spoiler on the classic Renault 4, did it ever have one?