caselani’s neo-retro type-ami car draws design from citroën HY van produced in post-war era

Citroën ami car gets a neo-retro makeover by caselani

Caselani introduces Type-Ami, a neo-retro car inspired by the design of the Citroën HY van produced in the post-war era. The Italian coachbuilder converts the donor Citroën Ami car without involving a weight increase. It’s because the original front, rear, doors, and wings of the vehicle are removed and replaced by the vintage-style Type-Ami panels. This reworked model comes from the coachbuilder’s own conversion kit. In fact, Caselani has assembled the complete kit so drivers can transform their own Citroën Ami into this neo-retro car. 

Soon, they can have embossed lines around their mini car, which are design elements that directly refer to the Citroën HY van. Drivers also fit their Citroën Ami car with fiberglass body panels and necessary brackets and screws for the installation. These tools are suitable for both new and used Citroën Ami quadricycles. It’s Caselani’s team who handcrafts the equipment by their own technicians straight from their factory in Northern Italy. Type-Ami is Caselani’s fourth product line, joining its series of vans based on Stellantis’ Pro One vehicles.

all images courtesy of Caselani

fiberglass body panels and HY van designs for the conversion

Drivers of the converted Citroën Ami car using Caselani’s kit can choose between six solid colors and three metallic shades. If they don’t like the offered colors, they can speak with the team – led by Fabrizio Caselani and David Obendorfer –  for any custom shades they prefer to have. Aside from the fiberglass body panels, the car retains the covered hood and the sunroof of the Citroën Ami. The Type-Ami version mostly remakes the sides of the mini vehicle so they can mimic the HY van, the vehicle that had been produced up until 1981.

Compared to the original Citroën Ami, the Type-Ami conversion gets a ‘bumpy’ personality because of the engraved-like lines around the car. Caselani wants to evoke nostalgia in the retrofitting, and by the looks of it, the design team pulls it off in detail and thoroughly. The conversion and design of Type-Ami is a collaboration between Caselani’s designer David Obendorfer and a team from the Citroën Style Centre supervised by Pierre Leclercq.

Caselani introduces Type-Ami, a neo-retro car inspired by the design of the Citroën HY van

the design recalls the iconic H van of Citroën produced from 1947 to 1981

the Italian coachbuilder converts the donor Citroën Ami car without involving a weight increase

the converted car retains the covered hood and the sunroof of the Citroën Ami

Citroen Ami quadricycle vs. Type-Ami by Caselani

drivers can transform their car into a neo-retro vehicle with the conversion kit

Type-Ami drivers can choose between solid and metallic colors for the conversion

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the kit consists of fiberglass body panels and the necessary brackets and screws

 

 

Type-Ami orthogonal drawing

project info:

name: Type-Ami

coachbuilder: Caselani | @caselani_official

designer: David Obendorfer

car manufacturer: Citroën | @citroen

model: Ami

conversion supervision: Pierre Leclercq

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edited by: matthew burgos | designboom