It is difficult to look more late 70s/early 80s than this car :)<p>But interestingly, the blue car behind it in this picture looks almost like the design of a modern city car from today to me. So that's where the real vision was?<p><a href="http://www.citroenet.org.uk/prototypes/karin/images/005.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://www.citroenet.org.uk/prototypes/karin/images/005.jpg</a><p>EDIT: I might be wrong, I assumed the photo was from the 1980 Paris Salon show due to the article text above it, but it's probably from later. Oops.
What's interesting about these concept cars, is that they sometimes get built if they generate enough interest. I believe this is how the new VW Beetle came about, and I suspect what nudged BMW to bring out the new mini.<p>One that is in the process of making that leap right now: <a href="http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/volkswagen/98136/volkswagen-boss-confirms-id-buzz-concept-to-make-production" rel="nofollow">http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/volkswagen/98136/volkswagen-bos...</a><p>I do wonder if the reason concept 'updated' models are more likely to be made is there is a huge amount of nostalgia at play in the market.<p>As an aside, having owned a new Mini convertible, I can confirm it was probably the most fun I've had in a car. Felt like driving a go-kart. The suspension is ridiculously hard. Completely horrible car to be a passenger in but so so so much fun to drive. Apparently very close to the original.
The last image on that page has text in Dutch, I took a few moment to have a quick translate. (P.S.: I have no idea what they meant with that last sentence)...<p>In the last 20 years, every stylist has met the forcing limits of designing a car, set by the cost, production methods and the ever growing regulation.<p>But this situation has had little consequences for the standardisation of cars, it's more due to market probes that there's a danger of all cars looking the same.<p>There's that many investments involved that the stakeholders don't dare create a car that deviates too much from the normal.<p>Currently in Europe cars increasingly look very similar and the public is taking notice.<p>This is an opportunity Citroën should take: its image has always been about creating cars that are different than the rest and that's undoubtedly what's the buyer is seeking these days.<p>At the Automobile Salon in Paris 1980, Citroën presented 'a dream car', designed by it's 'Design Bureau': the Karin.<p>This prototype is the first stage of research into the mid-range: 2 'wing'-doors coupé with 3 separate seats with the driver's seat in the center. The car is 3.70 meter long (145.7 inch), 1.075 meter high (42.3 inch) and 1.90 meter wide (74.8 inch). It has front wheel drive.
The interior is also avant-gardistic. An electronic screen continually provides information about the condition and performance of several elements of the car.
Though the esthetic design of massively produced cars has improved all these years, their style risks turning somewhat monotonous, since the designers get less playing room due to inceasing external demands.<p>With this in mind the 'Bureau de Style Citroën' has undertaken this 'design exercise' to reasearch the impact of a body with really clear lines on the car buying public. With designing this car an attempt is made to describe an offer for the future.
The designer, Trevor Fiore, also created another great concept car, the Citroën Xenia, info and pictures here: <a href="http://www.citroenet.org.uk/prototypes/xenia/xenia.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.citroenet.org.uk/prototypes/xenia/xenia.html</a>
Citroen always has built different and innovative cars. And they brought them to market.<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_DS" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_DS</a><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_2CV" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_2CV</a><p>A lot of their cars had pneumatic suspension and other interesting tech.
Like Gibson's story "The Gernsback Continuum", I see cars like this and, I see that, for a moment, the future we dreamed of is finally coming true... then it fades back to reality, where instead we have... <a href="http://www.caranddriver.com/bentley/bentayga" rel="nofollow">http://www.caranddriver.com/bentley/bentayga</a>
Reminds me of the good old Matra Murena! <a href="http://petrolblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Matra-Murena-Europes-forgotten-sports-car.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://petrolblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Matra-Muren...</a>
A french three seater although mid-engined and regular lefthand drive instead of center the look quite alike. They were built in the early 80ies as well, looks like sharing of concepts :)
It's so amazing how design trends evolve. What drew people to think about car shapes this way, why did they thing it would be "better".<p>A little bit later, this time by Peugeot <a href="http://www.carstyling.ru/en/car/1988_peugeot_oxia/images/634/" rel="nofollow">http://www.carstyling.ru/en/car/1988_peugeot_oxia/images/634...</a>
There's a nice Tumblr blog about cars like this:<p><a href="https://wehickles.tumblr.com/" rel="nofollow">https://wehickles.tumblr.com/</a>
The central steering wheel is ... different. It's the worst of both worlds. I saw another 80s concept car which had a steering wheel that could be moved from left to right hand side, presumably for people who very frequently cross the Channel.
Somewhat reminiscent of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeLorean_DMC-12" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeLorean_DMC-12</a> which actually made it into (limited) production.
Reminiscent of the Countach (<a href="https://assets.hemmings.com/blog/wp-content/uploads//2014/08/1974LamborghiniCountach_01_1280.jpg" rel="nofollow">https://assets.hemmings.com/blog/wp-content/uploads//2014/08...</a>) and Lotus Elise (<a href="http://momentcar.com/images/lotus-esprit-1980-9.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://momentcar.com/images/lotus-esprit-1980-9.jpg</a>).
Being from Brazil where Citroen has decent market presence, it saddens me that I can't buy them here in the US. They have such nice-looking, modern vehicles, and I would love to be able to buy them in the US. Same goes for other french manufacturers like Peugeot. I used to drive a 207 during grad school. Loved that little car.
Good find. Looks like a good amount of the interior ergonomics did make it to production cars: it reminds me a lot of the early 90s Citroen BX. Very similar steering wheel, wrap around buttons on the driver's binnacle. And the hydropneumatoc suspension of course - a Citroen signature and a brilliant piece of engineering.
Meanwhile, I'm STILL waiting for someone to build Gordon Murray's T.25 / T.27 3-seater cars.
Last I checked, Shell bought the idea & rebranded it to "Project M" <a href="http://shell.com/projectm" rel="nofollow">http://shell.com/projectm</a>
"alfa can I copy your work?"<p>"yes but don't make it obvious"<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo_Carabo" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo_Carabo</a>
Engine before the front axis, making the engine weight work against the rear-axis, ouch! That's a recipe for poor driving dynamics.<p>This could have legs as an EV though.