In 1973 saw a true bridge within it Citroëngamma the light of life. It is an Ami with a four-cylinder boxer engine. The novice is a godsend for Citroën. The history of this "performance Ami" originated from the fact that the GS introduced by 1970 from its makers was given an engine that was found to be too light. Citroën soon developed the larger 1222 cc engine for its modern mid-size car. And the demand for the 1015 cc engine lagged behind. To recoup the development costs of the block, a solution was sought. And that solution was formed by fitting the affordable and popular Ami 8 to this 1015 cc engine. Various mechanical and gentle cosmetic adjustments were made. The Citroën Ami Super was born.
It came in several ways Citroën good to the Citroën Ami Super to include in the range. As mentioned, the Super filled the significant gap between the Ami 8 models and the much more expensive and modernly constructed GS. The engine technology and transmission from the GS 1015 models turned the Ami into a completely different car in a performance sense. There was a big gap between the 32 HP 602 cc engine and the 1015 cc engine from the GS, which delivered 53,5 HP in the Ami Super. The boxer engine from the GS allowed the Ami to reach a speed of 16 kilometers per hour in 100 seconds, while the same engine enabled the Ami Super to reach a top speed of 140 kilometers per hour.
Subcutaneous changes from Ami 8
The placement of the GS engine and gearbox forced the manufacturers of Citroën to increase the Ami's chassis. The brakes borrowed the Ami Super from the GS 1220 models: internally ventilated discs at the front and a brake force limiter for the rear wheels served to curb the increased performance level compared to the Ami 8. In addition, the front and rear were fitted with a stabilizer. The suspension and damping were fitted more rigidly and the steering had a different ratio to make steering this heavier combination a little lighter. In the interior, the gear lever was placed on the floor, mounted Citroën a modified (central) handbrake and a ventilation system with a blower. Furthermore, the resemblance with the Ami 8 was striking.
Adjustments in 1974
There were also many similarities externally. The six vents below the - with a horizontal stripe with gold Citroënlogo adorned - grille and pictures on the front fenders with “1015” told the unsuspecting passers-by that they were Citroën Ami Super had to do. The four-cylinder Ami also had larger tires than the Ami 8. The Citroën Ami Super was slightly modified in 1974, also to distinguish it from its twin-cylinder brother. From that year on, a sporty piping, nameplates with the inscription “Ami Super” and rims with cooling holes gave the four-cylinder Ami more distinctiveness and recognisability.
Creative solution, sold too little
The four-cylinder Ami was delivered as a sedan in the Confort and Club version, with the latter included such things as carpet and sound insulation. The Club was also fitted with stainless steel strips around the door windows. Club equipment was not reserved for the Break. The Citroën Ami Super fitted well into the model range of Citroën. Nevertheless, the four-cylinder Ami was barely sold in its production period (January 1973 - February 1976). Only 44.820 buyers worldwide place at the Citroënagent signed the order for one Citroën Ami Super, which we think was a nice combination of the old Ami charms and surprising performances. The Ami Super spoke too much of the basics of the likeable, but somewhat utilitarian and inexpensive Ami 8, but was priced considerably higher and fell into a higher class in its home country of France. Those who could live with that, however, owned a car that surprised friend and foe.
Also read:
- The Ami is back
- Citroën Ami 8
- Citroën Ami 6. Flaminio Bertoni's masterpiece has been around for sixty years
- Citroën Amis and Dyanes: cheaper than 2CVs
The oil crisis (expensive petrol, faltering economy) didn't really help either.