Oh heck yeah, I get to write about the Citroën Ami again. If you’ve stopped by Gizmodo Australia before, you’ve probably seen my love for the Ami, the most adorable EV in the world (I even have one sitting on my desk). The problem is that it’s not a very good car as much as it is a motorised shopping trolley, which probably makes it less good for Australia’s most spread out, wide-road cities, but perfect for some specific European markets. Well, now the Ami has a cousin: the Fiat Topolino.
Italian carmaker Fiat has borrowed Citroën’s Ami design to create the 2023 Topolino, resurrecting the ‘Topolino’ name for the first time since 1948. Historically it was a really adorable car, with big bug eyes, a long engine bay, and a Ford-like cabin roof. It was originally designed as a small, cheap, and economical car for Italians, with the first model having been released in 1936.
The 2023 Fiat Topolino shares some of the thinking that went into the original car, but it absolutely does not share the same DNA – because it’s really a French car, gently pretending to be Italian. Oh, fun fact, Topolino also means ‘baby mouse’. I’m in love with this car.
So that begs the question… How is the Topolino any different to the Citroën Ami?
Well, it’s the little things. The Citroën Ami is more about being a densely-populated city car, while the Topolino is more about cosplaying an old chassis design. Car companies did this a bunch during the 2000s, with the Holden Efijy being a favourite among car enthusiasts worldwide.
The Topolino’s wheels look more like a car from the mid-1900s, and the rounded headlights definitely look more classic than the Ami’s square indents. Similar design traits can be seen all around the car – the front ends of the cars are especially different.
But obviously, internally, they’re the same beast. Both cars can travel 75km on a single charge, with a maximum speed of 45km/h. The batteries recharge in less than four hours, and both cars are charged using a wall plug (see that hatch in the left side of the photo below? that’s where the wall plug is stored).
The Fiat Topolino is available in two models: The standard and the Topolino Dolcevita – which has a fabric roof and…. No doors. Instead, the door inserts are corded off (see above).
And how much for this beaut? In Italy, the Fiat Topolino starts at 9,890 euros, or $16,230 in Aussie dollars. Meanwhile, the Citroën Ami costs about 7,000 euros, which is about $11,480 in Australia.
Will it come down under? Probably not. Would I love it to? … Also probably not, but I do love it.
Anyway, here’s one of my favourite videos of the Ami (485kg, by the way).