Saturday, September 13, 2025

Citroën Karin: Forgotten Idea | The Every day Drive

Sharp as a tack, and nearly as small.

Citroën Karin, front view
Citroën Karin

Forgotten Concepts, Forgotten Concepts That is an installment in a collection of posts trying again on present vehicles that we really feel deserved a bit extra consideration than they acquired. When you have a suggestion for a Forgotten Idea matter, please shoot us a line or go away a remark beneath.

Citroën Karin Prototype

First Seen

1980 Paris Motor Present

 

Description

Butterfly-door coupe design research

 

Designer

Trevor Fiore

 

Gross sales Pitch

“Highlights Citroën’s willingness to assume outdoors the field.”

Extra Forgotten Ideas

Citroën Karin, rear detail
Citroën Karin

Particulars

First seen on the 1980 Paris Motor Present, the Citroën Karin was purely a design research. Commissioned on the final minute, the Karin was supposed to fill a void on the present left by the model’s lack of latest merchandise.

The Karin was design by Trevor Fiore, and per Citroën demonstrated the maker’s willingness to “assume outdoors the field.” Distinctive options included top-hinged butterfly doorways, and 3-passenger seating highlighted by the middle driver’s seat.

The Karin is smaller than it seems. At 150-inches in size the idea automotive is totally 4 inches shorter than a current-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata. The Karin is 7 inches wider, nevertheless. Because it was by no means supposed for manufacturing, the Karin was not seen once more after its 1980 auto-show tour.

Citroën Karin, Dashboard, steering wheel
Citroën Karin

CG Says:

We applaud all idea vehicles that problem design norms. That mentioned, the Karin is just about ineffective as something however an idea. Given the automotive’s excessive bodyside slope (usually referred to by design sorts as “tumblehome”), we will’t picture that the aspect passenger seats would accommodate even the smallest adults.

And, whereas we respect all of the glass, we predict it unlikely the Karin might ever be crash licensed. The sharp and angular styling does conjure automobiles seen in interval science-fiction motion pictures, and that’s cool with us. Query: Why cease at simply six headlights?

Citroën Karin, profile, concept car,
Citroën Karin

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Karin Idea Photos

(Click on beneath for enlarged photos)

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