What's the news?
This is the Citroen E-Mehari Courrèges special edition.
What's that?
Wait, let me break this down for you. First there is the Citroen E-Mehari itself, which is a plastic, open-topped (sometimes) all-electric car, named for a classic sixties Jeep-style beach buggy based on the 2CV.
Powered (if that's quite the right word) by a 67hp electric motor, with a one-charge range of 195km, the E-Mehari boasts a brisk 0-100km/h time of 7.3 seconds, but a low top speed of 110km/h. It's not on sale in Ireland or the UK yet, but does sell in the sunnier spots of France, Spain, and Italy where it's mostly open-top nature is designed to appeal to those looking for a funky hire car for their holidays.
Right, I've got that. I think. What's a Courrèges?
Courrèges is a French fashion designer, of which we've never heard but which was founded in 1961 and which has had some design input into this special edition E-Mehari. Just 61 will be made, to go with the founding year thing.
So, what has Courrèges done to the car?
We're not sure, to be honest. Citroen says that "the two French Brands reaffirm the meeting of their universes based around shared values such as creativity and innovation, driven by the goal of sustainable mobility. The two Brands have audaciously gone down the opposite route of the white of the original concept car, a true hallmark and symbol of light for the renowned Fashion House, by playing with a diametrically opposed exterior colour." We think that means it's been painted black.
There's also a new hard-top and side window design, and the interior has been given a going over too. There's white upholstery with two-tone piping, some fancy-looking straps for grab-handles, most of which are embossed with the Courrèges name, and an aluminium printed panel which goes in front of the passenger. Oh, and theres a matching bag (because of course there is) which Courrèges will deliver to your home and which, apparently, has "been designed for you to be able to take your personal belongings with you, and slide them easily into the boot." Presumably, this would also be possible with a much, much cheaper bag too.
There are some proper, physical updates too. That new hardtop comes with better soundproofing for improved refinement, and Citroen claims that the redesign means that it's far better at keeping the weather out than the old one. In spite of the batteries and the high-fashion redesign, the waterproof TEP upholstery means that the cabin can still be hosed out if it gets mucky. The two front seats have also now been updated with a memory position so that they go back to the same spot if you fold them to let people in and out of the back.
The E-Mehari by Courrèges will be shown off at the Galerie Joseph from the 8th of September during the Paris Design Week, and will put in an appearance at the Frankfurt motor show too.
This is basically an electric car for Derek Zoolander, isn't it?
Pretty much, yep.