Before Citroën's My Ami concept, these 5 beach combers made their mark

[Hagerty]

It won't get you to the beach in a hurry, but Citroën's latest concept car, the My Ami, will certainly get you noticed. Based on the push-me-pull-you box on wheels that is the Ami electric city car, the My Ami gets wider wheels and chunky tires to skip across the sand, wider wheelarches, and extra body protection.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/lists/citroen-my-ami-concept-5-beach-combers/

[PRScott]

None of the above!

[Roomer]

All of the above!

[50s60s70s]

I'm hoping to hold out for a Meyers Manx....that, in my humble opinion, set the standard for "Cool" 😎

[pcchuck]

There is one on BAT right now...

[prsncat]

I am with you @50s60s70s! The Meyers Manx - or any of the knockoffs - is the first thing that came to mind when I saw the title to the article. I also thought of the Baja Bug as well. The dune buggy, however, is still my preference -- and, someday, I hope to find one in my garage.

[LamboEd]

I agree with None of the above! I know that Wayne Carrini from Chasing Classic Cars would take another Jolly!

[Oldimpala]

If you're buying, a Renault Jolly.

I'm in the market for a Mehari to sit next to the 2CV. Finding one with not-decayed plastic is challenging. They make replacement shells, but importing them from Europe is brutal.

Cheap summer fun. Painfully reliable. Guaranteed smile driving it, even if she won't get out of her own way.... Just like the 2CV.

I'm beginning to leave the vintage US stuff in the garage and putting more miles on this type of stuff. Just different.

[archmark]

NADA!!!

[Peppyrick]

I personally own a 1967 Mini Moke, its has a transplanted 1380cc Copper S engine and it goes like hell, rubber in 3 gears, the smiles per mile is worth driving it alone.
4 seats, top down what more do you need.

It fits in our Toyhauler that use to occupy BMW 1300K, this is way more fun!

[Fatcat321]

We built dune buggies in high school during the 1960's when they were the hot thing. I would still choose one of those over any other "beach" conveyance. The school I went to had a deal with Sears Roebuck to buy tools and other materials that were for educational use for cost. Sears sold dune buggy kits at that time, so we could get a kit for less than $200 bucks. We would scour the local junk yards for discarded VW beetles, and cut the 14 inches out of the pan, weld it back together, and make all the other changes after school each day. We would rebuild the engines, hop them up with all the parts we could get from Warshawski's, and sell the finished buggies to the rich kids in town. Those things were really fast and nimble with the heavy bug bodies gone.

[Tightwadtoo]

I also built Manx, Deserter and other dune buggies in high school during the late 1960's early 1970's as Barrington Buggy Works in Illinois. I have my own barn find it's my Deserter built over 40 years ago that is sitting in my family's barn that I will be rebuilding this year.

[Fatcat321]

You weren't far from us in Elmhurst. We would "test" our buggies at a gravel pit owned by Palumbo, a road construction company out near you.

[JohninNC]

1st gen 2 door Rav-4 in all wheel drive with a manual trans.
Baja-Bug.
Fiberglass dune-buggy.
Imported Suzuki Jimny.
Great examples can be had for $10K or under.

[tcchuck2005]

Reminds me of the Pulmonia taxis in Mazatlan. Maybe the VW Acapulco was the inspiration.

[Hercule]

Renault Jolly - body by Ghia! But how could you leave Piaggio Ape Calessino off the list?

[Mxfrank]

The only beach car worthy of the name was Brazil-built Gurgel Xavante X10. A brand that's barely known outside of its home country:

http://www.lexicarbrasil.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/gurgel18a.jpg

[WhatdaIknow]

And never seen in Malibu lol

[Mxfrank]

Another photo if an X10:

https://portowords.com/wp-content/uploads/1627163580_262_10-carros-que-marcaram-o-anos-70.jpg

[sam1]

Maybe the VW Thing. But the best beach car is a Jeep CJ7. Mike Drop.

[BIGHOCK]

OK the fab 5 presented are DUDS

[pcchuck]

Any time you are someplace where these cars are in use, you're doing fine..

For me, it would be the Moke which i first saw while in Barbados on vacation in January, 1987. They were buzzing around all over as rentals... It was easy to want to stay in Barbados, but making a living would be necessary. Eventually, i stumbled upon the rental location and one Moke had its' hood up. To my surprise it had an MGA or similar driveline. Having restored an MGA 1600 Mkll 15 years earlier, I toyed with the idea of buying the guy out or opening a competing location.

[Z-ONE]

My 1967 Amphicar!

[WhatdaIknow]

Well I've been a so cal beach baby all 66 years of my life, outside of the "Thing" the rest is nonexistant.
In the 70s all the bright yellow lifeguard trucks, are the most common BUT nothing says BEACH!!!!!! PARTY!!!!! BINGO!!!!! like my 1965 ford falcon van!!!!!! CALABUNGA DUDE, SURFS UP BRO!!!!!!!!!!!!!🏄‍♀️🏄‍♂️🏄‍♀️🏄‍♂️🏄‍♀️🏄‍♂️🏄‍♀️🏄‍♂️🏄‍♀️🏄‍♂️🏄‍♀️🏄‍♂️🏄‍♀️🏄‍♂️🏄‍♀️🏄‍♀️🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🥰

[WhatdaIknow]

FYI, those Lifeguard trucks were the first gen "NISSAN" not Datsun by the way

[Osprey]

My brother had a couple of Meharis back in the late 1970s. One he parked it at school over the summer in a parking lot on a hill. When he returned he found it at the bottom of a hill where merry pranksters had shoved it. It was a fun car and I wouldn't mind having one.

[motolargo]

It looks like most people find these cars to be pretty much useless. Maybe if you had a villa a few blocks from the beach, they would be good for transporting people to and from the beach and the sandy feet, sun screen and wet bathing suits would not ruin the interior of your Bentley. Yes, they are cute, but cute is not high on my list of the desirable assets of an automobile.

[mvillmer]

After seeing these, I can safely say that I just don't want a beach car

[MATTMERICA]

I walk to the beach lol

[AMG-SL]

Hmmmm, I vote for the Willys Jeep Surrey Gala .....

[ky]

"As one of our top readers, we think you'll love this"...
HOW MANY TIMES AM I GOING TO BE SENT THIS RIDICULOUS EMAIL?
I unsubscribed from everything, maybe it will stop.

[DougL]

None of these ca hold a candle to a Meyers Manx, or any of the many copies built on a shortened VW chassis. Even VW's Thing, with similar engine and chassis, isn't in the same class. This is a list of the best of the second best.

[sclin10]

I can't believe the Meyers Manx wasn't included.

[autowriter]

Don't drive on the beaches!

[Glenn1025]

None of these. My choice is my friends street legal dune buggy with 4 seats and a fiberglass body on a VW frame. I do not drive on the beach.

[pcarguy]

I have always liked the Jollies, actually I have never seen anything Ghia touched I didn’t like,
especially the Chrysler concepts.

[68tempest]

My choice is the VW thing …..

[millbuna]

How 'bout the Jeep Surrey

[Gary_Bechtold]

The Citroën's are easily the ugliest of the list here, especially that new concept. The Fiat's seem to do better in the looks department.

[TG]

I keep expecting to see a giant bouncing ball behind that mini moke

[gary21sn]

None. I'd rather be there in a Meyers Manx style fiberglass dune buggy.

[plank]

All of these would go to the very bottom of my automotive wish list. Wait a minute.....what the heck am I saying? None of these would even make my list!

[JDull139]

Back in 1971,I drove my 1962 Rambler American onto to the sand of Jamaica Bay In Queens NY.
I had oversized rear tires on it so I figured it would have no problem. Long story short, got stuck in the sand,tow trucks couldn't get it out before the tide came in.Good bye Rambler.

[SilentBoy741]

You can't pack a surfboard into any of those! I'll take a nice Ford woodie wagon, thanks (which I can't believe you left off this list).

[Maestro1]

Nik, hands down, the Renault and/or the Fiat Jolly(s). The designs imply everything about their use, and deliver a joyful, sunny image.

[Tightwadtoo]

I built Manx, Deserter and other dune buggies in high school during the late 1960's early 1970's as Barrington Buggy Works in Illinois. Dune Buggies are best especially if you built it. I have my own barn find it's my Deserter built over 40 years ago that is sitting in my family's barn that I will be rebuilding this year.