The ELO is Citroën‘s newest design, and it has been called a “laboratory of ideas.” The oddly-roofed minivan, which looks like a McLaren F1, has its steering wheel in the middle and can hold six people or two people who want to sleep. Even though the ELO wasn’t meant for production, it offers an interesting look at what the French think an adventure van should look like. Citroën sells a range of vehicles, including hatchbacks, crossovers, and vans. The name is popular in its home market. But the only thing Americans might connect the name to is complex suspensions. Most of these cars are pretty old-fashioned. The Ami quadricycle is a funky object that Fiat uses as the base for the Topolino. Objects like this are welcome on the list. The brand’s latest idea needs something much funkier than that. “Rest, Play, and Work” is what the Citroën ELO stands for, and it is named after the second letter of each word. It’s a fitting name for a van with a roof that looks odd in at least three ways, even though that’s not how nicknames work. When the ELO was first shown, Citroën called it a “bubble of freshness and energy.” It’s a small, modular van that’s designed for fun. It can seat four to six people in an unusual layout, thanks to a center McLaren F1-style driving seat that can be rotated to face the other seats when not in use. The business says that the ELO is a power source and a place for two people to sleep and watch movies at home. If the ELO is ever made, it would be nice for all these reasons to have a little van that could live in the city and a campsite nearby. Citroën now calls the concept a “laboratory of ideas,” suggesting they like to come up with new and unusual ideas. Hopefully, one day, that center swivel seat will be in a car that really helps its users.
