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The Fiat Panda Jolly concept car built by Stola.
The Fiat Panda Jolly is what happens when you take a sensible city car, add a dash of Italian flair, a pinch of nautical inspiration, and a whole lot of seaside charm. The result? A vehicle that looks like it’s permanently on vacation—sun-kissed, carefree, and ready for a joyride down the Amalfi Coast. But before we dive into the details of this quirky little gem, let’s take a trip back in time. The 1950s saw Fiat introducing the concept of the “spiaggina,” a beach-friendly, doorless, open-top car designed for stylish summer cruising. These beach cars, based on the Fiat 500 and 600, were stripped down and jazzed up by legendary coachbuilders like Ghia, Boano, and Pinin Farina. With wicker seats, jaunty striped awnings, and an undeniable aura of dolce vita, they quickly became the preferred mode of transport for the jet-set elite and Mediterranean island-hopping taxis alike. Fast-forward to 2006, and Fiat’s designers decided it was time to revive this sun-soaked legacy. Enter the Fiat Panda Jolly—a modern reinterpretation of the classic beach car, based on the second-generation Panda and handcrafted by the artisans at Stola. While Stola was new to spiaggina conversions, the company had already dipped its toes into nautical-themed automotive design with the Fiat Panda Destriero, of which we made a video special. While the spirit of the original spiaggine remained intact, the Panda Jolly took things up a notch with contemporary materials and an elegant nod to the world of luxury yachts. Gone were the traditional wicker seats, replaced instead with sleek steel slats wrapped in Rope, a durable, sailing-inspired synthetic fiber. Comfort was key, so the cushions were swathed in soft cotton sponge fabric, courtesy of Italian interior design powerhouse Paola Lenti. The wooden flooring? That’s hand-finished ash, just like you’d find on the deck of a finely crafted boat. Even the rear grab bar mimicked the stern railings of a high-end yacht, making passengers feel as though they were embarking on a nautical adventure—minus the seasickness. And let’s talk about the aesthetics. The Panda Jolly was a delightful blend of retro and modern, borrowing the rounded headlights from the rugged Panda Cross and pairing them with color-matched solid wheels capped with classic chrome hubcaps. The absence of doors made for an open-air, breezy driving experience, perfect for soaking up the Mediterranean sun while looking effortlessly chic.
The birth of the Spiaggina (Spiaggia = Beach) takes place in the immediate post-war period at the initiative of some Italian coachbuilders which transformed small mass production cars in order to make them suitable for the needs of wealthy customers during the holiday period in the seaside resorts.
