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The Rise of the Giardiniera: From Utility Vehicle to Trendsetter

The early 1900s marked the birth of a new automotive concept: the station wagon. Originating in the United States around 1910, independent builders crafted wooden bodies for the chassis of Ford Model T cars. Initially conceived as commercial versions of sedan cars tailored for the working class, they were often referred to as carryalls, denoting their ability to carry a multitude of goods thanks to their spacious cargo compartments compared to traditional torpedo bodies.

The Fiat 1100 Fuoriserie

An elegant convertible, built in 1949 on the popular Fiat 1100 B chassis by Stabilimenti Farina in very few speciments, remains the emblem of this extraordinary coachbuilding of cars in the early 1950s. The resemblance to Ferrari’s 166 Inter is surprising, which let to controversy between Giovanni Farina and Enzo Ferrari.

La dolce vita: the Spiaggina beach cars

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.

The Fiat 600 Elaborate

The Fiat 600 was undoubtedly the car that accompanied Italy through the economic boom. When it was presented it was very popular thanks to its modern lines, the brilliant engine and a cockpit large enough to fit the whole family. The demand for the 600 was so high that Fiat was unable to meet the waiting times, so that many relied on the coachbuilders in order to get its small family car sooner, even at the cost of a higher price.