2012 FIAT 500 BY JOLLYCAR

This Fiat 500 by Jollycar is a fun, modern interpretation of the classic beach car, which has been crafted by a specialist Italian coachbuilder, and which is presented in superb condition. It is powered by a 1.4-litre MultiAir inline-four engine, producing 104bhp, with front-wheel drive via a six-speed Aisin automatic transmission.

From the late 1950s through to the mid-1960s, Carrozzeria Ghia was commissioned to convert around 200 examples of the original Fiat 500, 600, Multipla, and Giardiniera into ‘Jolly’ cars - pared-back resort runabouts, which were seen as stylish transport for those with a luxurious lifestyle. In 2015, Italian coachbuilder Jollycar announced that it would be transforming a limited number of modern Fiat 500s to the ‘spiaggine’ style - and this is one such example.

This particular car is an original left-hand drive example, which left the Toluca factory as a Lounge specification 500C convertible. It was delivered to New York, US, where it remained in the care of one owner until September 2017. At this point, it was registered for export to Europe, and was subsequently sent to Jollycar for one of its specialist conversions.

After the roof was carefully removed, the body shell was stiffened using laser-cut steel plates and tubes, and the panels were subsequently re-profiled by hand. The door sills, rear quarters, and A-pillar caps were finished in marine-style wood trim and polished metal. Inside, the original dashboard remains, but the seats were stripped out and replaced with wicker rattan chairs using steel frames. They are finished with yellow and white striped fabric, which also features on the removable sunshade roof.

Today, the bodywork and paint presents in excellent condition, with only a few very small chips in the finish. The wood trim is in very good order, and the metal trims have some small blemishes as shown in the photo gallery. It rides on the original 15-inch ‘Lounge’ alloy wheels, which have some kerbing marks, so would benefit from refurbishment. The detachable sunshade accompanies the car, and is in great shape, with no damage to the fabric.

The original dashboard features and switchgear present very well, and all of the electrics work perfectly. The multi-function steering wheel incorporates controls for the hands-free telephone as well as the cruise control. Automatic air-conditioning and the original Sirius stereo head unit are also present. Its rattan seats are undamaged, though do have some surface mould from use that should be straightforward to clean. A plaque on the dashboard denotes the car as the 22nd example built by Jollycar.

It is presented in very good mechanical condition, and with its US history there is a clear CarFax report on file. The report documents annual inspections between 2013 and 2016 in New York, and by the time it was exported it is believed to have approximately 19,000 km on the odometer. During the conversion by Jollycar, it is assumed that the odometer was reset, and the current reading is just over 10,000 km - so the correct total is believed to be 29,000 km from new.

This Fiat 500 by Jollycar is a very smart example of a coachbuilt special edition. While most examples of these conversions feature the 1.2-litre engine, this particular car benefits from the more powerful 1.4-litre petrol unit, as well as the six-speed automatic transmission for a relaxing driving experience. Undoubtedly a fun addition to any collection, this is a rare opportunity to acquire a modern and bespoke beach car.