Fiat 500 Spiaggina: the legendary Italian car makes a comeback

Bonacina makes a remarkable comeback to the automotive industry by collaborating with Garage Italia Customs to introduce the fully-electric version of the Fiat 500 Spiaggina. This new edition features Bonacina’s signature woven seats, meticulously handcrafted and available upon request through Garage Italia.

Garage Italia Customs, founded by Lapo Elkann in 2017, is known for its innovative approach to customization and bespoke experiences for brands, companies, and private clients. Their renowned Icon-e project, which involves the restoration and electrification of classic cars, including the Fiat 500 transformed into the Spiaggina, has solidified their position in the restomod field.

The car can be recharged within a few hours using any standard domestic power socket. Its design pays homage to the original version by Vittorio Bonacina from the 1950s, featuring rattan-core woven seats that evoke the essence of the “dolce vita” lifestyle.

“It was nice to travel back in time with our craftspeople, we found ourselves with the same bare seat of the classic version and had to figure out how to weave our material within its metal skeleton. This has been developed with our philosophy in mind: creating a product that lasts over time and offering an ergonomic and comfortable solution, as for all the products that we design and manufacture” says Elia Bonacina, CEO of Bonacina.

The new 500 Spiaggina distinguishes itself from Vittorio Bonacina’s original version through its customizable color options. While the initial models were crafted in the natural shade of rattan core, the new series allows customers to select any color of their choice, courtesy of Garage Italia.

Elia Bonacina proposed the idea of aniline-dyeing seats, enabling customers to personalize their 500 Spiaggina and match the seat color with the bodywork.

Driven by their shared passion for customization and innovative thinking, Bonacina and Garage Italia embark on new possibilities for collaboration. Elia Bonacina envisions various innovative seat designs, gadgets, and car modifications by utilizing Garage Italia’s creativity and Bonacina’s diverse weaving techniques and materials.

The new fully-electric vehicle holds significant importance for Bonacina, becoming their company mascot for future projects both in Italy and internationally. The plan is to utilize the car as a courtesy vehicle, transporting guests from the Galleria Giardino Museum, inaugurated in early 2023, to Bonacina’s production hub in the Como area. This journey promises an immersive experience of the Italian dolce vita.

Garage Italia’s objective for the Fiat 500 Spiaggina is to deploy it as a courtesy car within the hospitality and private event sectors, further highlighting the strong synergy between the two companies.