Fiat 500 Jolly Icon-e
22.05.2019
E s is currently en vogue to install electric motors in historic automobiles. Classic minis move with the power of electricity, as do old Porsche 911s, the VW favorites Beetles and Bulli and many others. Now the Fiat 500 joins this illustrious group. Garage Italia is converting the small car icon from the boot-shaped peninsula to an electric car that is inspired by Ghia's legendary convertible conversion Fiat 500 Jolly from the late 1950s.
Electric motor instead of two-cylinder gasoline engine
The company of the dazzling Agnelli heir Lapo Elkann is replacing the original two-cylinder petrol engine in the rear with an electricity-fed counterpart that was created in collaboration with the Newtron Group. However, Garage Italia has not yet provided any further details or even technical data on the drive system for the electric specialist from the north-eastern tip of Sardinia. All that is known is that the new engine was flanged to the original gearbox. There appear to be two forward gears: photos showing the gear stick have a turtle and a rabbit symbol. In one stage, things are going quite slowly, in the other a little more nimble.
Data on the battery are also unknown so far. All you can see is the charging connection for a seven-pin type 2 plug, which is hidden behind the Fiat logo on the front. The batteries should provide enough energy for more than 120 kilometers and, depending on the charging variant, can be completely charged with electricity in four to eight hours.
The Fiat 500 loses roof and doors
The changes to the body and interior are less subtle. When the Fiat 500 was transformed into the Jolly Icon-e, it not only lost its roof, but also its two doors. Garage Italia mounts holding and step bars, which are reminiscent of the railing of a ship, on the newly modeled body parts at both ends of the car (the bumpers have also been adapted). And of course the old Jolly, which had something similar on the body. In order for the little Italian to remain stable despite these measures, Garage Italia has also put in a safety cell.
That makes sense, because instead of a door or something similar, there is only a narrow ship traffic jam between the occupants and the outside world. After all, the structure of the windshield has been reinforced to increase safety. The new lamps should also represent an improvement. Both in the front and in the back, the Garage Italia has LED lights in the original lightsintegrated. On the other hand, the whitewall tires, which come from the Vintage Line from Michelin, present a classic look.
The seatbelt-free seats are made of hand-woven natural rope; It looks a bit as if Mr. Elkann had recycled his discarded garden furniture for this project. But of course this is also an allusion to the historical Jolly, which was equipped with wicker chairs at the time. The originally installed analog speedometer gives way to a five-inch digital instrument with specially developed graphics.
