Autoblog

VIP visitors to the Isle of Capri this summer are being ferried about in this new Fiat concept car - the Panda Jolly. The latest in a long line of Jolly vacation cars from Fiat, The all sun, all the time Panda runabout was designed around Mediterranean and nautical themes by Centro Stile Fiat and interior designer Paolo Lenti.

The Panda Jolly retains most of the look and feel of the production car, aside from the obvious lack of a roof and doors, and a redone rear boot lid. Much of the design work went into the interior, with a modular arrangement of tube-frame seats covered with nautically-inspired rope and color-coordinated seat cusions. The ash wood floor, sills and rear deck continue the sailing yacht theme.

Show car builder Stola finished the cheerful little car with a sky blue metallic paint job.

Over the years, Fiat has produced a number of Jolly models, including versions based on the Multipla, 500 and 600. Check out the Jolly Registry here, and a gorgeous Fiat 500 Jolly here. In their heyday of the late '50s and early '60s, the Fiat 500 Jollys were a favorite toy of the rich and famous, including Yul Brynner and Aristotle Onassis, who used them as estate runabouts, yacht tenders and golf carts.

[Sources: Italiaspeed, Fiat, The Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum]