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Carrozzeria Castagna loves tinkering with little retro hatches. The Milanese design house has brought us wave after wave of unique creations – including MINI pickups and custom 500s – and is looking to continue its grand tradition of peculiarity at the Geneva Motor Show this week.
The MINI Woody Passion Kit (try saying that three times fast) is fairly straightforward because MINI already makes a wagon, so Castagna has put together a package of trim pieces for the Clubman in contrasting dark and light woodgrain effects. For the 500 WoodyWagon, however, Castagna had to take things a step further. About 50-60mm further, actually, as the coachbuilder has stretched the Cinquecento – only the rear overhang, it seems, with the wheelbase left intact) to create its interpretation of how a 500 wagon would look. The reports suggest that the 500 WoodyWagon will also come equipped with Castagna's supercharger kit, boosting power from 100 up to 155hp. Equally intriguing, however, is the suggestion that this is only a preview, as Fiat itself reportedly plans on making a 500 wagon by 2010 to be called the Giardiniera, which is news to us.
[Source: Italiaspeed]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Reuben @ Mar 2nd 2008 7:17PM
HAHA greatest title ever...
Woody...
Andrew Tanasescu @ Mar 2nd 2008 7:20PM
I had the same immature giggle when I read "mini woody passion kit". sounds like some horrible sex toy.
Anyways back to the car. I never understood the whole wood on car exteriors. I remember seeing it on some Pt Crusiers and I think it looks like the dumbest thing ever. Cars are and never have been made from wood. Not even the flinstones did that.
Ohso Clutch @ Mar 2nd 2008 7:25PM
It's a nod to the old Ford Woody panel Wagons from the 40's. For some reason, they fail to realize that those cars are the only acceptable application of wood panels.
Reader @ Mar 2nd 2008 8:18PM
I think I saw it here on Autoblog, but some students made a concept lamborghini-esque car out of all wood. Looked pretty good. Now wood panels... Those never look good.
Reuben @ Mar 2nd 2008 8:34PM
Wood panels have never and will never look good on cars..that I agree with.
However, as for a car made with wood....see Morgan (wood chasis)
garland823 @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:04PM
You might want to ask Jaguar about wooden cars...
garlinski @ Mar 2nd 2008 7:23PM
The 500 looks pretty good... the Mini, not so good. Looks like the the trees from the Wizard of Oz puked all over it.
Allan @ Mar 2nd 2008 7:53PM
Old school woodys... awesome.
New vehicles with retro woody styling... not so awesome. The PT loser, Mini, 500... just not feeling it.
SPG @ Mar 2nd 2008 8:32PM
Chrysler made every Lebaron wagon, coupe, and convertible somehow cool with faux wood panneling.
These cars... Just are not working the wood so much.
goalieguy314 @ Mar 2nd 2008 11:20PM
Wow.. they made two ugly cars even uglier
FThorn @ Mar 3rd 2008 6:53AM
Ugliest thing I've ever seen.
ehisforadam @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:56AM
I just threw up a little in my mouth.
Rick @ Mar 3rd 2008 10:18AM
I'm not a fan of the Clubman, but this wood setup makes the Clubman that more hiedous.
Iridium @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:32AM
The 500 looks ok, the clubman is hideous.
For a real woody check out this:
http://www.cherrybronco.com/
I saw all of thier cars at the autoshow. Wood Bronco, Jeep, golf cart. The cool thing about them is that they are actually functional cars you can drive.