Everything Old is New Again: A Return of the Fiat Jolly?

Back in 1958 Fiat sent a shipment of Fiat 600s to the Italian design house Ghia for an unusual conversion. The resulting cars (or toys) were called the Fiat Jolly. Featuring wicker seats and the option of a fringed top to shield its occupants from the Mediterranean sun, these cars were originally made for use on large yachts of the wealthy. (According to Wikipedia, Aristotle Onassis once owned one.)

Very few of the cars were made, and fewer still are believed to exist. (Beware of imitations -- the value of these little cars has led to many conversions of standard Fiat 600s.)

Autoblog recently reported on a similar conversion. Fiat Fiorino vans have been chopped and converted into Portofinos. They are considerably larger than the original Jolly -- and it seems even less likely that a Portofino will ever appear atop a yacht -- but they are looking to capture some of the "vibe" of the original. It's only a concept, so don't hold your breath.