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La dolce vita: the Spiaggina beach cars

A new way to enjoy the summer holidays

The birth of the Spiaggina Beach Cars (Spiaggia = Beach) takes place in the immediate post-war period at the initiative of some Italian coachbuilders which transformed small mass production cars in order to make them suitable for the needs of wealthy customers during the holiday period in the seaside resorts.

The changes, made on the client’s need, were the most varied and generally included the removal of the roof and its replacement with a fabric awning, the installation of canvas or wicker seats and the elimination of the lateral glazed surfaces. and access doors.

The name “Spiaggina” was introduced with the 1958 Fiat 500 Boano Spiaggina, built on the Fiat Nuova 500 platform and mechanics and designed by Mario Boano. This car, despite being built in only two specimens, became famous in magazines all over the world for being photographed with its owners, Gianni Agnelli and Aristotle Onassis. Probably, it contributed to the affirmation of the term “Spiaggina”, also in reference to the folding beach chairs (which in italian are called in fact Spiaggina) used in bathing establishments, so this kind of cars were often referred by journalist as “beach furniture”.

From the second half of the fifties, various models of Spiaggina cars were built in small series by the main Italian coachbuilders until the early nineties.

With the definitive closure of the coachbuilder era, which mainly worked on Fiat production chassis, the term “Spiaggina” fell into oblivion due to safety regulations. But these cars will always have a special place in the heart of  car enthusiasts and remain protagonists in many Concorsi d’Eleganza and world auctions reaching high prices.

So lets dig into deeper and see (in alphabetical order) the italian coachbuilder creations:

Boano

The first documented Spiaggina was built by Carrozzeria Boano on the Fiat 500 chassis. Two speciments were built. Boano also made the Torpedo Marina which was based on the big sister Fiat 600, this version allowed to carry more people, basically a family version of the Spiaggina.

Castagna

Since the rebirth in 1994, the historic Carrozzeria from Milan relaunced the trend of the Spiaggina on various modern platforms. The most notables are the Mini based “Tender” and various interpretations on the Fiat 500, like the “Capri” and the “Tender2“.

Fissore

The first example of Spiaggina made by Carrozzeria Fissore was this Fiat 600 Marinella. It features a two-tone yellow, brown paintwork, wood slatted bench seating, Coir carpeting and a Surrey top. Fissore made also its larger version based on the Multipla: the Fiat 600 Multipla Marinella which features semi-circular passenger seating, boat-style wood embellishment in the interior and a fixed roof. More than 20 years later a new interpretation followed on the Fiat 127 base: the Scout. Its body was made of fibreglass and had an almost off-road vibe.

Photo courtesy of Stuart Parr Collection

Frua

The first Spiaggina made by Pietro Frua was unveiled at the 1957 Salone dell’Automobile di Torino. Based on the Fiat 500, this motorboat look-a-like one-off features an unusual position for its headlights: under the windshield. In 1977, Frua tried his luck again, this time (like Fissore) on the Fiat 127: the Dinghy.

Ghia

Carrozzeria Ghia was the first Coachbuilder which mass produced the Spiaggina. With the Fiat 600 Jolly, designed by Sergio Sartorelli, Ghia gave basically birth to the iconic beach car. While the 600 Jolly was all about fun, its big sister, the Fiat 600 Multipla Jolly was more practical. More than 100 speciments in many versions were hand-built by Carrozzeria Ghia. Variants were also built on other brands like Renault and Autobianchi.

Photo courtesy of Hyman Ltd / Erik Fuller

Italdesign

The 2011 Volkswagen Up! Azzurra Sailing Team was created by Italian designers Giorgetto Giugiaro and Walter de Silva for Italdesign as a modern interpretation of the Spiaggina car. The Up! makes use of high-tech and highly stylish materials in the interor, all of which are completely waterproof, and they intentionally resemble the fittings of a luxury yacht. These features include the four seats in white-blue leather, numerous chrome components and a dashboard in mahogany with maple wood inlays. Its surfaces are coated in a synthetic resin.

Volkswagen Up! Azzurra Sailing Team

Michelotti

Probably one of the most famous Spiaggina Cars is the 1966 DAF Kini Beach Car. Designed by Giovanni Michelotti for the dutch car brand, it was made as gift for the royal family which used it at their summer residence in Porto Ercole. The 1968 Fiat Shellette in other hand, carries a lot of similarities with the Kini Beach car. Born in collaboration with Yacht designer Phillip Schell, it was based on the Fiat 850. About 80 were built, only less then 10 are still in existance.

Photo courtesy of Bonhams

Moretti

Moretti, which was born as car manufacturer, and later became a coachbuilder was also involved in the realizzation of Spiaggina cars. In 1958 it built a Spiaggina based on the BMW Isetta. Of course there were also some interpretations on Fiat chassis like the 1960 Multipla Mare and again, on the Fiat 127 chassis, the Midimaxi.

Pininfarina

Unveiled at the 1956 Turin Motor Show, Pininfarina’s debut of the Spiaggina cars was this Fiat 600 Multipla Eden Roc. Henry Ford Jr. bought this speciments on the first day of the show, and a second one was made for the Avvocato Agnelli. In 1969 Pininfarina presented the Teenage: a Spiaggina built on the Fiat 128 chassis which features a folding windshield and walkie talkies. No doors of roof were available. In 2001, to celebrate the 80’s birthday of Gianni Agnelli, Pininfarina built the Fiat Multipla Spider, a modern interpretation of the Spiaggina, which was followed in 2018 by the Fiat 500 Spiaggina 4.0, made in collaboration with Lapo Elkann,  chairman and creative director of Garage Italia.

Savio

The less known coachbuilder Savio with its Spiaggina versions on the Fiat 600 and 500 basis designed by Boano followed in the 70’s by the 127 Albarella and the 126 Jungla.

Vignale

Carrozzeria Vignale made various Spiaggina cars based on the Fiat Multipla and all designed by Giovanni Michelotti. Its worth mentioning the 1956 Fiat 600 Multipla Spiaggia exhibited at the 1957 Geneva Motor Show, and the 1963 Fiat 600 Torpedo Marina.

What is your favourite interpretation of the Spiaggina car? Comment below and check out for more here

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In the early 20th century, as the automotive industry rapidly evolved, comfort and performance became crucial aspects of car design. One of the most significant innovations to emerge during this time was the Weymann system, a lightweight and flexible body construction technique that greatly improved passenger comfort by reducing noise and vibration. Originally created for aircraft fuselages, the system quickly found its way into the automotive world, where it was embraced by luxury car manufacturers. Several Italian coachbuilders, such as Carrozzeria Touring, Stabilimenti Farina, Ghia, Bertone, and Zagato, adopted the Weymann system, making it a hallmark of high-end automotive design in the 1920s.

The system’s inventor, Charles Terres Weymann (1889–1976), was an early aviation pioneer with a fascinating background. Although he spoke fluent French and was generally regarded as French, Weymann was born on August 2, 1889, to a wealthy American father and French mother while they were on a cruise ship traveling to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He earned his pilot’s license in 1909 (#24 with the American Aero Club) and soon gained fame by competing in European aviation events, including winning the Gordon Bennett Cup at Eastchurch, on the Isle of Sheppey near London, in 1911. During World War I, he worked as a test pilot for the French airplane manufacturer Nieuport, earning prestigious honors such as the Chevalier of the Legion of Honour and the Croix de Guerre. After the war, he remained in France, where his aviation background inspired him to develop a flexible automobile body based on aircraft design principles.

By 1921, Weymann had built his first motor vehicle body prototype in his small Carrosserie Weymann at No. 20 Rue Troyon in Paris. His design employed an ultra-light ash framework, joined with innovative steel plates instead of traditional mortise-and-tenon joints. The wooden frame components were separated by greaseproof paper and spacers to eliminate squeaks, while fabric coverings—typically pyroxylin-coated synthetic leathers such as DuPont’s Zapon—provided the outer skin. This multi-layered construction reduced vibration and noise, offering an unprecedented level of passenger comfort.

Weymann’s designs also included practical innovations such as adjustable seatbacks, which could be positioned to suit either upright driving or a more reclined seating preference. Patented and licensed to coachbuilders, this feature became widely popular in luxury cars of the 1920s and 1930s. To gain attention, Weymann equipped high-end European chassis—such as Voisin, Panhard, Hotchkiss, and Delage—with his fabric bodies, building a reputation for lightweight yet durable designs.

Rolls-Royce Twenty Limousine Farina
The Rolls-Royce Twenty Limousine Farina with Weymann body

While Weymann’s Paris shop could only produce a small number of bodies, his system gained widespread adoption through licensing agreements. By 1923, he had formed a British subsidiary with Rotax, and by 1925, a factory was established in Putney, London, under the name Weymann’s Motor Bodies Ltd. Licensing offices followed in New York City and Cologne, Germany. By 1926, with 123 licensees worldwide, Weymann had amassed a fortune from his patents. In Italy, Carrozzeria Touring from Milan became the official licensee for the Weymann system, solidifying its reputation as a hallmark of high-end automotive design in the country.

Weymann’s attempts to penetrate the American market culminated in a partnership with Fred Moskovics of Stutz. Together, they launched the Weymann American Body Co. in Indianapolis in 1927. Although Weymann’s system was initially met with skepticism by American bodybuilders, the lightweight, flexible design was well-suited to enhancing performance. The system’s use of materials like linoleum, felt, and synthetic leather, combined with the absence of paint, enabled significant weight reduction—an estimated 400 pounds lighter than conventional bodies—leading to improved speed, fuel efficiency, and road performance.

Weymann’s groundbreaking designs not only elevated luxury car manufacturing but also demonstrated the innovative potential of cross-disciplinary inspiration, merging the principles of aviation and automotive engineering to redefine comfort and performance in the 20th-century automobile industry.

What is the Weymann System?

The Weymann body used high-quality ash wood for its frame, connected with steel plates at flexible joints that allowed movement without compromising strength. Unlike conventional mortised joints, these steel plates avoided weak points and were virtually unbreakable. To smooth corners, small metal panels were used, while muslin, cotton batting, and a final layer of synthetic leather (commonly Zapon) or fabric were applied to the frame. Straining wires maintained the body’s shape, even during stress. The body’s fabric covering was durable and resistant to dents and scratches. Zapon, a cotton cloth coated with multiple layers of lacquer, was particularly robust, capable of withstanding impacts that would damage metal. Repairs were also simple: torn fabric could be replaced easily at a fraction of the cost of repairing metal panels, and the covering could be refreshed or replaced without exceeding the cost of a traditional paint job.

This framework was then covered with layers of fabric, offering several advantages:

Noise Reduction: The flexible joints absorbed vibrations, significantly reducing the squeaks and rattles that were common in rigid-bodied cars of the era.

Lightweight Design: The use of a fabric covering and a flexible frame made Weymann-bodied vehicles much lighter. This reduction in weight improved performance, fuel efficiency, and top speed while lowering the car’s center of gravity, enhancing both safety and handling.

Comfort: By eliminating road noise and vibrations, Weymann bodies provided a smoother, quieter ride. Additionally, the seats and floorboards were bolted directly to the car’s frame, further insulating passengers from body vibrations. Weymann cars were known for their luxurious and practical features. Doors could be closed with minimal effort, operating silently without the need for slamming. Adjustable front seats ensured a perfect driving position for passengers of all sizes, while riding comfort was further enhanced by the body’s ability to cushion road shocks. The lowered center of gravity also contributed to smoother handling and a more stable ride.

Safety: A key advantage of the Weymann body was its weight distribution. By significantly reducing the weight of the upper part of the car (above the frame), the center of gravity was lowered, making the vehicle much more stable and less prone to rollovers. Tests showed that a Weymann-bodied car, such as a Stutz, could safely tilt nearly 50% more sideways than a conventional car without overturning. Despite its light weight, the Weymann frame was incredibly strong, with parallelogram-based sections at key points (windshield, center pillar, and rear quarter pillar) providing structural integrity. These frames were so durable that they could support the car’s weight if overturned.

Appearance: Weymann-bodied cars stood out for their distinctive, European-inspired elegance. In the U.S., these bodies were most often seen on Stutz chassis, adding an aristocratic flair to the vehicles. The fabric exterior also had practical advantages: it was dent-resistant, flexible, and maintained its polished appearance with simple cleaning. Zapon’s colored lacquer coating, which penetrated through the material, ensured that the finish retained its vibrancy and durability over time.

Performance: The Weymann system’s light weight enhanced every aspect of a car’s performance. Reduced chassis strain improved acceleration, top speed, and hill-climbing ability, while also increasing gas mileage and tire life. The streamlined construction reduced wind resistance, further boosting efficiency and speed.

Durability: Despite their lightness, Weymann bodies were exceptionally durable. The tough Zapon fabric resisted ordinary bumps and shocks, and even in the event of damage, repairs were straightforward and affordable. The construction’s simplicity and modularity made Weymann cars a practical choice for long-term ownership.

The Weymann System and Italian Coachbuilders

While the Weymann system originated in France, it was quickly embraced by several Italian coachbuilders, who refined and adapted it for their luxury clients. The first Italian manufacturer to license the Weymann system was Carrozzeria Touring.

Carrozzeria Touring played a major role in popularizing the Weymann system in Italy. Touring’s lightweight yet elegant designs used the Weymann system on models like the Fiat 509 and the Alfa Romeo 6C 1500. Touring’s expertise in combining luxury with innovation made them a perfect fit for incorporating the Weymann system, which enhanced passenger comfort by reducing road noise and vibration, while still maintaining the performance expected from high-end Italian cars.

Touring stand at the 1927 Milano Salon.

Stabilimenti Farina, another key Italian coachbuilder, was quick to adopt the Weymann system, using it to enhance both the comfort and elegance of their designs. Farina’s designs, like the Lancia Lambda Faux Cabriolet Farina and the Rolls-Royce Twenty Limousine Farina, exemplified the luxurious appeal of the Weymann system. These models showcased the ability of the Weymann system to create quieter, more comfortable rides for long-distance travel while maintaining the refinement expected from such prestigious marques. The system’s ability to absorb vibrations and reduce road noise made it especially popular among elite clients seeking comfort in addition to performance.

Ghia, renowned for its stylish, elegant designs, also incorporated the Weymann system into their vehicles, including a Fiat 509. The system’s flexibility complemented Ghia’s lightweight designs, contributing to a smooth and quiet ride—important qualities for the luxury market.

Bertone also used the Weymann system for some of their creations, such as the Diatto 20. Bertone’s designs were known for their lightweight construction and aerodynamic shapes, and the Weymann system further enhanced the performance and comfort of their vehicles, aligning with the brand’s reputation for innovation.

Zagato, known for its aerodynamic and lightweight designs, was another Italian coachbuilder that embraced the Weymann system. Zagato adapted the system to models like the Itala 61, ensuring that their cars not only looked stylish but also provided a smoother, quieter driving experience thanks to the system’s unique construction.

Better Alternatives: The Kelsch System and Garavini’s Innovations

As innovative as the Weymann system was, it had its drawbacks, particularly when it came to durability and the potential for structural failure over time. In response, some coachbuilders turned to alternative systems that offered similar benefits while addressing the limitations of the Weymann system.

One of the main alternatives to the Weymann system was the Kelsch system, which was licensed in Italy by Carrozzeria Casaro. The Kelsch system utilized a different approach by anchoring the body to the chassis at three points, reducing stress and improving durability. The system featured special woods and patented fasteners, along with imitation leather over wire netting for strength. By 1928, Kelsch had introduced aluminum alloy outer panels, allowing for more advanced spray-painting techniques, making it a more resilient option than the Weymann system.

Giovanni Boneschi, known for his perfectionist approach and critical eye, was one of the coachbuilders who moved away from the Weymann system after seeing its flaws. He believed that the Weymann system, while innovative, had inherent weaknesses, particularly the fragility of the fabric covering and the tendency for the bodywork to deteriorate over time. Boneschi adopted the Kelsch system, refining it further to enhance its strength, longevity, and durability, while still maintaining the system’s lightweight and flexible characteristics. This made the Kelsch system a more reliable alternative, addressing many of the concerns he had with Weymann’s design.

Carrozzeria Garavini developed an innovative alternative to the Weymann System, addressing early car body design challenges. At the 1927 Milan Salon, it introduced the Pluemelastica and Plumacciaio systems, featuring rubber dampers between the body and chassis for improved comfort. Hailed as “the only true novelty” of the event, the Garavini system enhanced rigidity, durability, and noise reduction. Using a fabric-and-celluloid sandwich structure, it offered lightness and flexibility while solving issues like body “unhooking” under stress, a flaw in the Weymann design.

The Decline of the Weymann System

Despite the early popularity of the Weymann system, its use began to decline by the late 1920s and early 1930s. While the system offered improved comfort and performance compared to traditional coachbuilding methods, it also had significant limitations.

The Weymann system was prone to rot if not maintained properly, and its fabric covering could be easily damaged. Additionally, the system’s design was vulnerable to harsh stresses, especially on rough roads. These drawbacks made it less practical as newer, more durable body construction methods emerged.

As car manufacturers began to develop more rigid and durable body designs, the Weymann system fell out of favor, and its use was phased out within a decade.

Though the Weymann system was short-lived, it played a significant role in shaping the development of luxury car design during a pivotal period in automotive history. Today, Weymann-bodied cars are still cherished by collectors, a testament to the innovation and craftsmanship of early 20th-century coachbuilding.