The ultimate italian coachbuilder site
The ultimate italian coachbuilder site
The Fiat Shellette is the result of a collaboration between yacht designer Phillip Schell and famed automotive stylist Giovanni Michelotti. Michelotti was one of Italy’s most important and influential stylists, servicing Vignale, Maserati, Lancia, BMW and many others.
The Fiat Shellette is based on the 850 chassis and has been substantially reworked to the point where it bears little resemblance to the Fiat. The styling by Michelotti is dramatic and aero, reflecting the design trends of the mid to late ’60s in Italy. Unlike the much more common Fiat 600 Jolly, the Fiat Shellette is a far more refined and better equipped machine. Featuring a drive-train capable of comfortably moving the car along at 60mph, it also has heat and a stereo system. The more luxurious Fiat Shellette was produced in low numbers – only 80. Of the 80 built one found its way to Jacqueline Onassis who used it on the Island of Skorpios, and an early DAF based Shellette was used by the Dutch Royal Family at their summer residence in Porto Ercole. Today, of the less than 10 which are known to survive, at least three reside in museum collections.
The birth of the Spiaggina (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.
