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The Rise of the Giardiniera: From Utility Vehicle to Trendsetter

The early 1900s marked the birth of a new automotive concept: the station wagon. Originating in the United States around 1910, independent builders crafted wooden bodies for the chassis of Ford Model T cars. Initially conceived as commercial versions of sedan cars tailored for the working class, they were often referred to as carryalls, denoting their ability to carry a multitude of goods thanks to their spacious cargo compartments compared to traditional torpedo bodies.

1947 Mostra della Carrozzeria Italiana

Lets step back in time to the year 1947, a momentous period marked by the end of a war that left both material and moral devastation in its wake. The echoes of those challenging years are etched in the memories of those fortunate enough to have lived through them. The Mille Miglia revives, symbolizing the resilient spirit of a society yearning for recovery.

The Fiat 1100 Fuoriserie

An elegant convertible, built in 1949 on the popular Fiat 1100 B chassis by Stabilimenti Farina in very few speciments, remains the emblem of this extraordinary coachbuilding of cars in the early 1950s. The resemblance to Ferrari’s 166 Inter is surprising, which let to controversy between Giovanni Farina and Enzo Ferrari.

La dolce vita: the Spiaggina beach cars

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.