An Italian company named JollyCar has introduced a modern interpretation of the Ghia-built Fiat 500 Jolly that was sold from 1957 to 1974.
Like its 20th century counterpart, the new Jolly stands out from the pre-facelift Fiat 500 on which it’s based thanks to much higher door sills accented by wood trim and a chopped-off roof panel. A thin, tent-like canvas top can be installed when it rains, but the best option is undoubtedly to leave the Jolly in the garage.
JollyCar has not revealed what structural reinforcements it has made to the 500. However, the interior boasts a set of custom-designed wicker seats that can be fitted with canvas covers at an extra cost.
Mechanically, the JollyCar is standard 500 fare, meaning buyers can order it with either a naturally-aspirated 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 100 horsepower or a turbocharged version of the four-banger that makes 135 ponies. Euro-spec cars are also available with a 0.9-liter two-cylinder and a 1.3-liter turbodiesel, but so far there’s no word on an Abarth-powered hot-rodded model.
Offered as a limited-edition model, the JollyCar will be sold in a number of global markets including the United States, Europe and a handful of countries in Asia. Surprisingly, in the U.S. it stickers for $89,000 before taxes, delivery and options are factored in, a sum that makes it roughly $72,000 more expensive than a base-model 500. To put that figure into perspective, a new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 coupe costs $79,995 and a base Porsche 911 starts at $84,300.
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