Fiat 500 Coccinella by Francis Lombardi

The Fiat 500 Coccinella is a rare and fascinating offshoot of the classic Fiat 500, created by Italian coachbuilder Francis Lombardi.

Built on a modified Fiat 500 F chassis, it was an effort to give the humble city car a more exclusive and elegant character. However, the project quickly ran into difficulties, and only seven examples were ever produced, making it an exceptionally rare collector’s item.

Lombardi heavily reworked the standard 500 F chassis, but the extensive modifications proved costly—even for a company known for small-batch coachbuilt cars.

The redesign aimed to elevate the Fiat 500’s appearance, yet the proportions were met with mixed reactions, and the styling failed to win over enough buyers. Combined with high production costs, this lukewarm response resulted in a tiny production run.

In true Italian coachbuilding tradition, each Coccinella was built to order, allowing customers to personalize numerous details. As a result, no two cars are exactly alike. Many featured different taillights—often borrowed from other Fiat models—and various unique trim elements. What was once seen as inconsistency is now appreciated as individuality.

Today, at least three Coccinellas are known to survive: one red, one yellow, and one white. Their differences highlight the personalized nature of Lombardi’s work and the charm that now attracts collectors.

Mechanically, the Coccinella retained the standard Fiat 500 F engine, so its performance remained unchanged from the mass-produced model. Its appeal instead lies in its rarity, handcrafted details, and the story behind its limited production.

Though commercially unsuccessful and stylistically controversial in its day, the Fiat 500 Coccinella has since become a small but significant piece of automotive history—an example of the ambitious, sometimes impractical spirit of mid-century Italian coachbuilding.