Fiat Topolino Garavini

Resurrected Italian coachbuilder Garavini has unveiled its version of the electric Fiat Topolino quadricycle, charging a hefty premium for the unique look.

Carrozzeria Garavini was founded in Turin in 1908 by entrepreneur Eusebio Garavini and operated until the end of the 1950s, offering the world some 25 signature models based on factory Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Lancia marques. The studio has recently been revived, also in Turin, and is now called Garavini Torino. Its profile remains the same – exclusive models based on factory models, and the first new product after its revival was the Topolino Garavini.

The new Fiat Topolino debuted in 2023 – it is a low-speed electric quadricycle and a technical clone of the Citroen Ami and Opel Rocks. It differs by its cuter, retro-style, pop-eyed body and more expensive interior, but the price remains affordable: in Italy the Topolino costs from 7,544 euros, in Germany – from 9,890 euros.

Garavini Torino asks for its version of the Topolino from 45,000 euros without tax, in Germany the exclusive Topolino Garavini will cost 53,550 euros. For this price you can get a fully fledged electric hot hatch – the Volkswagen ID.3 GTX Performance, for example (from €52,295 in Germany), but Garavini explains the value of its EV by its exquisite design and limited edition – the first batch will be just 10 and there may not be any more.

The Garavini designers took only the body frame and technology from the original Topolino, while the interior and all exterior body panels are new. The design and colour scheme of the Topolino Garavini are inspired by the Italian island of Capri and the relaxed beach resort lifestyle of the Dolce Vita (‘sweet life’). The electric car has no doors and the luggage compartment is an open hole in the rear, finished in wood as if it were the deck of a yacht. New chairs with removable headrests and cushions resemble deck chairs, and the fabric roof is a parasol.

The Topolino Garavini’s only electric motor is mounted on the front axle and produces a modest 6 kW (8.2 hp); a full charge of the battery, which has a capacity of 5.5 kW h, is enough for a maximum of 75 km of driving according to the WLTP cycle, the top speed being limited to 45 km/h.