Following several recent years spent successfully creating highly exclusive models based on the MINI, re-born Milanese atelier Carrozzeria Castagna is now turning its coachbuilding attentions to another new very fashionable small car - the 500, which has picked up very seamlessly where the MINI has left off.

The historic coachbuilder was reborn just over a decade ago, most recently hitting the news headlines for its very aggressive Corvette-based Aznom one-off sportscar that offered extreme new performance levels. Alongside its coachbuilding programmes Castagna has created a plethora of highly distinctive, unique cars of all shapes and sizes, including last year's mammoth Imperial Landaulet limousine, the Ferrari 575 M Maranello-based Aria (2005), another Ferrari concept sports car, this time the 'Rossellini' (2003), the slipery Alfa Romeo-based G.C. (2003) and the distinctive and innovative Maserati Auge (1995).

However it is in the area of limited-run, exclusive handcrafted cars that Castagna has focused its attentions most closely, rolling out a string of niche versions of the MINI, each one perfectly finished as would be expected from a company that prides itself on a century and a half of craftsmanship. The MINI 'Wagon' is a stretched version (25 cm longer than the standard car) which has a luxurious interior and quietness assured by its solid soundproofing and the 6 mm thick rear window glass. 'Woody' takes this theme a step forward, embedding in its lines the distinct tradition of English coachbuilding, vividly recreating the eye-catching external wooden strips of cars from the 1960s and 1970s, while inside it features the warm ebony tones of luxurious leathers woven from the seats to the dashboard.
 

'SUWagon' features rugged big plastic wheelarches and sideskirts for tough all-round protection as well as a ride height which can be adjusted depending on the surface that the driver is traversing. 'Tender' conveys the spirit of the 1960s 'beach buggy' with its cut-away doors; while the 'Crossup' features a small pick-up style rear end grafted on and is clad with external wooden trims, new bumpers, chunky wheelarch trims and side skirts as well as larger aluminium lined side tread plates. Finally the 'Hybrid' option (available across the range) features an electric motor and battery pack which allow the driver to simply switch his propulsion method as and when he chooses; in hybrid mode a range of 200 kilometres at speeds of up to 140 km/h is achievable.

As well as these project Castagna has also crafted tuning kits for cars as diverse as the Alfa 156 GTA and Range Rover, as well as luxurious in-car accessories such as ultra-light bicycles and external racks, vodka freezers and champagne fridges, bespoke leather luggage sets, and even cigar humidifiers.

Now Castagna is putting its experience with the MINI into a new project focused on the 500. Although the atelier hasn't released exact details, the image above reveals many of its trademark features including the plastic wheelarch covers, new bumpers and glass roof. The car has a new high-gloss black finished roof section, which is extended to the B- and C-pillars, darkened Fiat badges and a Castagna logo on the B-pillar, twin chromed exhaust tailpipes and wider 17-inch multispoke alloy wheels. Inside an opulent all-leather finish will include the door panels and dashboard.