Carrozzeria Castagna has presented its latest exclusive coachbuilt project, which is based around the Fiat 500; the 'Tender', offers zero-emission technical sophistication under the skin to match its trademark outrageous body styling treatment.

Milanese-based Carrozzeria Castagna has made a name for itself with a string of highly distinctive and very exclusive projects since its rebirth just over a decade ago; including unique one-off showcars and in particular a series of conversions based around the Mini.

Castagna has already developed and marketed its own bespoke version of the Fiat 500, offering supercharging of the 1.4-litre petrol engine version to compliment a mild body restyling; now it presents the 500 'Tender' a comprehensive new project that draws on a previous Tender conversion it created which based on the Mini, and firmly builds on a design heritage that is synonymous with the original Fiat 500 Jolly, a tender conversion built by Ghia in the early 1960s and sold across Europe and North America. Known affectionately as the La Spiaggina it was popular with the rich and famous of the day, used as a tender or estate runabout.

To create the new 500 Tender, Castagna's designers have removed the production car's roof and the doors, replacing the lower door aperture with a raised sill section that incorporates a structure to strengthen the body, a requirement necessary now that the car's monocoque format has been discarded. The tailgate has been discarded, and the C-pillar area lowered, creating a open, airy cabin which combines neatly with a teak and wicker finished cargo stowage area. The nautical theme is finished off by the use of soft blue fabric covers (matched in the rear light unit) and alloy grip rails that sweep through 90 degrees.

The teak used in the cargo area is neatly complimented on the top half of the door mirrors, which are now attached to the extended A-pillar; while sweeping brown-finished integrated wheel arches and sill covers offer further visual distinction. Finally a removable red-and-white striped canvas roof, which at the front clips to the windscreen frame and at the rear is attached to two thin alloy poles, completes the effect, and the historical parallels.

Underneath the bonnet the Castagna 500 Tender is just as revolutionary as it is powered by a zero-emission electric unit which has been developed by Swiss company MES-DEA; it is claimed that the 500 Tender will have a top speed of 130 km/h, and have a range of 140 kilometres. The recharge time is 4 hours off a household power point and the driver receives data through a new LCD screen mounted on the dashboard.

MES DEA started electric vehicle development activities eight years ago with a prototype electric Renault Twingo Quickshift, and in 2004 production of this vehicle got underway. A year later an electric Fiat Panda joined the range. The two models are sold only in Switzerland and Italy. MES DEA is a specialist for the development, production and the sales of components for electric vehicles such as motors, vacuum pumps, DC/DC converters, battery chargers and the ZEBRA battery which is sold worldwide. Since 2001 MES DEA has been researching, developing and producing fuel cells with medium and reduced output. The 500 Tender will be commercialised before the end of this year.