As Libyan rebels fought
their way into Colonel Gaddafi's heavily fortified
compound in the heart of the capital city Tripoli this
week, one of the many captivating images to emerge has
been of the unique electric-powered Fiat 500C coachbuilt
by Carrozzeria Castagna.
Amongst chaotic scenes of
jubilant fighters clambering on the famous statue of a
clenched fist grasping an aircraft, built to symbolise
Gaddafi's narrow escape from U.S. bombing raids in 1986,
and rebels trampling on the shining golden face of the
dictator torn from a statue in the grounds, the lavishly
coachbuilt 500C stood out.
The story of this car's short history comes from
Quattroruote magazine which says that the project
was actually commissioned by Gaddafi's seventh son
Khamis, who has become a household name in recent weeks
as the commander of the so-called "Khamis Brigade",
reputedly the most feared of all the Libyan government
forces.
According to
Quattroruote the unusual project was rushed through
in just a month at a cost of 100,000 euros to satisfy
Gaddafi's demands and it's 34 kW electric power unit
from Ansaldo can haul it to a top speed of 160 km/h and
up 30 degree inclines. Range, thanks to the Lithium-Ion
battery pack, is an impressive 260 km. The 500C Castagna
Capri weighs in at 1,600 kg, around 500 kg heavier than
the standard Fiat 500. The suspension was modified and
ground clearance lowered by 50 mm, this apparently was
to ensure it was easier for passengers wearing
traditional Arab dress to gain access.
The design is unique (but builds on the innovations of
Castagna's Fiat 500 "Tender Two") with the doors, and
three quarters window removed, the body redone by the
Milanese firm's craftsmen with new higher sill sections
with wood-finished steps and surrounds as well as a new
aluminium B-pillar. The car's new two tone colour scheme
reflects the values of the Libyan regime. The green base
colour was designed to be the same as the hue of the
Colonel's infamous "Green Book", a work containing many
of his diatribes and unique views on the world. That
exterior green colour is replicated on the dashboard,
while the ivory-trimmed leather interior finish was
designed to reflect the sun and be resistant to
ultra-violet damage. The electric roll-top is
canvas-covered in a colour that reflects the "sand of
the desert". Finally, the Fiat badges at the front and
rear were replaced with the emblem of the Jamahiriya
("a state of the masses") the concept by which Gaddafi
perceived he ruled Libya.
Quattroruote
also notes in its story that this week's dramatic
pictures of the car abandoned in the gunfire rocked
Tripoli compound isn't the first time this project has
been seen. In February 2009 Marco Pascali of TopGear
Italia was surprised to see it in front of the Four
Seasons Hotel in Milan. Then the 500C Castagna Capri was
shrouded in mystery and the
Jamahiriya
logos at the front and rear were crudely covered with
masking tape.
The Fiat 500C Castagna
Capri is actually a very small symbol of a much bigger
historical picture, Gaddafi in fact injected $410
million into Fiat in the mid 1970s via the state investment company, the Libyan Arab Foreign
Investment Company (LAFICO), at the invitation of the Agnelli family when the Italian
carmaker was on its knees, LAFICO also taking two seats
on the board. It was an investment that proved a shrewd
decision. By 1986, Libya's involvement in Fiat, with a
stake which then stood at 14 percent, was becoming more
trouble that it was worth as U.S. sanctions against the
Arab nation were preventing Fiat from pitching for U.S.
defence contracts. So the Agnelli family, together with
a group of European banks, paid $3.1 billion to buy back
Gaddafi's shares. In the early 2000s Libya reportedly
picked up a fresh 2 percent stake in Fiat, and in a
Reuters article from last March, the newswire quotes
leaked U.S. embassy cables that say that the 2 percent
stake was possibly held as late as 2006.
