The Fiat 500L is far from being an object of beauty to begin with, so you can imagine what happens when an Italian coachbuilder decides to stretch it into a seven-seater taxi for tourists.
Called the 500L Tiberio Taxi, it was crafted by Castagna Milano to replace the aging fleet of Fiat Marea four-door convertibles that they designed back in 1998 for use on the island of Capri, off the southern coast of Italy.
“It is white, with azure mouldings, lots of chrome details, mahogany and teak finishing, it reminds the sea and has a nostalgic look with tails as fins: its silvery roof shines almost like a dolphin. The new taxi that makes you feel almost an emperor,” says Castagna Milano – try keeping a straight face while reading that and looking at the pictures of the car.
To create enough space for two more passengers and increase the Fiat’s open boot space, the Italian coachbuilder stretched the rear end of the 500L by 540mm (21.3 in.), and then proceeded to create a massive sunroof that protects its passengers from the elements of nature with a stripped canopy.
Teak wood was used to trim the rear section of the car, with Castagna Milano giving the cabin a thorough rework with funky colors and Alcantara trimmings, which can be customized according to customer requirements. The Italians also came up with numerous accessories like an integrated water tank that can be connected to a hose to clean the car.
No doubt, Castagna Milano’s 500L Tiberio Taxi will be a sight to see at the Geneva Motor Show next week.