On the nautical ropes in the Fiat Portofino beach car
 

<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/conceptcars/" rel="tag">Concept Cars</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/convertibles/" rel="tag">Convertibles</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/fiat/" rel="tag">FIAT</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/special-limited-editions/" rel="tag">Special/Limited Editions</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/fiat-portofino-concept/1001315/"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/08/fiat-portofino-1_ot.jpg" alt="" /></a><br /><em>Click above for hi-res gallery of the Portofino</em><br /><br />Fiat took one of its <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/29/punto-with-a-backpack-2009-fiat-fiorino/">Fiorino</a> vans, chopped off, well, most of it, and dubbed it the Portofino. Supposedly no more than a study for the Caravan Show that starts in Dusseldorf later this week, the golden, buggy-like conveyance is an homage to the 1960s. In a time before Fiat was building $200,000 supercars, coachbuilders were adding open-topped bodies to Fiat chassis like this for fun in the Italian sun.<br /><br />To stress the beachgoing theme, the Portofino has wood laminate flooring and natural fibers treated with a special waterproofing for the interior surfaces. The car can (optimistically) seat five, and the rear seat folds down for your surfboards and anchors. <br /><br />Instead of doors, the Portofino has nautical ropes -- which might sound risky, but the 12-foot car only has 75 horsepower, so you shouldn't be getting in too much trouble. Fiat has no plans to make the Portofino, but says it will create a covered version for protection from win and sun. <em>Andiamo</em>, then...<br /><br /><div class="postgallery"><p><s trong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/fiat-portofino-concept/">Fiat Portofino Concept</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/fiat-portofino-concept/1001315/"><img src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/08/fiat-portofino-1_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/fiat-portofino-concept/1001381/"><img src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/08/fiat-portofino-2_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><br />[Source: <a href="http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2008/08/fiat-portofino-concept-modern-day-beach.html">Carscoop</a>]<p style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;">&nbsp;</p><p><a href=http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2008/08/fiat-portofino-concept-modern-day-beach.html>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/27/on-the-nautical-ropes-in-the-fiat-portofino-beach-car/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/1296452/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/27/on-the-nautical-ropes-in-the-fiat-portofino-beach-car/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a></p><hr />

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