THE ITALIAN JOB

Now in its third generation, Italy’s most adorable car seems determined to shed its non-threatening image. The new Fiat 500 is wider, longer and more streamlined. The door handles are flush with the body, the headlights are slimmer, and it’s equipped with an 85kW fast-charge system. That’s right, the iconic cutie has grown up… into an all-electric car. Fiat claims it takes only a charge of five minutes to travel 48km and can reach 50kph in 3.1 seconds. Plus, it has a range of 320km. These are all impressive figures for an electric car but what we find far more thrilling is Bulgari’s take on the vehicle – the B.500. As one of three Italian brands (the others are Giorgio Armani and furniture designer Kartell) to celebrate the launch with a custom edition, the jeweller has added several sophisticated touches to this classic car’s template.

 

The dashboard is covered in colourful, hand-painted silk with vibrant, nature-themed motifs, which are repeated in shade-on-shade embroidery on the seats’ leather. Even the custom Imperial Saffron metallic paint used on the car body is exceptional. It was obtained by integrating gold dust, a byproduct from Bulgari’s Venice production site.

 

More nods to the brand can be found on the wheels, with the golden rims displaying Bulgari’s eight-pointed star and double logo. The front grid of the B.500 has also been customised to reflect its open-work Parentesi design motif.