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This story consists of speculative illustrations for a fictional Fiat Barchetta electromod created by unbiased designer Marco Maltese which might be neither associated to nor endorsed by Fiat.
The Fiat Barchetta, the predecessor of the now-discontinued 124 Spider, has been considerably uncared for by the automotive press. Unbiased designer Marco Maltese wished to alter that, so he created a trendy electromod model of the Italian roadster, hoping to develop its lifecycle sooner or later EV-only world.
The Fiat Barchetta was initially launched again in 1995 as an FWD various to the Mazda MX-5 NA. Regardless of its age, its styling – penned by Andreas Zapatinas – has aged fairly gracefully. Not wanting to remove any of the boat-style uniqueness of the unique, Marco Maltese stored his take just about intact, including only some modernized particulars. Additionally, as a substitute of basing his idea on the facelift (2003-2005), he used the unique design (1995-2003), which is the sexier of the 2.
See: Single-Seater Mazda MX-5 NA With An ND Engine Seems to be Like A Lot Of Enjoyable
Adjustments are restricted to the revised bumpers which received cleaner appears and delicate aero extensions, the fashionable LED graphics on the headlights, the LED taillights with body-colored inserts in fashionable Fiat vogue, and the bespoke rear deck that received a pair of humps impressed by the roadsters of the ’60s. Apparently, the designer selected to not add a roof mechanism of any form, leaving the cabin uncovered always. As a of completion, the bigger diameter wheels enhance the proportions, whereas the yellow-painted brake calipers are a pleasant sporty contact.
Contained in the cabin, we discover new seats, premium leather-based upholstery, extra trendy local weather vents completed in brushed metal, and a redesigned heart console manufactured from carbon fiber. A small infotainment touchscreen has been neatly built-in providing smartphone connectivity and navigation, whereas the modern-looking local weather controls are additionally a welcome improve. Moreover, the basic instrument cluster obtained digital and configurable dials, and ambient lighting has been added.
Extra vital adjustments happen underneath the bodywork. The idea was envisioned with a rear-mounted electrical motor producing 237 hp (177 kW 241 PS), successfully changing the Barchetta to a correct RWD roadster. Thoughts you, the FWD-only authentic got here fitted with a naturally aspirated 1.8-liter engine producing 129 hp (96 kW / 131 PS). Thus, the facility increase and the additional torque from the electrical motor sound like greater than sufficient to supply enough efficiency regardless of the elevated weight. Talking of which, the batteries are evenly distributed between the 2 axles.
Maltese calls his Fiat Barchetta electromod “authorized”, for the reason that zero-emission powertrain conversion would permit it to legally flow into in European roads even after the ICE ban. Whereas that is nothing greater than an unbiased design research, we might like to see an analogous venture coming to life. The designer famous that out of the 56,000 models of the Barchetta produced between 1998 and 2005, many are nonetheless being utilized by their homeowners so there’s a market on the market for a attainable EV conversion.
H/T to Marco Maltese for sharing his venture with us
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