Castagna Tiberio
Castagna Tiberio is an exotic-sounding
name that probably wouldn't look out of place on a £ 200,000 supercar or a £ 2 million luxury yacht - but it's been pressed into service on something rather more
modest. Enter, the Castagna Tiberio, a Fiat 500L-based drop-top taxi from
Italian company Castagna Milano.
London has its black cabs, New York has
its yellow taxis and India favours the Hindustan Ambassador, but the island of
Capri off the coast of Italy is known for a rather different kind of cabby. The
strong tourist trade means any vehicle has to meet certain criteria - namely,
seven seats, a big luggage area, a modest footprint, and of course, an open
roof to drink in all that Mediterranean sunshine.
The most popular vehicle for these purposes
is based on a Fiat Marea, which was released in 1998, but the fleet is getting
pretty elderly these days and it's time for an upgrade. That's where the
Castagna Tiberio comes in. It's based on the Fiat 500L, and provides everything
that the old Marea-based taxi does, but with a shorter wheelbase and more
efficient engine.
While the front of the vehicle is pretty
much unchanged, it's round the back that things get interesting. The open rear
deck has been extended and finished in teak, while the roof gains a striped
canopy over the top. The car is even painted with a brushed steel effect paint
on the roof to reflect sunlight and prevent the interior heating up.
When the weather does turn, a
Caterham-like approach is taken to covering up the rear deck - the roof fastens
with zips and velcro, but elsewhere as much of the car's own weatherproofing
has been retained as possible.
Funky upholstery and plenty of alcantara
trimmings jazz up the interior, which is completely customisable to the needs
and tastes of the taxi driver. There's even an external shower hose available
for washing the car off - something many vehicle-proud cabbies would be happy
to have.
