It was in March 2011 that a yellow sports car caught everyone's attention at the Geneva Motor Show and made the hearts of Cinquecento fans race: the Fiat 500 Coupé Zagato was meant to evoke the 50s model of the same name and bring it to life in a modern guise. However, the prototype never went into series production and remains a unique specimen to this day.
Two true giants of the automotive world were behind this ambitious project, developed for a younger, dynamic and predominantly male target group: the world-renowned Zagato design studio teamed up with the Centro Stile Fiat to turn an ordinary city car into a real eye-catcher. The designers gave the basic Fiat 500 a much more aggressive and lower coupe silhouette.
Fiat 500 Coupe Zagato
The highlight of the design was the roof: it bore the recognizable Zagato seal in the form of the famous two protrusions, the so-called “double crest”. Despite the sporty lowered roof line, the compact dimensions, the length of around three and a half meters, and above all the space for passengers remained unchanged.
To emphasize the car's sporty character, the designers chose a specially designed three-layer paint finish in the vibrant "Giallo Pop" color. This distinctive exterior is perfectly complemented by 17-inch chrome-plated alloy wheels with dark chrome details and four perforated brake discs.
The attention to detail continues inside: special sports seats inspired by diamond patterns and made from a mix of leather and high-tech materials in black and soft beige are joined by an innovative headliner made from dark high-tech material with a shiny thread that provides a subtle sheen.
But this little Italian didn't just look fast, it also had a lot of power. Under the bonnet was the premiere of a 105 PS version of the TwinAir two-cylinder engine. Thanks to the special harmony between the engine dimensions and the turbocharger, the engine provided considerable pulling power while also being distinguished by its low fuel consumption.
Fiat 500 Hybrid (2026)
Although the model was completely up to date with the times and even had modern multimedia connections for the Internet and navigation on board, the car never made it into customers' garages. It is unclear whether the Fiat 500 Coupé Zagato was ever intended as a possible production vehicle or whether it was designed from the very beginning as a unique one.
However, there is much evidence to suggest that it was conceived primarily as an exclusive design statement and not as a series project ready for production. However, this yellow racer has by no means been forgotten. Anyone who wants to admire this unusual Cinquecento up close will find it in Italy: the Fiat 500 Coupé Zagato prototype is safely stored in the “Heritage Hub” in Turin.
