BorromeodeSilva’s 912 Barca Combines La Dolce Vita and German Engineering

BorromeodeSilva may not be as well know as the likes of Pininfarina or ItalDesign, but the new-ish design house is making its mark on the automotive world. The company is responsible for the appearance of many restomods coming out of Italy. But its latest creation could well be its most unique to date. Say hello to the 912 Barca a throw back to Italy’s famed La Dolce Vita era that’s combined with German engineering.

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Look Back

We’ve featured the creations of Borromeo de Silva on our site before. The Milanese design house worked its magic on a classic Ford Mustang to create the off-roading STL 1. The 912 Barca is equally left-field in its appearance and intended purpose. The 912 Barca takes inspiration from the Fiat 500 Spiaggina (Italian for little beach car) or Jolly as some prefer. This was a staple of the Italian Riviera in the 1960s. Rich and famous scooted around seaside towns in these open vehicles, serving as transport between villas and yachts. Original versions in good condition fetch top dollar today.

A Classic Reimagined

The 912 Barca walks an odd line between sportscar and speedboat. The most obvious change has been the complete removal of the roof and doors. A foldable soft-top roof is fashioned from the same material used to produce sails and is propped up by a mast. The lack of doors makes for easy ingress and egress. Mahogany has been used everywhere. As a result the bumpers, floors, sills, pedals and mast are made from the dark wood, usually associated with luxurious speed boats. In addition, there is a shower head where the fuel filler cap usually sits to rinse off before driving.

Photo by @sev_d_ for @cnvstudio