What's the news?
Vans, the shoe company, and Fiat collaborated on the creation of this 500L Vans Design Concept, revealed in California at the Huntington Beach surf competition, extending the remit of the Italian crossover somewhat.
The roof carries the Vans 'Checkerboard' design while the front grille and side steps echo the brand's 'Waffle Sole' motif. Other exterior features include a rather unusual front end with four circular air intakes, along with two-tone paint, 18-inch matt black alloy wheels and a roof rack incorporating a double deck surfboard carrier. Upholstery is vintage palm-patterned canvas with the Waffle Sole design making further appearances on the pedals and in the interior storage bins. The dashboard gets a colourful finish courtesy of a selection of Vans stickers.
Anything else?
The Vans Open of Surfing is a nine-day celebration of surfing, BMX and skateboarding. Fiat is one of the event's sponsors, hence the creation of this concept. There's no word on whether a production version is in the pipeline but it is known that Fiat will build a crossover version of the 500L.
John Lambert - 10 Aug 2014
