# Bespoke Restomod City Car Builds La Cinquecento Scattante Transforms Its Classic 1973 Fiat 500 By Adam Harrie | Written with AI assistance | Published 2026-09-18 | Autos Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bespoke-restomod-city-car-builds References: [blessthisstuff](https://www.blessthisstuff.com/stuff/vehicles/cars/la-cinquecento-fiat-500-scattante)  La Cinquecento’s Scattante is a [bespoke restomod](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mulliner) based on a 1973 Fiat 500. The British builder retains the car’s compact proportions while giving it a wider stance and extensively reworking its underlying engineering. Milan-based studio BorromeodeSilva helped shape the exterior, adding broader wheel arches, side skirts, and rally-style auxiliary lights. Inside, the cabin remains pared back to preserve the original model’s simple design. Behind the rear seats, a Fiat 126-derived engine has been enlarged to about 802 cc, while the rear-engine, transaxle layout remains in place. The build also revises or redesigns the suspension, brakes, steering, cooling and electrical systems, making it more than a [cosmetic restoration](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/land-rover-series-2). La Cinquecento targets a weight of about 650 kilograms, although power and acceleration figures have not been published. With only a handful commissioned to order each year, the Scattante reflects demand for [low-volume restomods](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/car-zero) that preserve recognizable designs while adding modern engineering. The limited production model also gives the builder a premium business built around customization and exclusivity. Image Credit: BlessThisStuff ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.7/10 - Popularity: 29% | Activity: 22% | Freshness: 91% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Autos](https://www.trendhunter.com/autos) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Bespoke Restomod Microcars:** Classic compact vehicles are being reimagined with modern drivetrains, chassis updates, and tailored finishes, creating premium niches around nostalgia-driven urban mobility. - **Low-volume Automotive Customization:** Scarce, commission-based builds are turning personalization and exclusivity into defensible value propositions for boutique manufacturers and design studios. - **Heritage Design Modernization:** Recognizable vintage silhouettes paired with contemporary engineering are expanding opportunities for brands to monetize legacy aesthetics without relying on mass production. ### Where This Applies - **Automotive:** Specialty builders can capture affluent enthusiasts by blending collectible vehicle culture with upgraded performance, safety, and usability. - **Luxury Goods:** Made-to-order restomods align with luxury market dynamics where rarity, craftsmanship, and personal expression elevate functional products into status assets. - **Urban Mobility:** Compact, character-rich city cars suggest a premium alternative to utilitarian micro-mobility formats in dense metropolitan markets. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Reimagined Retro Supercars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/supercar.md) - [Opulent Maximalist Scooter Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/italjet-roadster-400.md) - [Custom-Built Retro Vehicle Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/1969-mercedesbenz.md) - [Carbon Restomod Coupes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lotus-esprit.md) - [1930s-Inspired Hand-Built Automobiles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/iconic-auto-sports.md) - [Open-Air Supercars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/eccentrica-v12.md) - [Artistically Rendered One-Of-A-Kind Autos](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/romero-britto.md) - [Redesigned Electric Race Bikes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/64-street-spec-caf-racer.md) - [Minimalist Restomod Speedsters](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sp40.md)