Latest news with #AndreaMarazzi
Daily Mail
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
World's thinnest car is unveiled, but critics call it ‘ugly and impractical'
The world's skinniest car has been revealed in Italy, and it certainly looks as if it's overdosed on Ozempic, but it turns out it is a fully-functioning vehicle. The Fiat Panda, just 19.6in wide, fits a driver in the front and a passenger in the back – as long as they're slender enough. It can steer left and right, stop and drive forwards and backwards like any other vehicle, but cornering at speed may be a risk. The car will appeal to those left infuriated by wasted space at a car park, as it can fit in some of the tightest of gaps. But it's been getting a mixed response on social media, with commenters calling it 'impractical', 'ugly' and 'nuts'. One Reddit user joked: 'They've got a Flintstones hatch where you just put your feet down on the ground to stabilize yourself.' Another said: 'The only car allowed in the bike lane', while a third posted: 'I can see Mr. Bean driving this.' Another Reddit user said: 'Average American wouldn't fit, while a fifth added: 'I'm getting claustrophobic just looking at it.' Someone else pointed out: 'I'd be shocked if this was designed with anything like health and safety regulations in mind.' Easy parking: There's few things more annoying than finding wasted space at a car park - but the new ultra-slim vehicle can fit in some of the tightest of gaps The remarkable vehicle was handcrafted by 30-year-old Italian mechanic Andrea Marazzi, who used original materials from a 1993 model Fiat Panda. He demonstrated it at a recent festival celebrating 45 years of the Fiat Panda in the Italian town of Pandino, south east of Milan. And in response to suggestions the vehicle could be felled by the slightest wind, he demonstrated its stability with some robust pushing. 'Many people think that it will tip over just by blowing but they are wrong,' he said in a video posted to Instagram, translated from Italian. 'Look here – you have to push it a little and it will wobble but it won't [fall over].' As well as being just 19.6in wide, the car weighs 582lb, stands 57in tall, and is 133in long, according to Design Boom. Despite its slender build, it has several features that normal cars have, including four wheels, two rear-view mirrors and two passenger doors either side of the driver. At the back is a small space for a passenger who has to be of a very short and slender build, ideally a child. The car also has a steering wheel, indicator lights, and a single headlight for cruising at night, but no license plates. And rather than a gas engine under the bonnet, it runs on a 24V electric battery and motor taken from an e-scooter, which means it only goes at 9mph, which is too slow for the roads. Mr Marazzi is in the process of submitting the car for a Guinness World Record as the slimmest functioning vehicle ever made. Gaurav Sood, consumer electronics expert at Yanko Design, called it more of an 'art installation than transport solution'. 'The narrow Panda invites viewers to rethink proportions, functionality, and playfulness in mechanical design,' he said. 'It's a rolling experiment – part engineering challenge, part tribute, and part public spectacle.' Although this is a fully-functional car, it's not for sale, nor is it legally registered for driving on public roads. However, the slim Fiat Panda does give an idea of what cars of the near future could look like, in order to make use of free space in congested car parks and roadsides.
Metro
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- Metro
World's narrowest car might finally make it easy to park
A mechanic has built a car so slim that it looks like the photo was taken in a fun house mirror. The blue car only has space for the driver and possibly one passenger in the back, though we wouldn't be keen to contort ourselves into there. Just 50cm wide, the car is about the width of a pillow, and has room for just one headlamp on the front. It would be very easy to reverse park with it though, so we'll give it that. Unfortuntately, you won't be able to buy one though, unless perhaps if you contact its owner director to make you a bespoke new one. Andrea Marazzi, 30, made it especially for a festival in Italy celebrating 45 years of the Fiat Panda. He used original materials from a 1993 model to make the new look electric Panda, which doesn't look any different from the side, then seems comically 2D once you see it head on. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video It was a popular sight at the festival in Pandino, southeast of Milan, and has since gone viral. He is reportedly preparing an official application for it to be recognised by Guinness World Records as the narrowest car ever built. The car includes the original rear seat, but modified so only the very smallest could perch their bottom on it. Even the front seat is also very pinched, much narrower than in a standard version. According to DesignBoom, it weighs 264 kg, is 145 cm tall, and 50cm side. At a top speed of only 15km and range of 25km on a full charge, the catch is that it's not road legal, with its motor taken from an e-scooter. Mr Marazzi built the car at the scrapyard and workshop owned by his family, Autodemolizione Marazzi in Bagnolo Cremasco. More Trending He says its sturdier than it looks. Would you drive a car this thin? Yeah, it would save space In a video on Instagram, he showed how it would not just tip over even when given a significant shove. 'Many people think that it will tip over just by blowing but they are wrong,' he said in Italian. 'Look here – you have to push it a little and it will wobble but it won't [fall over].' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: How the €1 European house scheme actually works MORE: First picture of builder, 35, killed after being 'sucked into plane engine' MORE: Hero sniffer dog killed by 'cowards' who gave him sausages with nails in them
Daily Mail
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
World's NARROWEST car is unveiled: Ultra-slim Fiat Panda is just 20 inches wide - and is fully functional (if you can fit in it!)
It looks like something from a cartoon or a Harry Potter movie, where the dimensions of a normal car have been comically squished. But this ultra-slim electric vehicle, unveiled in Italy, is a real fully-functioning passenger vehicle. The Fiat Panda, just 19.6 inches (50cm) wide, fits a driver in the front and one passenger in the back – as long as they're slender enough. It can steer left and right, stop and drive forwards and backwards like any other automobile – albeit at slow speeds. The car will appeal to those left infuriated by wasted space at a car park, as it can fit in some of the tightest of gaps. But it's been getting a mixed response on social media, with commentators calling it 'impractical', 'ugly' and 'nuts'. One Reddit user joked: 'They've got a Flintstones hatch where you just put your feet down on the ground to stabilize yourself.' Another said: 'The only car allowed in the bike lane', while someone else posted: 'I can see Mr. Bean driving this.' There's few things more annoying than finding wasted space at a car park - but the new ultra-slim vehicle can fit in some of the tightest of gaps A fourth Reddit user posted: 'Average American wouldn't fit, while a fifth said: 'I'm getting claustrophobic just looking at it.' Someone else pointed out: 'I'd be shocked if this was designed with anything like health and safety regulations in mind.' The remarkable vehicle was handcrafted by 30-year-old Italian mechanic Andrea Marazzi, who used original materials from a 1993 model Fiat Panda. He demonstrated it at a recent festival celebrating 45 years of the Fiat Panda in the Italian town of Pandino, southeast of Milan. And in response to suggestions the vehicle could be felled by the slightest of wind, Marazzi demonstrated its stability with some robust pushing. 'Many people think that it will tip over just by blowing but they are wrong,' he said in a video posted to Instagram, translated from Italian. 'Look here – you have to push it a little and it will wobble but it won't [fall over].' As well as being just 19.6 inches (50cm) wide, the car weighs 264 kg, stands at 57 inches (145cm) tall, and is 133 inches (340cm) long, Design Boom reports. Despite its slender build, it has several features that normal cars have, including four wheels, two rear-view mirrors and two passenger doors either side of the driver. At the back is a small space for a passenger who has to be of a very short and slender build, ideally a child. The car also packs a steering wheel, indicator lights, and a single headlight for cruising at night, but no license plates. And rather than packing a gas engine under the bonnet, it runs on a 24V electric battery and motor taken from an e-scooter, which means it only goes at nine miles per hour (15 km per hour), which is too slow to take to the roads. But Mr Marazzi is in the process of submitting the car for a Guinness World Record as the slimmest functioning vehicle ever made. Gaurav Sood, consumer electronics expert at Yanko Design, called it more of an 'art installation than transport solution'. 'The narrow Panda invites viewers to rethink proportions, functionality, and playfulness in mechanical design,' he said. 'It's a rolling experiment – part engineering challenge, part tribute, and part public spectacle.' Although this is a fully-functional car, it's not for sale, nor is it legally registered for driving on public roads. However, the slim Fiat Panda does give an idea of what cars of the near future could look like, in order to make use of free space in congested car parks and roadsides. Electric cars – which run on batteries much like smartphones do – are being touted as the future of personal transportation, but some experts are also expect flying cars to take to the skies soon. Widespread adoption of flying vehicles will make use of the vast empty space in the air while greatly reducing congestion on roads. WHAT TYPE OF FLYING TAXIS COULD WE EXPECT TO SEE IN THE FUTURE? Advances in electric motors, battery technology and autonomous software has triggered an explosion in the field of electric air taxis. Larry Page, CEO of Google parent company Alphabet, has poured millions into aviation start-ups Zee Aero and Kitty Hawk, which are both striving to create all-electric flying cabs. Kitty Hawk is believed to be developing a flying car and has already filed more than a dozen different aircraft registrations with the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA. Page, who co-founded Google with Sergey Brin back in 1998, has personally invested $100 million (£70 million) into the two companies, which have yet to publicly acknowledge or demonstrate their technology. Airbus is also hard at work on an all-electric, vertical-take-off-and-landing craft, with its latest Project Vahana prototype, branded Alpha One, successfully completing its maiden test flight in February 2018. The self-piloted helicopter reached a height of 16 feet (five metres) before successfully returning to the ground. In total, the test flight lasted 53 seconds. Airbus previously shared a well-produced concept video, showcasing its vision for Project Vahana. The footage reveals a sleek self-flying aircraft that seats one passenger under a canopy that retracts in similar way to a motorcycle helmet visor. AirSpaceX is another company with ambitions to take commuters to the skies. The Detroit-based start-up has promised to deploy 2,500 aircrafts in the 50 largest cities in the United States by 2026. AirSpaceX unveiled its latest prototype, Mobi-One, at the North American International Auto Show in early 2018. Like its closest rivals, the electric aircraft is designed to carry two to four passengers and is capable of vertical take-off and landing. AirSpaceX has even included broadband connectivity for high speed internet access so you can check your Facebook News Feed as you fly to work. Aside from passenger and cargo services, AirSpaceX says the craft can also be used for medical and casualty evacuation, as well as tactical Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR). Even Uber is working on making its ride-hailing service airborne. Dubbed Uber Elevate, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi tentatively discussed the company's plans during a technology conference in January 2018. 'I think it's going to happen within the next 10 years,' he said.
Mint
05-07-2025
- Automotive
- Mint
Optical illusion on wheels? Italian man turns '93 Flat Panda into thinnest car ever!
Every day, a new optical illusion takes the internet by storm. Whether it is looking for an odd man out of word or shape, these brain teasers leave the people in splits since the answers are often hiding in plain sight. The internet which has seen its fair share of strange inventions was perplexed after seeing a viral video of 1993 vintage Flat Panda. The car, from the side resembles an optical illusion, but the second you catch a front-facing glimpse, its bizarre proportions become hilariously obvious. The vehicle, which has been transformed by Italian builder Andrea Marazzi, only fits one person, albeit barely! The clip was shared last month and the video has gone viral. Marazzi, according to a Times report, spent an entire year transforming the compact hatchback into what is now being dubbed as the world's narrowest car. The vehicle, which is just 20 inches wide, but the car is fully functional. The low-speed electric vehicle looks like it has been through a giant hydraulic press. A video of the car showed Marazzi confidently cruising down a street in the narrow Fiat Panda. From the side, the car looks normal. However, when seen head-on, it appears as though the vehicle was sliced in half. The clip quickly sparked amusement and disbelief, with users comparing the car to everything from a 'toothpick on wheels' to a 'New York apartment'. Some even joked about the car being as narrow as their current budget. 'I wanna see him take a curve at high speeds like those motorcycles races,' a user quipped. Another user commented, 'This dude is driving a NY apartment.' However, Marazzi's Panda is not just a fun experiment, it is a one-of-a-kind prototype, modified entirely by hand. The narrow vehicle, which still has four wheels, albeit tightly packed together, and runs on electric power. While it is certainly not built for speed, safety, or practicality, the car has already won hearts online, and earned Marazzi the unofficial title of 'automotive illusionist'. The narrowest known car is a modified 1993 Fiat Panda, measuring just 20 inches wide, built by Italian inventor Andrea Marazzi. It can seat only one person and is fully electric. It's completely real. A video posted on Instagram shows the builder, Andrea Marazzi, driving the vehicle, which is fully functional, though not exactly road-trip ready. While Marazzi's Panda is technically drivable, it's unlikely to meet standard requirements.
The Drive
30-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
Impossibly Skinny Fiat Panda Build Leaves Us Uncomfortable, but Impressed
The latest car news, reviews, and features. The impossibly slender Fiat Panda you see here was created by an Italian man named Andrea Marazzi, and he is a genius. There's really no other word for someone able to dream up a contraption like this and actually render it as a working vehicle, with a fit and finish so high-quality that you'd almost wonder if Fiat itself built this thing for an art museum. It took a year for Marazzi to slice up his 1993 Panda and put it back together again, missing about two-thirds of its width. A human can fit inside ot it, though keeping both elbows in seems like a challenge. There is even 'seating' for a passenger behind the driver, so long as they're comfortable sitting mostly on the wheel wells. While it may look like a motorcycle, Marazzi's masterpiece retains all four of the donor Panda's wheels, which seems like another unbelievable feat until you remember how small and thin those first-gen Panda tires are. The paper-thin Panda only tops out at about 9 mph. That's fine, because anything faster would be terrifying, and also pose a massive rollover risk. I mean, this makes a Reliant Robin seem resolutely stable. The steering wheel looks as if it's been pulled off a Cozy Coupe, and the whole thing is powered by a 24-volt DC electric motor, because why bother cramming a gas engine in there? This Panda is just 19.6 inches wide—about 38 inches less than an ordinary one. For that reason, only a single headlight is necessary, though it still has turn indicators on either side. And if you think the windshield is comical, get a look at the teardrop rear window. tutti_pazzi_per_marazzi via Instagram Hat tip to Designboom for bringing Marazzi's work to our attention. It seems he's also rolling out a build diary series over on his Instagram page, Tutti Pazzi Per Marazzi ('Everyone's Crazy About Marazzi' in Italian—great name); though we unfortunately won't be able to follow along, because it's not in English. Still, it'll be handy to link to next time somebody discounts this perplexing Panda as the work of AI or Photoshop. Got a tip? Email us at tips@
