What an Italian lemon squeezer has to do with this ultra-compact off-roader
Philippe Starck is one of the most famous product designers of the 1980s and his everyday objects designed for Alessi, including a lemon squeezer that almost looks like a spaceship, are legendary.
And this Philippe Starck once owned a 1973 Ferves Ranger, not that the small four-wheel drive vehicle based on the technology of the Fiat 500 and 600 models was a designer masterpiece. But perhaps Starck owned a hunting lodge somewhere, to which he could only get in the extremely compact Ferves with its two-meter wheelbase and where the modest 18 hp from 499 cm3 reliably took him.
The Ferves Ranger is one of those cars that hardly anyone knows about. Introduced at the Turin Motor Show in 1966, the four-seater owes its appearance to a certain Carlo Ferrari. With its fold-down windshield and detachable doors, the Ferves could also pass for an all-terrain beach buggy - it was certainly cute. At the same time, it was robustly built and the costs remained manageable thanks to mass production technology.
Only around 600 were produced and it is assumed that no more than 50 have survived. One is now being auctioned by RM/Sotheby's in London on September 7, 2015, and it is precisely the example that was originally delivered to Switzerland and later acquired by Philippe Starck. The car then became part of Paul Salmon's Fiat collection. If you are looking for something special, you might be happy with it ...
