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Maggiora AC 4WD

1988

The AC 4WD was a concept vehicle from Italian coachbuilder Maggiora, presented as a 1:1 scale maquette rather than a running prototype. The designation AC stood for Advance Concept. It took the form of a compact high-roof estate, built on the mechanical base of the Fiat Ducato commercial vehicle, with its wheelbase shortened by 65 cm and four-wheel drive fitted for improved off-road capability.

The body measured 399 cm in length and 198 cm in width, giving it unusually squat proportions, with a height of 178 cm. The three-door layout provided seating for six occupants, with individual rear seats and a two-person bench alongside the driver, while still leaving room for luggage space. Glass area was generous throughout, including a strongly curved windscreen, and the overall design was noted for its clean lines and contours. The shortened wheelbase and short overhangs, combined with the four-wheel-drive system, were intended to give the vehicle enhanced off-road ability despite its estate-like body style.

The AC 4WD was shown alongside another concept, the Freely 4WD camping vehicle by designer Paolo Martin, which appeared on the Savio stand at the same event, though Martin was not credited as the designer of the AC 4WD itself.

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