FIAT Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari 2010
VIDEO
The 500 model is a Hatchback car manufactured by Abarth, sold new from year 2010.
Formula 1 fans are familiar with the concept of Ferrari-branded detritus, from pens and pencils to sportswear and laptop computers, but a Ferrari-badged car—well, other than a Ferrari, anyway—is something new. Nevertheless, the Frankfurt auto show will host the public debut of the Fiat 500 Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari, a Fiat with Ferrari-inspired design cues.
The looks begin with the Scuderia Red paint, while the rear valance and Ferrari-look 17-inch wheels are finished in Racing Grey and the side mirrors reside in carbon-fiber housings. Carbon fiber also forms the shells of the front seats, which are—like the rest of the cockpit—wrapped in black leather. Red cowskin accents the steering wheel, and paddles sprouting from its backside control the automated manual transmission.
Beginning with an already hot 500—Abarth is Fiat’s in-house tuning arm—the Tributo Ferrari’s turbocharged 1.4-liter inline-four squirts out about 50 extra horsepower, while a dual-mode exhaust system promises to do its best to imitate the spine-tingling wail of Maranello’s finest powerplants, most of which have boasted two or three times the Abarth’s cylinder count.
Fiat explains this exercise as two brands recognizing a shared history in motorsport, but we see it as the ultimate extension of the Ferrari merchandising machine—and a worthy competitor to the Toyota iQ–based Aston Martin Cygnet also appearing in Frankfurt. Prestige-brand economy-car comparo, anyone?
