If you’ve been dying to own a Ferrari but have no financial means of getting one, we may have found just the car for you. While the Fiat Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari isn’t exactly a prancing horse in disguise, the car, which is a limited-edition Fiat 500 in real life, does pay tribute to its supercar brethren.
As we’ve said, the car isn’t brimming with horsepower underneath its hood but the Abarth 695 Tributo does pack quite a mean punch, relative to its size, of course. It’s 1.4-liter turbocharged T-Jet engine is more than what its counterpart the Toyota IQ-inspired Aston Martin Cygnet can boast of. Likewise, Abarth and Ferrari technicians joined forces in making the car and strengthening its suspension and braking system to make it sturdier and as a result of the added power. The car has also been outfitted with performance-enhanced and Ferrari-designed 17-inch alloy wheels. This special-edition vehicle also comes with unique features including carbon fiber door mirrors and Xenon headlights, which, if you’re curious to know, are three times brighter than its halogen counterparts.
Updated 11/16/2010: The Abarth Tributo Ferrari has been on display at Bologna Motor Show. And for the first time we had the chance to see the car with with Modena Yellow livery.
Press release
The Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari is the exclusive Abarth 500 tuning that confirms the consolidated links between Abarth and Ferrari – links based on shared values that include a passion for performance, a racing soul, attention to detail and Italian style.
Abarth and Ferrari are two great names that have contributed, with conviction and dedication, to the legend of Italian racing that is known around the world. The men behind both marques followed very similar careers: first drivers, then tuners and finally heads of companies that command genuine respect in the world of motor racing. These extraordinary men were associated in the past: in 1953 for example, a unique Ferrari-Abarth was born, the Ferrari 166/250 MM Abarth. The car raced in various international trophies including the legendary Mille Miglia. The tie between the two companies has been reinforced above all by the exhaust systems designed by Abarth specifically for the cars built at Maranello: numerous exhaust systems have been made for various Ferrari models, some of which have won World Championship titles.
In recent years the two brands have started off an even closer collaboration. The first result of this was the supply of a limited and numbered series of Abarth 500’s, produced in 200 units delivered in 2009 to Ferrari’s European dealers for use as “courtesy cars”. But the greatest collaboration - also confirmed by delivery to the drivers of the Ferrari team Alonso and Massa at the Monza Formula 1 Grand Prix - is the Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari, an exclusive car that on the one hand allows Abarth to expand its range, in this way entering the luxury sports car segment, and on the other offers Ferrari customers a small, lively car for all mobility requirements, including practical urban mobility.
The new Abarth 695 "Tributo Ferrari" is distinguished by a number of stylistic features, but more importantly by substantial modifications developed by Abarth and Ferrari engineers. The engine, for a start, is a 1.4 Turbo T-Jet 16v, tuned to develop more than 180 HP. This is combined with an MTA (Manual Transmission Automated) electromechanical gearbox with race-inspired steering wheel controls that enhances engine’s performance by reducing gearshift times.
To improve acceleration, the car is fitted with performance tyres on 17’’ alloy wheels featuring a design inspired by Ferrari wheels. Ride and braking system have also been strengthened to cope with the extra power: modular Brembo 305 mm disc brakes with fixed four-piston caliper disc and special shock absorbers that let you enjoy performance in total safety. And of course there is a “Record Monza” variable back pressure “dual mode” exhaust, designed to improve engine performance and deliver an inspiring sound over 3,000 rpm.
On the outside, the car is finished in the brand-new shade of Modena Yellow, (Scuderia Red is also available), with carbon fibre door mirrors and with details like the wheels and front air intakes in Racing Grey. This new Abarth is equipped with Xenon headlights with dipped and main beam functions for improved light emission and excellent efficiency under all weather conditions. These elements deliver three times the light intensity and duration of standard halogen lamp headlights.
The interiors are also personalised and demonstrate the attention to detail and the sporting style that are common to both brands. “Abarth Corsa by Sabelt” seats are fitted and finished in black leather with a shell and seat base in carbon fibre. These seats offer a perfect blend of racing characteristics – light weight (10 kg less than the standard seat) and the ability hold the body steady against lateral and longitudinal forces, thanks to body support elements filled with crush-resistant foam – with the ergonomics and comfort of road seats.
The black leather steering wheel is characterised by yellow stitches and a tricolour hub on which the MTA gearshift paddles are mounted, while the instrument panel is specially made by Jaeger, and inspired by typical Ferrari instrumentation. Attention to detail has also been given to the racing pedals, which are personalised with the Scorpion logo. The interior is embellished with other details too, like the special kick plate and a plate bearing the vehicle series number.
i love it. i’m not a modern Ferrari fan at all, but i love the stance and the equipment on this little car. i could do without the stripes, but i really like it for a ’special.’
Posted on
01.12.2010 @ 23:19