TURIN, Italy — Focal point on the Abarth stand at the upcoming 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show is the limited-edition Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari, a performance version of the Fiat 500 inspired by the Scorpion's long association with the Prancing Horse.
The two Fiat brands — founded, respectively, by Karl Abarth and Enzo Ferrari — crossed paths more than half a century ago, when Abarth created a one-off spyder body for the 1953 Ferrari 166/250MM series that competed in such road races as the Targa Florio and the Mille Miglia.
Abarth says its new 695 Tributo Ferrari was developed in cooperation with Ferrari's engineering department and "offers Ferrari customers a small but exciting small car for all their...needs, including practical urban mobility."
Abarth's definition of "practical urban mobility" apparently includes a Fiat 1.4 Turbo T-Jet four-cylinder engine tuned to spit out 180 horsepower and mated to an MTA (automated manual transmission) electromechanical gearbox with paddle shifters mounted behind the steering wheel.
Other performance enhancements include oversize Brembo brakes, stiffer shocks, 17-inch alloy wheels shod with low-profile tires and a Record Monza dual-mode exhaust system with variable backpressure.
The 695 Tributo Ferrari is finished in — what else? — Scuderia Red, with wheels and rear air intakes painted Racing Gray and outside mirrors trimmed in carbon fiber. Xenon headlamps are courtesy of Magneti Marelli.
The cockpit of this customized Fiat features Abarth Corsa by Sabelt seats with carbon-fiber shell and black leather upholstery, a black-leather-trimmed steering wheel with red leather inserts, Jaeger instrumentation, aluminum-covered footwells and racing pedals emblazoned with the Abarth Scorpion logo.
Inside Line says: Make that practical, yet highly entertaining. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
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