Abarth/Ferrari 695 is a GO!

Fiat Abarth 695 Ferrari Limited EditionTGR Staff - 09/09/2009

Still waiting for that entry-level Ferrari the more common man can afford? This may be as close as we will ever get to a Ferrari for the masses. Confirming leaks in the British and European Automotive Press, Fiat's Abarth and Ferrari subsidiaries have offered a special Fiat 500 to honor Maranello. This is not the first Ferrari styled 500, one was built as courtesy car for Ferrari owners bringing in their cars for service, this new special edition will actually be available for purchase by the general public.

Called the 695 Tributo Ferrari, it is powered by a 1.4-liter 16-valve turbo four tuned by Abarth and Ferrari engineers to produce over 180 horsepower. It snorts through a variable exhaust system and is mated to a paddle-shift automated manual transmission. 17-inch rims crowd the little wheel wells, mounted to a sport-tuned suspension and packing 284mm Brembo brake discs.

Decked out in Scuderia Red with Racing Grey stripes. All we've got on the interior so far is that Jaeger has been commissioned to make the special instruments and Sabelt provides the bucket seats.

I doubt we will ever see this pint-sized Fiat 500 Ferrari tribute in showrooms in the U.S. but I am sure a few will find their way to our shores.