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Fiat launches Ferrari hot hatch

Considering it is this red, are you surprised to find a Ferrari reference in its name? Fiat’s Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari.
Considering it is this red, are you surprised to find a Ferrari reference in its name? Fiat’s Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari.
Always fancied the idea of a Ferrari hot hatchback?

Now Fiat’s in-house performance arm, Abarth, can oblige – with its new 695 Tributo Ferrari.

Essentially a very trick version of the Fiat 500 hatch, this Ferrari monikered hatchback can either be seen as an affront to the Maranello badge or a rather neat brand extension within the Fiat performance car portfolio.

The 695 Tributo Ferrari is an attempt to fuse the 500’s practical hatchback billing with Fiat’s Ferrari’s brand equity, whilst paying homage to the original Abarth 695 of the mid-1960s – a small hatch which made all of 37kW.

Fiat’s contemporary 695 is nearly four times more powerful than the original 695 Abarth.

Noting the changes, the Fiat 500’s neat styling and simple proportions are left relatively untouched - with the 695 adding new composite side mirrors, sculptured air intakes and stylish alloy wheels.

The 695’s livery draws obvious inspiration from Ferrari, with characteristically scarlet red Scuderia lacquer covering the car's surface.

Powering the 695 is a 135kW turbocharged version of the 500's 1.4l engine.

Performance figures tally to a seven second 0-100km/h sprint and top speed of 225km/h when employing the elector-hydraulic transmission’s most performance biased shift regime via the steering wheel mounted paddles.

To ensure the requisite Ferrari acoustics, Abarth technicians have integrated a variable pressure system within the 695’s exhaust plumbing which renders a tuneful four-cylinder beat at higher crankspeeds.

Harmonising the 695 Tributo’s dynamic package are performance brake rotors (284mm Brembos), 17-inch alloys (rolling grippier tyres) and new dampers – lowering the overall ride height.

The Tributo cabin embellishments include a unique flat-bottomed Abarth leather steering wheel, Corsa styled leather bucket seats (supplied by Sabelt) and aluminium pedals.

All things considered, for most enthusiasts the Abarth 695’s use of Ferrari branding could be seen as (a touch) more acceptable than Aston Martin’s Toyota based Cygnus.

Only 152 examples of the Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari will be available in right-hand drive configuration, primarily for the British market - priced at a rather steep €35 500 each.

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