Abarth 695 2012 Overview

This stunning little Italian beauty with a name almost as long as the car - Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari - is something completely out of the ordinary. A brand new Ferrari branded car for less than $70,000 – amazing, isn’t it?

The Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari is a tribute to two great Italian marques. Ferrari needs no explanation, but the name Carlo Abarth probably does. In today's lingo, Carlo Abarth was a "tuner" who took stock cars and upgraded them with high performance engines and suspensions.

A fairly successful racing driver in the late 1940s and early 50s, Carlo Abarth worked mainly for Fiat, but also dabbled in Ferrari and Lancia. Over time, Abarth became Fiat's high-performance division - like HSV for Holden and AMG for Mercedes-Benz.

Fiat has controlled Abarth since 1971 and the name disappeared for a few years until it was revived in 2007 as part of a plan to improve the Italian marque's image on the sporting front. These days, Abarth makes some hot models, the most famous of which is the Abarth Esseesse (try saying SS in an Italian accent and it suddenly makes sense!).

Design

Now Abarth, Ferrari and Fiat engineers have teamed up to create a stunning little Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari. The entire car has undergone an elaborate makeover, and the stylists have tried to change the look of the car, which started out as a Fiat 500.

The 17-inch alloy wheels look huge on a car of this size, and the similarity in design to those used on larger Ferraris adds to the stiffness of its big brother. Inside is a pair of "Abarth Corsa by Sabelt" racing seats trimmed in black leather and Alcantara, which we found do a great job of protecting us from lateral and longitudinal forces. The black leather steering wheel has red stitching.

The dashboard is from Jaeger, and Abarth Australia tells us it's inspired by the typical Ferrari dashboard. Carbon fiber is used on the dashboard and around the MTA transmission paddles. On the floor are neat aluminum racing pedals with the Abarth Scorpion logo. The special car even has a plate with the serial number of the car.

TECHNOLOGY

The turbocharged 1.4-liter engine has been tuned to a whopping 180 horsepower (132 kilowatts) and can reach speeds of up to 225 km/h if conditions permit. More realistically, it can hit 100 km/h in less than seven seconds. So, the big brothers of the Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari can accelerate almost twice as fast, but they cost six to ten times more - and may not put the same smirk on your face as this miniature pocket rocket.

DRIVING

The engine sound is great, maybe not as good as a V12 at full roar, but there's a sporty note that will delight real sports car lovers. All that power is sent to the front wheels by a five-speed automated manual transmission controlled by paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.

Like all its types, this gearbox can be a bit stiff at low speeds, but somehow that adds to the charm of this little semi-racing beast. Suspension changes show that the Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari has a stiffer ride than the stock car, but we felt worse - and again read the remarks about the added charm. This car is extremely pleasant to drive, with a personality that only a small Italian sports car can provide.

VERDICT

Would I buy one? Only if I had a lot of money for my car toys. In this case, it would be difficult for me to decide whether to have "my" Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari in moden red or yellow.

Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari

Cost: $69,990

Guarantee: 3 years of roadside assistance

The weight: 1077kg

Engine: 1.4-liter 4-cylinder, 132 kW / 230 Nm

Transmission: 5-speed manual, single-clutch sequencer, front-wheel drive

Thirst: 6.5 l / 100 km, 151 g / km C02