The Maserati-inspired special edition Fiat 500 has been priced at £32,000. The Abarth 695 Maserati Edition costs more than twice as much as a standard Abarth 500 and will reach UK showrooms by the end of the year.
The latest special 500 follows the Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari, which carried a similar £30k-plus price tag. The Maserati version will be limited to 499 units.
Power comes from a turbocharged 1.4-litre T-Jet engine with 178bhp at 5500rpm and 184lb ft at 3000rpm. It is mated to a five-speed automated manual gearbox with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
Exact performance figures haven’t been confirmed, but Abarth expects a sub-7.0sec 0-62mph and a top speed in excess of 140mph. A dual-mode exhaust system features and increases noise levels above 3000rpm.
The standard Abarth 500’s chassis has been overhauled to cope with the special edition’s prodigious power output. New Koni shock absorbers are fitted along with larger Brembo brakes. The car rides on new 17in Maserati-inspired alloys.
Each of the special edition models is finished in ‘Pontevecchio Bordeaux’ paint. The interior gets sand beige leather seats with special 695 logos.
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Special edition Abarth 500?
Isn't this a special edition of Abarth 500 and not a Maserati? Why are people comparing this to AM Cygnet? The Cygnet is sold under Aston Martin brand while this is a special edition of the Abarth 500 as a tribute to Maserati similar to Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari and carries the name Abarth 695 Edizione Maserati.
Also, this has Abarth badges and not Maserati's unlike Cygnet.
n9ms21 wrote: Isn't this a
The only reason Aston had to re-design and re-badge the Cygnet was down to the fact it was purchased from another manufacturer.
The 500 is produced by the same group of companies therefore the need to bastardise the original product is less.
Interestingly judging by the comments on here it seems to have been quite well received, despite the price. I must admit, it does look good but I couldn't justify the price tag, considering the completeness of the base product.
Bellissimo
I love this little car, and the similar Tributo Ferrari they did previously. It highlights everything that is wrong with the Aston Martin Cygnet. While AM execs try and explain with a straight face how the Cygnet maintains all of Aston Martin's traditional values, Fiat don't try and pretend this is actually a Maserati. If rich folk really do want to buy into the whole yacht/tender analogy that Aston Martin were spinning, then this is a much better way to do it, whatever 'yacht' you drive on the weekends.
Might have made an effort.
At least Aston Martin put their own face on the Cygnet. Many laughed at Aston for modifying a Toyota iQ, but this is an even lesser attempt just to bling up a 500. Shame on Maserati!
The Cygnet, for those who failed to get the concept, was to be a pure city car. That when you're sitting at the lights waiting you were in a nice place to be, rather than being able to tear away down the high street!