Yesterday morning in the
evocative setting of the grandiose Villa Reale in Monza
just as they prepare for this Sunday's Italian Grand
Prix Scuderia Ferrari drivers' Felipe Massa and Fernando
Alonso were each presented with a limited-edition Abarth
695 Tributo Ferrari, the fastest-ever Fiat 500.
The new Abarth 695
Tributo Ferrari confirms the link between Fiat Group
brands', Ferrari and Abarth, based on Italian style and
the shared values of having racing in the blood. The car
made its public debut last September but has only
started deliveries to buyers since this July, although
during that time around 600 orders have been placed,
according to Abarth, with more than half of those coming
from customers in France, the UK (where it is priced at
£29,600)
and Germany, although
curiously Italy is left out.
The Abarth 695 Tributo
Ferrari is fitted with an enhanced version of Fiat
Powertrain's 1.4 litre turbocharged "T-Jet" engine with
its power output pushed to 180 bhp.
This engine
is combined with an MTA (Manual Transmission Automated)
electromechanical gearbox with a race-inspired paddle
gearshift that makes full use of the engine’s
performance by reducing gearshift times. To improve
acceleration, the car is fitted with performance tyres
mounted on 17-inch alloy wheels featuring a design
inspired by Ferrari wheels.
The
suspension and braking systems have also been
strengthened to cope with the extra power: 284 mm
multi-section discs with fixed four-piston calipers,
both by Brembo, along with special shock absorbers, and
also a “Record Monza” variable back-pressure “dual mode”
exhaust, designed to improve engine performance and
deliver an inspiring sound over 3,000 rpm.
The car comes in
four colours: Rosso Corsa (Massa and Alonso received
their cars in this colour yesterday), Giallo Modena, Blu
Abu Dhabi and Grigio Titanio, and has
carbon fibre door mirrors and with details like the
wheels and rear air intakes picked out in gray. It is
equipped with Xenon headlights with dipped and main beam
functions for improved light emission and greater
efficiency under all weather conditions. Made by Magneti
Marelli Automotive Lighting, these elements deliver
three times the light intensity and duration of standard
halogen lamp headlights.
The interior is also personalised and aims to
demonstrate the attention to detail and the sporting
style that are common to both brands. “Abarth Corsa by
Sabelt” seats are fitted and finished in black leather
with a shell and seat base in carbon fibre. These seats
offer a blend of racing characteristics – light weight
(10 kg less than the standard seat) and the ability hold
the body steady against lateral and longitudinal forces,
thanks to body support elements filled with
crush-resistant foam – with the ergonomics and comfort
of road seats. The black leather steering wheel is
characterised by red leather inserts and a tricolour hub
on which the MTA gearshift paddles are mounted, while
the instrument panel is specially made by Jaeger, and
inspired by typical Ferrari instrumentation. Attention
to detail has gone into the floor too: the foot wells
are covered entirely in non-slip aluminium and the
racing pedals are personalised with the Scorpion logo.
The interior is embellished with other details too, like
special kick plates and a plate that bears the vehicle's
series number.
Meanwhile, this morning Massa and Alonso have been back
behind the wheel of a very different "red" car: the
Ferrari F10. The first free practice session for the
fourteenth round of the Formula 1 World Championship,
the Italian Grand Prix has just ended at the Monza
circuit. Quickest was Jenson Button in the McLaren in
1.23.693, ahead of Sebastian Vettel in the Red Bull
(1.23.790) and the other McLaren of Lewis Hamilton
(1.23.967). Alonso and Massa were eighth (1.24.543) and
ninth (1.24.648) respectively, completing three runs
each. Part of the programme for both F10s related to
evaluating the performance benefits of running the blown
rear wing. The second free practice gets underway this
afternoon at 14.00 as usual.
