Earlier this week, pictures of Lewis Hamilton’s first visit to Ferrari surfaced and to say the internet went into meltdown over them would be putting it lightly. Naturally, there’s a lot of anticipation around the most successful F1 driver in history moving to the most successful team, a change of scenery further stoked by shots of the seven-time champ dressed as a '40s mafioso standing in front of the red-shuttered facade of Enzo Ferrari’s old gaff and an immaculate F40, which is said to be his favourite car.
Makes you wonder whether Hamilton’s move to Maranello will see the number of red cars in his collection soon skyrocket. He’ll obviously be first in line for the big-ticket stuff like F80, and a new car may well be one of his many bonuses going off the sheer number of supercars that are sent teammate Charles Leclerc’s way. Hamilton, though, seems more interested in the old stuff, so perhaps his first win bonus will go towards the F40 seen in the snaps. And for a runabout around the streets of Monaco, why not consider this immensely cool Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari?
Okay, it’s not red, but that does mean it's a heck of a lot rarer than the already scarce pocket-sized tribute. Of the 1,199 examples built at the back end of the '00s, just 99 were Abu Dhabi blue cars like the one we have here. But blue Ferraris just look right, don’t they? Even the ones that aren’t strictly from Maranello. Maybe it’s the fact that the Scuderia ran a part blue, part white livery for a couple of rounds in 1964, so it has a semblance of motorsport heritage behind it. Either that or it just simply looks the business on both supercars and Italian hot hatches.
Obviously, there’s a lot more to it than just an official Ferrari colour. When the Tributo arrived in 2009, looking like a cross-breed between a Fiat 500 and a 430 Scuderia, it was because it was co-developed by the supercar maker (it doesn’t let you slap the Prancing Horse on just anything) with upgrades inspired by genuine Ferrari parts. Those 17-inch wheels, for example, are scaled-down versions of the rims found on the 360 Challenge Stradale, while the centre stripes are a nod to the aforementioned Scud. Then there were the carbon-backed bucket seats, carbon dash trim and even Ferrari-branded fitted luggage - albeit made from canvas instead of Italy’s finest leather.
Work was put in to make the Tributo the quickest of Abarth’s hot hatches, with the 1.4-litre turbocharged four-pot dialled up to 180hp - 45hp more than the base car - dropping the 0-62mph time below seven seconds. A five-speed automated manual was the only transmission available, and while it was known for being a bit dim-witted, it at least made you feel like you were driving a flappy-paddle Fezza. Stiffer suspension and chunky Brembos completed the comprehensive overhaul, adding extra credibility to the Ferrari logos dotted inside and out.
With few produced and even fewer in blue, Tributo Ferrari values have held strong over the years and this example is no different. The tag says £31,995, which is actually a touch cheaper than Rosso Corsa examples that sometimes come up for sale. Interestingly, it’s been imported from Japan, and is said to come with an ‘incredibly thorough service history’ and the country’s equivalent of an HPI too. So get in quick before Hamilton catches wind and snaps it up as his daily runabout.
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