New Abarth Offshore takes Fiat 500 seaward
'More than a boat, no less than a car' - and they're going to make 500 of them
Since 2008, we’ve seen just about every possible variant of Fiat 500: fast ones, slow ones, convertible ones, hybrid ones, track-focused ones and about a thousand more. With Fiat’s focus having switched to the electric car, it seemed that the old 500 era and its numerous spin-offs were done. But no - because here’s the boat.
Or the Abarth Offshore, to give this car its proper name. Yes, it’s an official factory-approved product, and far from being a bizarre one-off concept for Top Marques in Monaco - it certainly wouldn’t be alone - 500 of these barchettas are going to be made by Car Off Shore. Part of the 75th anniversary celebrations for Abarth, the Offshore has received design input from the central design office and aims to bring Abarth ‘closer to the nautical world.’ No doubt about that.
All 500 will be eminently customisable (check out the microsite for some inspiration), with the Monaco car decked out (sorry) in metallic green with dark hazelnut details. As has become Abarth tradition, particularly in special editions like the Rivale, plush materials abound in the Offshore. So there are quilted leather Besenzoni sports seats, synthetic teak and an ‘elegant’ ladder for when you’ve finished swimming and need to get back on board. Indeed, despite appearances, this really does offer a lot of boaty goodness and isn’t merely some weird amphibious car thing: Abarth will even kit it out with fishing equipment if desired. ‘Thanks to advanced technologies, the Abarth Offshore allows customers to sail in total safety, thrilling sensations and enjoy unrivalled comfort.’
Power comes from a 230hp outboard engine, with a pair of Riva racing exhausts said to create a sound just like one of the roadgoing hatches. There aren’t any officially released performance stats, though look at the smile on this guy’s face - it’s fast enough. Abarth believes the Offshore is the ‘perfect boat for those who want to add sportiness and uniqueness to their sailing experience’, and who are we to disagree? Bet it’d look great in yellow.
te boat that everyone thinks is mildly amusing. Totally useless as a concept and not pretty with it. But I think I like it nonetheless.
https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/25339/lot/339/201...
Well that rabbit hole took me somewhere I wasn't expecting. Add this to my euromillions car list
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