Abarth 695C Edizione Maserati | Spotted
Abarth only made 157 RHD Tributo Ferraris - it's Maserati-inspired special is even rarer still
It’s 2010: the Ferrari 458 has landed as the F430’s drop-dead gorgeous successor, Lexus has blown us away with its V10-engined LFA (and its £336,000 price tag) and the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport has just set a new production car speed record at a whopping 267.856mph. Meanwhile, at the complete opposite end of the spectrum, Aston Martin’s debut of the Cygnet at the Geneva Motor Show (R.I.P.) has left many scratching its head, while Abarth has something far cooler up its sleeve with the 695 Tributo Ferrari, setting the 2010s up to be the decade of the lux'd-up city car.
Except, it didn't, as the pocked-sized posh box trend would barely make it to the mid point of the decade. You’ll likely see the Cygnet as either a clever or crass workaround to the EU’s fleet emission rules which, ultimately, never panned out, with 132 of the planned 4,000-a-year actually seeing production. At least Abarth’s take on the luxury runabout was built on solid ground, with the Tributo Ferrari boasting more power and upgraded hardware over the then-range-topping 500 Esseesse. Fiat had no trouble flogging them, obviously, and set about creating a new special edition to celebrate one of its many other brands. Sadly, it wouldn’t be Lancia.
What the Italian car giant came up with was the 695C Maserati Edizione, much like the one we have for sale here. The drop-top special was very much formed in the same mould as the Tributo Ferrari, featuring the same 1.4-litre turbocharged four-pot cranked up to 180hp that’s hooked up to Abarth’s ‘Competizione’ robotised manual gearbox. The four-piston Brembo front calipers also match those on the Prancing Horse edition, albeit paired with slightly bigger discs, while specially-tuned Koni dampers and a dual-exit exhaust were bespoke to the Maser tribute.
Of course, what made these pocket-sized homages so special (charming, even) were all the bits and pieces plucked from their pricier cousins. Evidently, that included the Maserati GranTurismo’s iconic Neptune wheels, scaled down to 17-inches so they’d squeeze into the Abarth’s wheel arches, while most (more on that in a bit) were finished in Pontevecchio Bordeaux, a shade plucked from Maserati’s library of exquisite colours. Then there was the interior, brightened up with sand beige leather seats that contrast with carbon fibre dash trim, plus all the obligatory gubbins like the Italian tricolore at the top of the steering wheel and a plaque with the car’s build number out of the total run of 499 cars.
A pretty rare thing, then. Only, this one’s even rarer than that. Out of the total 499 made, only 20 came in right-hand drive for the UK market. And it gets rarer, as this particular car is one of the later ‘Record Grey’ models, finished in the colour you see here and limited to just 50 units, nine of which are believed to have been right-hand drive. Funnily enough, that makes it rarer than pretty much anything Maserati’s put out in recent years, MC12 included.
It’s a properly cool little thing, and one that could be yours for the not inconsiderable fee of £29,950. A fair whack when you consider a standard Abarth 500 can be had for a third of the price, as demonstrated by this 595C Competizione, though it’s a good chunk cheaper than this one-of-99 Rosso Officine. Of course, what we have here is a bit more special - and a heck of a lot rarer - than a standard 500, and one we likely won’t see any time soon given the lack of appetite for small cars these days.
SPECIFICATION | ABARTH 695C EDIZIONE MASERATI
Engine: 1,368cc four-cylinder, turbocharged
Transmission: five-speed automated manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 180@5,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 185@3,000rpm
MPG: 43
CO2: 155g/km
Year registered: 2014
Recorded mileage: 12,000
Price new: £32,000
Yours for: £29,950
Well, there is a lack of appetite for the OEMs to make them as they can't do so and make a profit with all of the emissions, CO2, GSR2, ZEV and other regulations which supress the business case for them
But for consumers, all I here in the industry is a continued appetite for them from private buyers who are not being satisfied by the current offerings
Perhaps this is part of why new car sales to private purchases are so depressed
for sale on the UK mainland until I eventually tracked down one of only two extra cars that made it to Guernsey/Jersey. I got the chance to buy in Feb 2020 and snapped it up ( but covid hit) and it was four months before I could import and register it. The intention was for it to be my wife's daily and my weekend toy but she didn't like it all because I'd fitted a ghost to it. Errrr. From that point it's days where numbered and It was sold for profit in 2021 and replace by something even
More rarer a mini Goodwood in reef blue one of only 5 in the UK. The Grey Masserati you see here is if I recall one of only 5 or 6 brought to the UK out of the 50 made in this colour. Unlike the 499 painted in the Pontevecchio Bordeaux. Great car and virtually depreciation proof motoring but be warned some unique model parts are eye wateringly expensive. E.g the bespoke B pillar badges are £360 each and mine where knackered.
https://howmanymade.co.uk/2018/01/10/abarth-695-ed...
However, until perhaps the new Alpine Renault 5, it is the best reimagination by far and great fun to drive. Would have any of the silly extension, Abarth, Editizone versions in a heartbeat, no matter the logical arguments against.
Much better car than the 4200. I've had both.
I'd still like to buy both again though.......
That's Maserati's for you!
As for paying 30k for one, no, not for me, you really need to be a die hard fan and I am not that. I do wonder about build quality too as I have a friend with a mid range 500 and my mother has a 2015 Panda and both don't exactly feel solid.
How well screwed together is an Abarth 500?
As for paying 30k for one, no, not for me, you really need to be a die hard fan and I am not that. I do wonder about build quality too as I have a friend with a mid range 500 and my mother has a 2015 Panda and both don't exactly feel solid.
How well screwed together is an Abarth 500?
Didn’t realise the Maserati edition was so rare.
Would have to have it in Bordeaux rather than Circuit Grey for the full Maser effect.
But lovely as it is, it costs more than my Maserati and won’t be any nicer to drive than my wife’s 500C - in fact the suspension on the Arbarth is too firm for the UK’s potholes.
So in PH/DD style, “I’m ooot”.
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