The 695 Tributo is technically from Fiat's performance division, Abarth, who partnered with Ferrari for this unique hatch. Beneath the Scuderia Red paint is a turbocharged version of the 1.4-liter gasser upped to 180 HP and connected to a six-speed gearbox with paddle-shifters. Lurking behind the special 17-inch alloys are bright red Brembo brakes.

This may be the best Fiat 500 out there, but the look on the booth professional's face says it all: "This is a Ferrari?"

The car aims to bring new meaning to the term hot hatch. For starters, the 695 will come in the traditional Ferrari color of Scuderia Red and performance gets boosted with a 1.4-liter turbocharged petrol/gasoline engine dialed up to 180 HP mated to an F1-style 6-speed transmission with paddle-shift function. Suspension tuning will compliment the increase in power and a set of red Brembo brakes will sit behind the 17-inch alloy wheels made special for the occasion, referencing classic Ferrari design.

A bigger issue is what this means for the Ferrari brand to be putting their name on a Fiat 500. Is this a watering down of the Italian Stallion brand or is this, like a Ferrari-branded Segway, just a marketing gimmick. Or, worse yet, is this a marketing gimmick that'll unintentionally water down the brand? [AutoExpress via World Car Fans]

Apparently, the fabric-topped runabout holds a special appeal to Ms. Macpherson, who has said "I love the Fiat 500c, it has that sexy, cool, Italian thing going on!" Yes, it certainly does, and so does that well placed celebrity endorsement from arguably the most successful supermodel of all time. For the high res version of Ms. Macpherson's low-riding top, click here. [Source: Fiat Marketing]

It may only travel at a blistering 1.86 MPH top speed, but that's not really the point, it's the creation of Japanese ironsmith Kogoro Kurata, who built the thing to apparently solve some very tiny earth-moving needs. The little red monster is the combination of a tracked crane powertrain with the fiat body dropped over top, it's operated fully hydraulically, driving the skid steer treads and the tiny little plow up front. We're hoping his next steps include a little dekotora action.
[Gizmodo]

[via Fubiz.net]

Kidd is one of the fastest competitors of the Celebrity Lap on Top Gear and also appeared in Jeremy Clarkson's Thriller, racing Clarkson himself in a Fiat 500. For Fiat UK, there wasn't a better spokesmodel to promote the new Fiat 500 Eco Test Drive being run to "highlight the benefits of environmentally-friendly motoring."

The program offers any customer that visits a participating UK Fiat dealer the opportunity to take an eco test drive. Unlike most test drives, the key to this program is that this 'test drive' also measures the driver's fuel efficiency. Fiat is providing test drivers with a unique USB key that they plug into the Blue&Me entertainment and communications slot to record their performance throughout their drive.

Fiat will then run the performance statistics through a computer which will then analyze and award a number (out of 100) that judges the drivers 'eco:Index.' The system measures the drivers efficiency based on acceleration, deceleration, gear changes and average speed. If the Eco Test Drive program proves to be successful, Fiat UK will expand it to all models that feature the Blue&Me system.

"The Fiat 500 is a lovely car," said Jodie Kidd. "And eco:Drive technology is absolutely right for the moment. People should be thinking more about their driving and the environment - it's a great idea."

We don't care what the USB says, she's a perfect 100,

[via Fiat UK]

While it isn't as egregious as the Ultra Vette, there's still a lot about the Fiat 500 incompatible with a recession. There's the pink-on-pink interior and exterior, which has a candy gloss appropriately plastic for the Barbie theme. The vanity mirror is covered with LEDs, which is what you'd expect for a glamour girl. How to top that? The interior bezels, hubcaps, antenna, window moldings and other bits are covered in crystals.

Designed by Fiat Centro Stile and Mattel, the car will debut today in Milan's fashion district with Ken and Barbie driving the car. Actually, Ken will drive. That's boy's work.

[via Carscoop]

Based on the already appealing Fiat 500 Abarth. The Essesse (Italian for "SS") tweaks that car's ECU to boost the 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder from 135 to 160 HP. Torque is up to 170 Lb-Ft. Also upgraded are the suspension, brakes and wheels, which are stiffer, bigger and better looking.

This is a lot of power for a 2,282-pund FWD car. Keeping it from tearing your arms off under acceleration is a Torque Transfer Control system that mimics a Limited Slip Differential in its ability to keep the little Fiat pointed in a straight line.

The Essesse can hit 62 MPH in 7.4 seconds, continuing to a top speed of 131 MPH. it's also capable of returning MPGs in the mid 30s. The sportier model carries a $3,500 premium over the regular Abarth.

Since we're already big fans of the Mini Cooper S and the Fiat 500, we look forward to finding out what it's like to combine the speed of the former with the diminutive size of the latter. But we'll leave the Mini-esque roof checks and keep the 500's simple good looks if we ever get the chance to buy one on this side of the Atlantic.

PRESS RELEASE: ESSEESSE – SUPREMELY SPORTING

Owners who want to take their Abarth 500 even closer to the tuning firm's ‘racer for the road' ideal, can plump for the esseesse specification. The word esseesse means ‘SS' in Italian and lives up to its name by giving the car a supremely sporting twist.

The £2500 conversion has to be carried out within 12 months or 20,000km of the car's first registration and can only be undertaken by Abarth's skilled network of technicians. Their first job is to upgrade the engine's Electronic Control Unit so that the 1.4-litre turbo pumps out 160bhp at 5750rpm – more than double the power output of the regular Fiat model and very much in keeping with historic Abarth practice. To help with this power upgrade, a new air filter made by Italian specialist BMC is fitted.

To match the additional power, drilled and ventilated 284mm x 22mm brake discs are fitted at the front, together with new pads, while 240mm x 11mm drilled discs replace the already powerful standard items at the rear. Uprated Abarth springs are fitted front and rear too, and so that the esseesse looks even racier, the regular 16-inch wheels are replaced with 17-inch white or titanium colour alloy rims and 205/40 R17 tyres.

A tyre pressure monitoring system and unique key cover are the final touches in this transformation to the ultimate road-going Abarth 500.

Even though this upgrade relies heavily on modern technology, the esseesse kit stays loyal to the legend of Abarth by being delivered to customers in a high quality wooden crate. Once its contents have been emptied, the crate then becomes the property of the customer as a charming memento.

[via Fiat500]

Where else do you get daily-driven Peugeot 404s parked on the same block as mirror-world Mopars, just around the corner from a Renault-branded, Pininfarina-styled, Kaiser-engined Rambler Rogue? Evestay was way, way, waaay down south and shot these fine machines for us. Fiats galore, a Falcon, a Maverick, even a Unimog! Here's what Evestay has to say:

I'm not positive that it's a Cambridge. Is it an Oxford? Dunno.
The Jeep pickup might be cheating. I suspect that it hasn't moved in some time.
I *love* the rope hood fastener on the CX.
Enjoy

Just like the original sun-worshiping Fiat 500, the new Cabrio maintains the fixed sides of the coupe while integrating a convertible top we expect to roll back and store at the rear of the car. We're expecting the new Fiat 500 Cabrio to debut at this year's Geneva Motor Show coming up in March. [AutoCar]

(Thanks for the photo James)

Brooklyn is also full of interesting metal, despite the scourge of respectless yellow cabs and tough emissions rules.

Here are a few finds I have made in areas south and west of Prospect Park. The Fiat 500 may not be all that interesting, but being pretty and streetparked she is fair prey. The Chevy Vega Kammback is obviously on its way to concours condition, evidence thereof being recent bodywork and "1972 KAM" plates. Could we have a feature on good/terrible vanity plates please?

The Cadillac ex-Ambulance turned Wildlife Control is worth a paragraph all its own. I don't know much about this one, except it's being always parked in the same neighbourhood southwest of Prospect Park. The owner obviously has a decent sense of humour (witness paw print stickers down the flanks) although the dead rat (see note in rear window) wasn't quite funny enough.

We don't want to indicate that we're more pruriently-minded than others, but there's some serious car-on-chick-on-masked dude dragon action in these photos. Isn't that called a 'Lucky Puff The Magic Dragon' or something?

[Studiotorino via CarScoop]

While this soft top Fiat 500 is significantly less gay than the Castagna Tender Two, like all modern retros, it’s still extremely limp-wristed. The coup de grace, in the form of a Mini Convertible-rivaling full-convertible 500 is expected to arrive some time next year. If you’re comfortable with your sexuality and you want people to know it, or you’re just a cute young girl, go for it. Just watch out for Audi Q7s headed in your direction. [via Next Autos]