The Fiat group has a knack for (or a habit of) dressing up its most affordable hatchbacks in tribute to its most expensive exotics. Alfa Romeo did a special MiTo and Giulietta for Maserati dealers, and Abarth did a special 500 to honor Ferrari. But since the latter has run its production run, the Scorpion marque is celebrating Maserati with this latest version.
Destined for unveiling at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, the new Abarth 695 Tributo Maserati features the same 180 horsepower 1.4-liter turbo four as the aforementioned Tributo Ferrari, but with different 17-inch alloys. The Maserati version also adopts the 500C’s retracting roof panel and a more elegant design approach than the previous Ferrari edition, topped by a three-layer burgundy paint job and sand beige Pontrona Frau leather.
Only 499 examples will be offered, and probably spoken for in quick order. But whether you think this gussied-up Cinquecento is any more worthwhile than the Mini Goodwood edition or the Aston Martin Cygnet will probably depend mostly on whether you’ve ever tried to drive a GranTurismo or Quattroporte through Europe’s notoriously crowded city streets.
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