Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari: The Wildest Little Performance Car Ever Built

Ferrari-Fused Fury - It’s funny how, in a world now dominated by silent EVs and digital dashboards, some of the most unforgettable cars were the ones that looked almost toy-sized yet carried the heart of a racing machine. The Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari is a perfect example of that charming contradiction—a tiny hatchback introduced in 2009 that somehow managed to channel the swagger and intensity of far bigger performance legends. It emerged during a time when collaborations between brands felt more personal, and this partnership between Abarth and Ferrari produced a car that was small in footprint but enormous in attitude.

The Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari, a tiny hatchback introduced in 2009, was built to honor the collaboration between the two brands and managed to channel the swagger and intensity of far larger performance legends. (Picture from: ClassicDriver)

The bond between the two marques didn’t appear overnight. Their histories had crossed decades earlier, including the 1953 Ferrari 166/250 MM Abarth, a one-off racer that competed in major events like the Mille Miglia. Carlo Abarth and Enzo Ferrari themselves shared similar journeys as drivers who became tuners and eventually built racing empires. In the years leading up to the Tributo Ferrari’s debut, the relationship grew even stronger—Ferrari’s European dealers even used customized Abarth 500s as courtesy vehicles, setting the stage for a more ambitious collaboration that would soon follow. 

The Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari’s interior adopts an elegant, Ferrari-inspired layout and features Sabelt’s black-leather Abarth Corsa seats that hold the driver securely. (Picture from: ClassicDriver)

That ambition took shape under the 695 Tributo Ferrari’s hood, where Abarth extracted over 180 horsepower from a 1.4-liter Turbo T-Jet engine. The power surge transformed the compact chassis into something genuinely mischievous, especially when paired with an MTA paddle-shift transmission inspired by contemporary performance technology. Matching the upgraded engine were reinforced brakes, sharpened suspension tuning, and 17-inch wheels modeled after Ferrari designs, complete with performance tires that helped the car punch well above its weight. 

The Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari combined a steering wheel with red inserts and a tricolour hub with a Ferrari-inspired Jaeger display, while aluminum footwell plates and Scorpion-badged pedals added a motorsport edge that matched its performance. (Picture from: ClassicDriver)

The mechanical setup was further elevated by the Record Monza exhaust system, which came alive past 3000 rpm and unleashed a sharper, more assertive tone that fit the car’s hyperactive spirit. Paired with its strengthened brakes, retuned suspension, and Ferrari-inspired 17-inch wheels wrapped in performance tires, the 695 Tributo Ferrari delivered a driving character that felt intentionally dialed-in. Every component seemed chosen to make the compact hatchback behave like something far more serious, turning ordinary streets into a playground for anyone behind the wheel.

The Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari packs over 180 horsepower from its 1.4-liter Turbo T-Jet engine paired with an MTA paddle-shift transmission, complemented by reinforced brakes, sharpened suspension tuning, and 17-inch wheels modeled after Ferrari designs. (Picture from: ClassicDriver)

That same focused energy carried through its design. Abarth coated the exterior in striking Scuderia Red, complemented by carbon-fiber mirrors and Racing Grey accents along the wheels and rear air intakes, giving the car a presence that immediately separated it from everyday city traffic. Inside, the atmosphere grew even more intense: Sabelt’s black-leather Abarth Corsa seats gripped the driver securely, while a steering wheel with red inserts and a tricolour hub emphasized its Italian identity. The Jaeger-designed instrument display nodded to Ferrari’s own layout, and the aluminum footwell plates with Scorpion-badged racing pedals added a motorsport edge rarely found in a car this size—making the interior feel as purposeful as its performance. | H3PX-vbUd4k |

Seen from today’s perspective, the Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari feels like a celebration of passion-driven engineering—an era when brands built fun, characterful machines not because the market demanded them, but because they believed in them. It proved that performance isn’t always about size or headline numbers, and that even a compact hatchback can carry the DNA of giants. In a landscape now shaped by technology and efficiency, this little firecracker remains a reminder of how thrilling a car can be when it blends heritage, boldness, and a dash of unapologetic eccentricity. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CLASSICDRIVER | PISTONHEADS ]

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