Fiat 500 as replacement for Ferrari

While dealer-owned service centres here get away with crappy service, dealer garages in other countries usually give you a free replacement car to drive around in while your own car is being serviced or fixed. In Europe, Ferrari has chosen the Fiat 500 as its courtesy car for local customers. About 200 special Fiat 500 units have been manufactured exclusively for the Ferrari sales network all over Europe.

Based on the Sport version of the Fiat 500, it is distinguished by the traditional red colour. The two hundred Fiat 500 specials are fitted with the 1.4-litre 100 hp engine and offers unique exhaust tuning by the Magneti Marelli company. Some aesthetic details include red brake calipers, sporty pedal set, special black steering wheel with red stitching and 16-inch alloy wheels with 195/45 tyres.

Compared to the Sport version, the Fiat 500 customised for Ferrari also has automatic climate control, electric sunroof, prestigious Frau leather interior, hi-fi, fog lights, numbered plate on the dashboard and Limited Edition wording on the kick plate. We are still not sure how a supermini will appeal to fat-cat Ferrari owners though. That’s like a Yaris for Lexus LS owners.

While Fiat flopped in this region years ago, the Fiat 500 model is a successful car in Europe, as demonstrated by the 222,000 orders received since its launch in 2007.