Carboat celebrates 75 years of Abarth
Words NZ Autocar | Images Stellantis
Can’t get enough of the Abarth 500? Well how about a boat that’s based on one? No, really.
The Fiat 500 is an icon of transportation, starting out as a fun compact city car, and then evolving into an EV. Now it’s a boat.
In its sportiest Abarth form, the new variant is a little like a luxury jet ski, only for five, and it’s powered by an outboard motor.
The Abarth Offshore boat from the Italian specialty boat firm, Car Off-shore, marks the 75th anniversary of the Abarth company. The limited-edition watercraft debuted in Monaco at the Top Marques 2024 event, celebrating “the finest in transportation and luxury lifestyle brands”.
The boat is a collaboration between the Fiat and Abarth Style Center and Car Offshore company. It is an aquatic take on the Abarth 595/695 cabriolet. Its HardTop design gives it a full windshield and adjustable folding top system. A pair of leather-bound Besenzoni sport bucket seats feature four-point safety harnesses. There’s a Wave Shock dampened steel support base, behind which are seating areas for sunbathing. At the rear is a recessed steel ladder, for swimmers to climb onto the rear deck that’s made of synthetic teak.
Powering the wee beast is a 230hp outboard Hydrojet engine with twin Riva racing exhausts. It maxes out at 58 knots (almost 110km/h) so is a proper speedster on water.
Standard gear includes a Garmin stereo system with LEDs, four Fusion speakers, and a subwoofer behind the dashboard.
There are plans for just 500 examples of this Abarth Offshore. Personalisation by their owners is encouraged.
This isn’t the first time Car Off-shore has produced a an aquatic car, as the 500 version debuted last year. A 24-year-old Italian entrepreneur, Antonio Pietro Maria Galasso, penned the original design. It came with an 86kW outboard engine option, seats for five and two reclining sunbeds behind the front seats.
Production plans are for 500 examples of the 500 Offshore. In the U.S. it kicks off at $105,000. Expect the Abarth version to ask a little more than that.
