Lazzarini has unveiled images of the new 550 Italia, a Fiat 500 with a Ferrari V8 engine.
The Italian design house has shoehorned the 4.5-litre V8 from a Ferrari 458 Italia into the tiny Fiat city car and is looking for a wealthy benefactor to invest the US $550,000 (£352,609) needed to get the project off the ground.
Lazzarini has detuned the monstrous V8 from 563bhp to 542bhp to prevent the engine's torque from affecting the car's balance. The firm has also lengthened the 500's wheelbase and fitted it with a huge bodykit -- nobody's going to be fooled into thinking you have a TwinAir.
The engine is mid-mounted, of course, and Lazzarini has moved the fuel tank to the front of the car. In total, the 550 will weigh around 900kg -- extremely light when you consider the mountain of power that this thing produces.
We approve of the 550 Italia -- even if the short wheelbase and ferocious power sound like a recipe for terrifying oversteer -- and we implore any wealthy petrolheads out there to cough up so we can see the 550 make it into production.
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