The term hot rod essentially boils down to cramming the biggest, most powerful engine possible into a particular vehicle.
Extending that philosophy to the very limits of imagination, the mad scientists at Lazzarini Design revealed their utterly insane Fiat 500.
It's a strange looking machine: a pug-nose grille, dinner plate wheels, white wall tires, bookshelf spoiler, a wider track, and is that a full-width roof scoop?! This strange Fiat 500 is hiding a big secret. You can't really tell from the pictures, but Lazzarini Design not only widened the 500's track, it also claimed to have lengthened its wheelbase by a whole foot for the sole purpose of cramming a 4.5-liter V8 taken from a Ferrari 458 Italia.
They might as well name it the Fiat Ridiculous! Some would argue that this vehicle has no place on Earth. Others would argue that its very existence makes the world a better place. Both sides would be right. Lazzarini Design detuned the 5.8 liter V8 down by a negligable 20-hp to 550-hp. What's more, the little Fiat would only weight a mere 2,200 lbs., making it possess one of the most extreme power-to-weight ratios the world has ever seen.
No real performance figures have been revealed, but given its Group B rally specs and proportions, we wouldn't blink an eye if we were told that 60 mph comes in less than 3 seconds. It really is that bonkers. To the folks that genuinely and realistically find this very appealing, Lazzarini Design will build one for individuals with $500,000 in hand.
