Produced in homage to the Ferrari F40
Osaka Auto Messe took place at Intex Osaka from 10-12 February 2024. At the event, Liberty Walk, which makes a big splash every time a custom car show is held, was also present. Among the demo cars equipped with the body kits that are synonymous with the company, the Abarth 595 of the “ABAS WORKS” brand, a collaboration between Rosso Cars and Liberty Walk, attracted particular attention.
Already 11 sets have been ordered
According to Rosso Cars representative Seiki Takahashi, the car was built as a tribute to Liberty Walk’s Ferrari F40 (LB40) , and features F40 elements throughout, including NACA ducts on both sides and a three-pronged exhaust system. The wheels are machined and forged, and are expensive as they are one-offs made for the event, but a cast type will be released in May 2024. Incidentally, the wheels are a whopping 9J, with 205 tires.
The kit includes a front bumper and canards, bonnet, front and rear wide wings, side steps, rear diffuser, and rear wing, and is expected to cost 1.5 million yen (approx. 10,000 USD).
As can be seen at first glance, even the Liberty Walk aero is not a ‘works body’, but is put together in a Silhouette Formula type taste, but the idea of attaching the wing as an extension of the roofline, while making use of the factory wing, is unprecedented. The face is also designed to resemble the EV Abarth 500e.
And the nose, which is flattened in normal form, has been lengthened for a sportier look. The wings, which are a big eye-catcher, have been widened by 75 mm on each side, giving the car a strong impact that sets it apart from other custom Abarths.
The fact that these are not screwed on like the ‘works body’ over fenders, but are shaped to connect to the front and rear of the silhouette system, also shows good taste.
When considering how to dress up an Abarth, the aspect ratio of the body is quite important. When only the width is widened with over wings, the body tends to look narrow and disproportionately balanced, but by extending the nose together, as in this kit, it is a pleasant discovery to see that the proportions are truly balanced.
Although only announced in January 2024, the response has been great, and by the time of the Osaka Auto Messe, 11 sets had already been ordered.
Until now, Abarth has had a strong image of driving and has tended to focus on performance and performance enhancement, but with the emergence of street customization like this, it will undoubtedly become a new trend.
translated by DeepL