We've received several e-mails tipping us off on a new limited edition version of the Fiat Abarth 500 Essesse dressed in the Gulf racing livery, which will reportedly be offered exclusively in Luxembourg in a limited run of 10 cars priced at €25,000 (plus VAT) a piece. While we appreciate all tips sent in, that doesn't mean we aren't going to -or at least try our best to- perform a background check and either confirm or debunk a story.

In this case, we didn't find a press announcement, but that doesn't necessarily mean the story is not true. However, the picture that has been floating around on several websites has definitely been doctored, and we say this not only because the colors are off, but mainly because we found the original image. Hoax or not, we must say that the 500 Abarth looks awesomely cool in those traditional racing colors.

*Update 1: Un point to the folks at Auto55 for sending in the official press release from Fiat Belgium (added after the jump) confirming the Gulf model - but not the photo, as we've already proved.

*Update 2: The guys from Autofan e-mailed the press photo in its original compression. Apparently, Fiat mastered the photoshoped image...

Source: Auto55 & Autofans & Vroom