Abarth 695 Tributo Maserati announced

Abarth announced that next month at the Geneva Motor Show they will be bringing another hot version of the Fiat 500C which will be manufactured in only 499 units. The Abarth 695 Tributo Maserati will be motivated by a 1.4-liter Turbo T-jet engine that pumps out 180 hp and is linked to an electronically-operated manual Abarth Competizione gearbox that comes with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

The Abarth 695 Tributo Maserati will be riding on 17-inch alloy wheels while the stopping power will be provided by the Brembo brake discs that measure 305 mm and have four-piston calipers as well as special shock absorbers.  To improve the car’s “soundtrack”, Abarth has fitted this 500C with a variable backpressure dual mode exhaust system that comes with Maserati-styled hexagonal tailpipes.

The car features a 3-layer Pontevecchio Bordeaux exterior finish, xenon headlights and a grey soft-top. Inside the cabin Abarth promises that the 695 Tributo Maserati offers the same level of comfort and style as Maserati’s GranTurismo, featuring a beige Poltrona Frau leather upholstery, black leather steering wheel and a matt-finish carbon lining on the gearbox and the dashboard. Other goodies include a carbon fiber kick plate, aluminum pedals and a Jaeger-built special instrument panel. Also new is a hi-fi audio system that has been developed especially for this model.

Source: Abarth via ZerCustoms

Post tags: Tags: abarth, Abarth 695 Tributo Maserati

2012 Fiat 500 Abarth priced from $22,700

2012 Fiat 500 Abarth

Scheduled to reach dealerships this March, the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth will have a base price of $22,700, including here the $700 destination charge. This is significantly more than the standard 500 which costs $16,200, but still less than the 2012 Mini Cooper S which will set you back at least $23,800.

As you probably already know, the latest Fiat 500 Abarth is motivated by a 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo engine that produces 160 hp and has a maximum torque of 170 lb.-ft. The car will come with a dual exhaust system, Abarth-tuned brakes and suspension, 16-inch alloys and a turbo-boost gauge that has a built-in LED shift light.

Inside the cabin of the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth we find accent stitching, performance seats, Bose premium audio system with controls mounted on the wheel and Bluetooth connectivity. Those who decide to buy this car will also get a free day of on-track training at the Richard Petty Driving Experience. We will have the EPA figures of the car next month.

Source: Abarth via Inside Line

Post tags: Tags: abarth fiat 500, Fiat, fiat-500, fiat-500-abarth

Bologna Motor Show – three Abarth 500 models

With the occasion of this year’s edition of the Bologna Motor Show, Abarth brought three new versions of the Fiat 500: 595 Turismo, 595 Competizione and 695 Assetto Corse.

The Abarth 595 is available in both Turismo and Competizione versions – with the former offering more comfort and style, while the latter is targeted to performance enthusiasts. Both cars are motivated by a 1.4-liter engine that churns 158 hp and a peak torque of 170 lb.-ft, good enough for a 0-62 mph sprint in 7.4 seconds.

This power unit features and over-boost function that can modulate the amount of available turbo boost and it’s activated through a sport button located on the steering wheel. Both cars also feature the Torque Transfer Control system that can improve the transfer of torque to the driven wheels.

These two cars come with aluminum finished pedals, a leather steering wheel, aluminum gearbox trim surround and kick plate. The Turismo version features an automated manual transmission, while the Competizione adopts a 5-speed manual gearbox. Both cars ride on 17-inch titanium-colored alloys that have Brembo brake calipers painted in yellow.

There are two customization kits available for the 595 Turismo and the 595 Competizione. The first one brings perforated self-ventilated front & rear brakes, while the second package brings adjustable shock absorbers as well as shorter springs for lowering the car’s ride height.

Abarth also unveiled the 695 Assetto Corse which offers 202 hp, making it the hottest version of the Fiat 500. Although it is road legal, the car has been developed for track use and brings a FIA-spec safety kit (with a roll-bar), and the engine is linked to a sequential gearbox.

Source: Fiat via Autocar

Post tags: Tags: abarth, abarth 595 competizione, abarth 595 turismo, abarth 695 assetto corse, bologna motor show

2012 U.S.-spec Fiat 500 Abarth debuts at L.A. Auto Show

This week at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the Italian automaker Fiat has introduced the Abarth version of the 500 model. The bad news is that they didn’t share official details about the output of the 1.4-liter MultiAir turbocharged engine.

According to various rumors, the engine will be a little bit more powerful than its European sibling, and it is expected to develop 160 hp (162 PS / 119 kW) and a peak torque of 170 lb.-ft (230 Nm) which is a little bit more than the 138 hp (140 PS / 103 kW) and 152 lb.-ft (206 Nm) of the Euro-spec 500 Abarth.

The 2012 U.S.-spec Fiat 500 Abarth rides on 16-inch alloys (optional 17-inchers) and features a body kit that improves the car’s aerodynamics.

The car is scheduled to arrive in U.S. dealerships in the beginning of next year.

Source: Fiat

Post tags: Tags: abarth, Fiat, fiat-500, fiat-500-abarth, la-auto-show

Abarth working on a hotter Fiat Panda

According to our colleagues from Auto Express.co.uk, Abarth is currently working on a hotter version of the Fiat Panda which will be powered by a 2-cylinder 875cc turbo TwinAir engine that will develop at least 110 hp which should be just about enough for a 0-62 mph sprint in 8.5 seconds and a top speed of 110 mph. Fuel consumption will remain at 60 mpg UK and this new engine will also be installed on the Panda 4×4 version.

The Abarth Panda will probably reach the showrooms sometime in 2013 and it will be the first car tuned by Abarth that will have this engine. Even though there are no official details regarding the price tag of the new model, the cheapest version will probably cost somewhere around 15,000 pounds.

Expect to see an extensive bodykit and Abarth’s traditional white & red paint scheme, plus bigger spoilers and wings. Other than that, it should ride on 16-inch alloys and will probably feature color-coded bodywork. Needless to say, the hot version of the Panda will get a lowered and stiffer suspension along with beefier brakes.

Inside the cabin, the car will feature bucket seats, a short-throw gearlever and a sports steering wheel. The options list will include 17-inch alloys and a louder exhaust system.

Auto Express mentioned that also in the works is the Abarth Panda Esseesse, which as you probably know is the name that Abarth uses for its most powerful cars.

Source: Auto Express

Post tags: Tags: abarth, abarth panda, Fiat, fiat panda

2012 Fiat 500 Abarth heading to Los Angeles Auto Show

On November 18^th at the L.A. Auto Show, Fiat will unveil the hot Abarth version of the 500 model.  This is the third model in the lineup, after the standard 3-door hatchback and the 500C rolling soft top version.

According to the Italian automaker, the car will be motivated by a new 4-cylinder MultiAir turbocharger 1.4-liter engine but they didn’t mention the output. As a reminder, the European version of the car has a turbocharged 1.4-liter that develops 140 and a peak torque of 206 Nm in the standard configuration. With the Essesse package, the power unit churns 160 hp and 230 Nm.

The U.S.-spec 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth will come with a more powerful braking system, a stiffer suspension, bespoke alloys, twin tail pipes, along with a new aero package that includes side skirts, a roof wing, a front bumper and a rear diffuser.

Expect more details about the car at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show.

Source: Fiat via Carscoop

Post tags: Tags: abarth, Fiat, fiat-500, l.a. auto show, los angeles auto show

Romeo Ferraris Cinquone Stradale Hits The Streets

The Italian tuning company Romeo Ferraris has developed a street legal version of the Abarth 500 Cinque Modigliani race car and they unveiled it at the Autodromo Vallelunga. It has just about the same body as the race version, featuring a new hood that has generous dual air scoops, along with a front bumper that sports a large central air intake, a rear bumper which has a central mounted exhaust and diffuser, plus integrated wide body skirts and fenders.

The car is motivated by the same 1.4-liter Fiat turbo engine which you’ll find in the standard 500 but it comes with a brand new exhaust system that has a metal catalytic converter, a bigger turbo and a remapped ECU. Thanks to all of these upgrades, the power unit develops 300 PS, which is only 60 PS less than the race version of the car.

As for the cabin, a roll bar has been installed where the rear seat bench was, while the dash pad is now covered in suede. It features carbon fiber seats that have OMP four-point seat harnesses. The car now weighs a little over 2,205 lbs (1,000 kg), compared to the race version which tips the scale at 1,984 lbs (900 kg).

We’ll keep you posted once they release the details regarding the performances of the car. Stay tuned.

Source: Romeo Ferraris via WCF

Post tags: Tags: abarth, Fiat, fiat-500, fiat-500-abarth, romeo ferraris, Tuning

My Favorite Fiat 500 – The Abarth 695 “Tributo Ferrari”

The other day I was lucky enough to see on the city’s streets a gorgeous Abarth 695 “Tributo Ferrari”, based on the funky Fiat 500. Out of all the special editions and tuning programs that have been launched so far for the Italian city car, this is by far my favorite and I doubt that a more impressive one will be launched until the next generation arrives.

If you are still waiting to see a city car from Ferrari, the closest you’ll ever be is with this one. The car was unveiled two years ago at the Frankfurt Motor Show and it is motivated by a 16 valve, 4-cylinder 1.4-liter turbo engine that has been tuned by Abarth’s and Ferrari’s engineers in order to unleash more than 180 hp. Changing the gears of this fast city car is done by using the paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel.

Some of the car’s other goodies include a variable exhaust system, 17-inch alloys, a sport-tuned suspension and impressive Brembo brake discs that measure 284 mm. The paint scheme of the car is just exquisite. Dubbed “Scuderia Red” with Grey stripes, it really looks a lot like the one on the Ferrari 430 Scuderia.

Oh, and we almost forgot the important figures of the car, it does the 0-62 mph sprint in 7 seconds and manages to hit a top speed of 140 mph, pretty impressive for a downsized Ferrari.

Post tags: Tags: abarth, abarth 695 tributo ferrari, Fiat, fiat-500

Fiat 500 Abarth – drive test

The Fiat Cinquecento is one of the most iconic cars ever produced by the Italian car maker. Being one of the first and smallest city cars ever produced, the people at Fiat decided to bring back the legend, and they did so, in 2007. The car made a huge splash, all over the media and among its fans, conquering many city inhabitants’ hearts and digging into their pockets for change.

Last weekend we took the Fiat 500 Abarth for a ride and you should know it felt freakin’ amazing! Of course, after Abarth got its hands on it, the little Fiat 500 kept its sheep skin, but got a wolf’s heart. Here’s what Red Riding Hood handled the situation.

We’ve always liked quality, well made things. We have a special appreciation for a well designed products, with exquisite final touches, and details that come together in perfect harmony and give personality to that product. A product such as the one described above is the refined Fiat 500 Abarth.

The exterior

The retro look is what we expected from the new Fiat 500, since it has to continue the legacy of its forefather, which was one of the most popular cars in history. Of course, the car isn’t called Abarth for nothing: the modified spoilers, the two exhaust pipes, the custom rims and stickers, reveal its sporty origins and make the little Fiat a head-turner. The white paint fits it perfectly, making it both elegant and stylish – a true fashion icon! Men and women alike are thrilled about this little toy!

The interior

The interior of the Fiat 500 is worthy of its Italian heritage: the sporty seats, the lovely dashboard, made of quality materials, the leather steering wheel, the custom mats and a well partitioned space all prove it. Although the back seat is quite small and its main purpose is to fit the car in the four seater category, so the taxes don’t go as high as they are for the two seaters, if you’re skinny, you can seat quite comfortably on it. The front seats can be regarded as small(ish) by some drivers, but such a sporty car can only be matched to a fit owner. So maybe it isn’t so bad that it makes you want to go to the gym more often.

The dashboard is very chic, and Abarth added a big watch to show the turbo pressure and to notify you when you should change gears in the Sport mode, in order to get the best performance out of this car. We had our moments when we felt like we were driving in Racing Kingdom, we admit it.

The trunk is surprisingly spacious, for such a small car, so you can actually go shopping with it.

Technology and safety

Fiat 500 Abarth is fitted with a radio/CD/mp3 and a good sound system, with USB and you can even synchronize your Windows phone with the car (if you own one). Moreover, the Blue&Me system allows the car to receive vocal commands: you can change the song on your audio system, you can call someone by saying their name and you can even have your text messages read to you, so you can focus on driving. There’s an entire manual that describes what the Blue&Me system can do.

Safety is a main concern for any car maker, and the Fiat 500 got 5 stars at NCAP and has some extra airbags, making a total of 7. To this Fiat added a lot of safety features, such as ESP, ASR, MSR, Hill Holder and TTC (Torque Transfer Control), to keep you on the road, enjoying this precious little car.

The monster under the hood

We finally got to the fun part: the engine! This is the essence of the Fiat 500 Abarth, its soul and spirit, which leaves a huge smile on your face when you get out of the car. Under the hood, Abarth put a 1,4l turbo charged engine that delivers 135hp. For a car that weighs under a ton, that’s a lot of power! This little things get from 0 to 100 km/h in 7,9 seconds and we took it to 205 km/h, in sport mode.

When sport mode is off, the 500 Abarth is a perfect city car, easy to park and easy to drive, good looking and which you can use to get around rush hour traffic. But when you get the courage to press the Sport button, the car transforms from a chic toy to a kart, ready to throw aside pretentious SUVs.

The steering wheel hardens and if you’re serious about stepping on that throttle, the car will be thrust forward like a tiny rocket. Overtaking is so easy in this car! Curves become so much more fun , because the TTC (Torque Transfer Control), which transfers torque between the wheels while cornering, limits understeering and keep the car glued to the road. It’s, by far, the most fun car we’ve ever driven!

The fuel consumption is also great! Here are the numbers:
- 4,9 l/100km out of town, with sport mode off
- 5,2 l/100km out of town, with sport mode on
- 6,2 l/100km in the city, with sport mode off
- 8,8 l/100km in the city, with sport mode on.

Fiat 500 Abarth technical specs

Engine/transmission: 1,368cc, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol with DOHC and four valves per cylinder; 135bhp at 5,500rpm and 152lb ft of torque at 3,000rpm. Five-speed manual gearbox, front-wheel drive.

Performance: top speed 127mph, 0-62mph in 7.9sec, EU Urban fuel consumption 33.2mpg, CO² emissions 155g/km.

If we had the money (namely from $19,500 to $21,500), we’d go tomorrow to the first showroom and buy one!

This is a car you can easily fall in love with, a car with soul and passion, like Fiat knows how to make, and also a true fashion statement, for both men and women.

Would you like to own a car like this?

PS: Thanks a lot Autoitalia for giving us the change to test this little monster!

See more pictures of this drive test on our Facebook page!

Post tags: Tags: fiat 500 abarth drive test, fiat 500 abarth pictures, fiat 500 abarth specifications, fiat 500 abarth specs, fiat-500, fiat-500-abarth

Three Abarth Fiats Heading To Frankfurt Motor Show

The Abarth 500 Cabrio Italia will celebrate once again 150th years since the unification of Italy and is based on the 500C model. The car will be motivated by a 1.4-liter Turbo T-jet engine that churns 158 hp (160 PS / 118 kW) and a peak torque of 170 lb.-ft (230 Nm). It will be able to do the 0-62 mph in only 7.4 seconds, en route to a top speed of 130 mph (211 km/h). It will feature a chrome plate with a satin-effect badge, along with carbon fiber touches and natural leather on the inside.

Source: Abarth via WCF

Post tags: Tags: 500 cabrio italia, 695 competizione, abarth, Fiat, frankfurt motor show, punto supersport

CarTech Fiat 500 Abarth Coppa Revealed

You’ve probably seen dozens of tuning programs for the Fiat 500 and now you can add another one to the list. The German tuners over at CarTech took the Abarth version of the 500 and gave it a little bit more oomph. By modifying the power unit with bigger turbochargers, they’ve increased the output of the engine to 240 hp and a peak torque of 380 Nm. To get this impressive hp figure, they also optimized the air intakes, updated the intercooler and installed a titanium steel exhaust system that benefits from Race mode in order to produce more noise.

With these upgrades under the hood, the CarTech Fiat 500 Abarth Coppa is able to do the 0-62 mph sprint in only 5.9 seconds and completes a lap of the Hockenheim Ring in only one minute and 16 seconds, which is a whopping 6 seconds faster than the standard Abarth version of the Fiat 500.

Aside from these upgrades, CarTech also installed a lightweight bodykit that sports a huge air splitter and a wing, along with a vented hood, bigger tailpipes as well as a few tweaks in the suspension and chassis department in order to improve the handling of this pocket rocket. Remember, all that power is sent to the front wheels so better handling was certainly necessary.

Source: CarTech via Motor Ward

Post tags: Tags: abarth, cartech, cartech fiat 500 abarth coppa, fiat-500-abarth, Tuning

Abarth Punto Evo esseesse Unleashed

I’ve always liked Abarth’s work and their latest project is just as impressive as the last ones we’ve talked about. The car in this picture is the hardcore version of the Punto Evo, dubbed esseessee. They’ve installed a performance kit that raises the output of the 1.4-liter turbocharged engine to an impressive 178 hp.

They also upgraded the ECU and now the car does the 0-62 mph sprint in only 7.5 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 134 mph. If you’re interested in fuel consumption, the car returns 47.1 mpg UK while CO2 emissions are 142 g/km. That entire horsepower is sent to the wheels in the front through the 6-speed manual gearbox and you get to choose from two modes: Normal or Sport.

Other modifications that they brought over the regular Punto Evo include the floating self-ventilated front discs while the ones in the back are cross drilled. In addition, they’ve installed a more aggressive bodykit that looks very masculine.

The Punto Evo will set you back 16,852 pounds and if you want to get this esseessee kit, prepare to pay another 3000 pounds.

Source: Abarth via Autocar.co.uk

Post tags: Tags: abarth punto evo esseesse, fiat punto evo

Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari Heading To Goodwood

The Italian tuner Abarth will be participating at the Goodwood Festival of Speed for the second year in a row and for this occasion they will bring this 695 Tributo Ferrari, based on the tiny Fiat 500. The car is powered by a 4-cylinder 1.4-liter engine that produces 180 PS @ 5,500 rpm and has a peak torque of 250 Nm which is available at 3,000 rpm.

Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari

With this power under its hood, the car can do the 0-62 mph sprint in less than 7 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 140 mph (225 km/h). The fuel consumption for the 695 Tributo Ferrari is rated at 6.5 liters / 100 km.

Aside from this model, Abarth will also bring to Goodwood and the open-top 500C fitted with the manual transmission which up until now was available only with the “Competizione” paddle-shift semi-automatic gearbox. In addition, the tuner will also exhibit the Punto Evo esseesse.

Source: Abarth via Carscoop

Post tags: Tags: abarth, abarth 695 tributo ferrari, fiat-500

Abarth-23 Concept

Dubbed Abarth-23 Concept, this is a design study of a sportscar that has compact dimensions and a unique door opening system. These sketches were drawn by IED graduate Maksym Shkinder for his final thesis at the 2-year Master of Art in Transportation design.

He worked on this project for 6 months from the very first sketch to the final 1:4 scale model. The idea behind this concept is to come up with a new generation of pure Italian cars and he focused on outmost sportiness (a core value for the Abarth brand).

As we’ve mentioned, this Abarth-23 Concept has compact dimensions, with a length of 4,000 mm and a width of 1,850 mm. During the research phase of this concept, many features were analyzed, like the inclusion of surface textures to enhance the vehicle’s aerodynamics, along with several solutions for the special door opening system. This final design features a single, asymmetric door panel that is hinged on one side and integrates the front section of the canopy.

If you’ve seen the IED Abarth Scorp-Ion Concept, you probably noticed by now that the Abarth-23 has a similar V-shaped element that defines the back end, adding a dose of dynamism to the entire design of the concept.

Source: Car Body Design

Post tags: Tags: abarth-23 concept, Concepts

Geneva Preview – IED Abarth Scorp-Ion Concept

Among the many new concepts set to be revealed this year at Geneva is the IED Abarth Scorp-Ion, which will be a 2-seater sportscar that will combine the company’s core values of compactness and performance with an eco-friendly electric powertrain.

This concept was created by the students of the Masters of Arts in Transportation Design – work experience at IED, based in Turin, Italy. Developed in collaboration with Abarth, the Scorpion concept targets exploring the essence of the brand, independently from the Fiat models.

The concept measures 4,010 mm in length, 1,905 mm in width and has a height of 1,192 mm. The Scorp-Ion has a wheelbase that measures 2,350 mm and combines a 2-seat layout with an electric powertrain that is powered by lithium-ion batteries that were installed behind the seats, under the load floor. In order to optimize the available interior space, the concept benefits from four in-heel electric motors.

The seven students that worked at the Scorp-Ion concept were by the senior designer of Pininfarina, Luca Borgogno and Maserati’s designer, Luigi Giampolo.

Post tags: Tags: abarth, concept, geneva-motor-show, ied, scorp-ion