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
2012 U.S.-spec Fiat 500 Abarth
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.
2012 U.S.-spec Fiat 500 Abarth
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.
2012 U.S.-spec Fiat 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.
2012 U.S.-spec Fiat 500 Abarth
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
Romeo Ferraris Cinquone Stradale
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.
Romeo Ferraris Cinquone Stradale
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.
Romeo Ferraris Cinquone Stradale
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).
Romeo Ferraris Cinquone Stradale
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
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
Fiat 500 Abarth
If you are following Fiat USA on Twitter you probably have found out already that the Italian automaker will bring to the L.A. Auto Show the U.S.-spec Abarth version of the 500 model. The car will probably be just about the same as its European sibling, featuring a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine that produces 138 hp (140 PS / 103 kW) and a peak torque of 152 lb.-ft (206 Nm). The more powerful Abarth Esseesse is offered with 168 hp (170 PS / 125 kW).
Unfortunately, Fiat didn’t say anything about which of these two versions will be reaching stateside but we’ll find out soon. Anyway, the base price of the 2013 U.S.-spec Fiat 500 Abarth will be of around $19,000 and it should hit the dealerships sometime next year.
Post tags: Tags: Fiat, fiat 500 abarth esseesse, fiat-500, fiat-500-abarth
CarTech Fiat 500 Abarth Coppa
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.
CarTech Fiat 500 Abarth Coppa
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.
CarTech Fiat 500 Abarth Coppa
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
Aznom 500 Motore Centrale
The Italian tuners over at Aznom have revealed their mid-engined Fiat 500 at the Top Marques Monaco this week. Dubbed “Motore Centrale”, the car is based on the Abarth version, featuring a mid-mounted power unit that cranks out 227 hp (230 PS / 169 kW) and 243 lb.-ft (330 Nm) of torque.
Aznom 500 Motore Centrale
They’ve also put the car on a diet as it now weights 2314 lbs (1050 kg), which is enough for a 0-60 mph sprint in 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 149 mph (240 km/h). The car’s 1.4-liter engine has been fitted with a Garret turbo, new injectors and a 200-cel catalyst. In addition, the car features a Bilstein suspension kit for improved handling.
Aznom 500 Motore Centrale
Aznom is also working on a track version of this model, called “R280 Pista”. They said that the power unit will develop 276 hp (280 PS / 206 kW) and the entire car will weigh only 2094 lbs (950 kg). The 0-60 mph sprint should be done in a mere 3.9 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 162 mph (260 km/h).
[youtube width=”470″ height=”344″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjF_1JYGWLI[/youtube]
Source: Aznom via WCF
Post tags: Tags: aznom, fiat-500-abarth, motore centrale, top marques monaco, Tuning
We cover quite a lot of motorsport competitions around here, but seeing as how many involve big, heavy cars that can barely overtake one another on intricate circuits, most don’t have a huge appeal.
Luckily, the crazy guys at Abarth decided to prepare the Fiat 500 city car for racing duty in the Trofeo Abarth 500 competition.
Do you want proof of how awesome this race series is? How about this stunning piece of racing showcased by Danish driver Benny Simonsen, who went too fast in corner and lost control of the 500′s back.
If he was in a proper racing car like a tourer or a F1 vehicle, he would have just spun out. But given the crazy nature of the Fiat 500, with a high center of gravity and short wheelbase, the car went sideways for a period, then on two wheels.
Luckily the Danish driver kept his cool and got the Abarth 500 back on all four wheels. Hit the jump and check out this great racing video.
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Post tags: Tags: abarth 500, Fiat, fiat-500, fiat-500-abarth, Motorsport, racing, Video
The Fiat 500 is a very sporty little model, especially with its 1.4-liter engine. In case the stock options don’t really tickle your fancy, then you can always opt for either the Abarth edition, which outputs 133 HP or the even sportier Abarth Esseesse, which generates 158 HP.
But those numbers can’t make a true pocket rocket, at least according to the tuners at Hamann, which revealed a five-stage tuning kit for the two cars, ultimately taking the output to a whopping 271 HP and 380 Nm of torque.
The multiple upgrades all target things like the ECU, the turbocharger or the air filter of the 1.4-liter engine and the exhaust system. Performance brakes, with larger discs have also been fitted behind a set of 18-inch wheel which can be ordered in either glossy or matte black.
Of course the aerodynamics of the small city car have been tweaked, with Hamann fitting a new body kit with front skirt, LED daytime tunning lights, wider wings and side skirts.
Post tags: Tags: Fiat, fiat 500 abarth esseesse, fiat-500, fiat-500-abarth, hamann, Tuning
Chrysler and Fiat are definitely planning on hogging all the attention at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show next January, as rumors not only peg a rebadged Lancia Delta hatchback concept to appear, but also multiple versions of the hugely popular Fiat 500 city car, which will arrive soon enough in the US.
Besides the Fiat 500C (that’s the convertible one) or the 500 Abarth high performance edition, the biggest surprise at the Chrysler booth will be an electric version of the Fiat 500. No word on what the electric concept will actually be, either just a mock-up or a fully-working model, but it will definitely grab the attention of many people.
If all these new things won’t make you visit the Chrysler booth, then how about the fact that models like the Ferrari 458 Italia or the Maserati GranCabrio will be there, courtesy of Fiat? Either way, if you’re in the vicinity next January, the Detroit Auto Show can’t be missed.
Post tags: Tags: Chrysler, detroit-auto-show, Electric Vehicles, Fiat, fiat 500c, fiat-500, fiat-500-abarth
If there’s one thing the Fiat 500 can’t get enough of, it’s limited editions. From Fiat’s tuning group Abarth to various other companies or even dealer networks, everyone has taken a shot at creating an “exclusive Fiat 500″, making those who bought a standard one feel quite left out.
The newest effort comes from Neubauer, which has revealed a limited edition of the Abarth 500 model, which boasts quite a few interesting touches. The first to stand out is the special gray finish, which comes from Maserati, the new Abarth Record Monza exhaust system which adds five more horses to the overall output, a couple of Sabelt Abarth Corsa sport seats, tinted windows and a special GPS from Abarth which supports Blue&Me technology.
If this model has you captured your interest, only 10 will be made, with the price still not disclosed.
Post tags: Tags: abarth, Fiat, fiat-500, fiat-500-abarth, neubauer, Tuning
When we heard that Fiat will be using its new partner Chrysler‘s dealer network to market the 500 city car model, we believed, like everybody else, that it will start off with the base model and offer different variations like a convertible or the upcoming wagon model.
But according to a recent report, it seems that Fiat will debut straight with the high performance Abarth edition, betting big on taking as many customers from its main rival, Mini. It seems that the Mexico plant, which we revealed that it will start delivering 2011 model year Fiat 500 units, will focus solely on the sports edition of the small 500.
The Abarth edition, in case you forgot, is powered by a 1.4-liter 4-cylinder DOHC turbocharged engine, which develops 133 HP, reaching a top speed of 206 km/h (127 mph) with a fuel economy of 25-33 mph (9.4-7 liters/100 km). In addition to the upgraded engine, it also features plenty of sports accessories, from the rear spoiler, twin exhaust pipes or 16-inch wheels to a 5-speed manual transmission or sports seats.
If this turns out to be true, then Mini of America definitely needs to work on some new ads, as the Abarth edition of the Fiat 500 is a very good car. Hopefully US fans of the tiny Italian city car will also see other models, like the even sportier 500 Abart Essesse or better yet, special Ferrari editions.
Post tags: Tags: Chrysler, Fiat, fiat-500, fiat-500-abarth, performance, united states of america
To mark Karl Abarth’s centenary, Fiat has announced a limited edition of the Abarth 500, the “DA 0 A 100″. With 101 units scheduled to be built, the special edition is powered by a 1.4 Turbo T-Jet engine that delivers 160 bhp (118 kW) at 5750 rpm, and peak torque of 230 Nm at 3000 rpm. By modifying the gear ratios and adding an IHI RHF3 fixed geometry turboblower, the car goes from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.3 seconds and up to a top speed of 211 km/h (131 mph). Other mechanical upgrades include perforated disc brakes, high performance front brake pads, special air filter “powered by BMC”, special low springs and new 17″ alloy wheels with chrome-plated hub covers and Scorpion logo.
The “DA 0 A 100″ comes in a Nuvolari Grey paint finish, with Abarth stripe on the sides and tone-on-tone effect, plus chrome plated badges on the pillar and wing mirror cases. On the interior, the car received hide colored leather seats with silver stichting, aluminium for the gear lever knob, the kick plate branded “da 0 a 100″ and the special “da 0 a 100″ plate with the number of the car. Check out one more photo of the car after the jump. (more…)
Post tags: Tags: abarth, Fiat, fiat-500, fiat-500-abarth, Tuning
One of the premieres from the Fiat stand at the Paris show was the new Fiat 500 Abarth Esseesse. Probably Abarth wanted to stand out of the crowd with the ‘esseesse’, but it would’ve been easier for all the editors out there if they stuck just to ‘SS’. The 1.4 litre 16v Turbo T-Jet engine is upgraded to 160 hp (147 KW) and 230 Nm of torque in “Sport Mode” and it takes the car from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.4 seconds and up to a top speed of 211 km/h.
Other upgrades include air filter powered by BMC, perforated and ventilated front brake discs (diameter 284mm x 22mm), perforated rear brake discs (diameter 240mm x 11mm, high-performance front brake pads, four tire pressure sensors, lowered springs and 17 inch ET35 alloy wheels, finished in white or titanium. “Esseesse” badges are available for the engine hood and the tailgate, plus a specially designed key cover.
Photo Gallery: Fiat 500 Abarth Esseesse at the Paris Motor Show
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Post tags: Tags: abarth, Fiat, fiat-500, fiat-500-abarth, paris motor show, Tuning
The guys at Abarth sure love the Fiat 500, but everyone else also does. After a long series of tuning concepts and experiements, this is the latest one, the Fiat 500 Abarth Esseesse. Quite surely this is the most interesting to date, with the looks and the presumed muscle to prove its worth and take down the best of its competitors like the Mini Cooper S. The presumed muscle, because no official release from Abarth has came regarding the power output of the engine backing this little Italian pocket rocket, but some say that a 170 hp 1.4 litre turbocharged engine might be backing the little car up.
But what we can judge for now is the outside. And Abarth surely outdid themselves with this one, being the most agressive model to date. The front part is now dominated by the big air vent, which replaces the sweet face of the retro model with a distinctive one. On the back, the first thing that pops out is the big rear wing, giving it the sporty look it deserves. Further down, the rear bumper finishes off the whole look of the car in a true italian fashion, with the rear air exhausts and dual tail pipes. Race spec bucket seats are also reported on the inside, with a complete revamp on the dash and trim which equipped the former stock model. All we can say here at Auto Unleashed is that this is the best looking Fiat 500 version we’ve seen yet, and if you’ve been reading us for some time, you’ll surely agree with us. We can’t wait until Abarth comes up with the official details of this beautiful and very potent car.
Check out more photos after the jump. (more…)
Post tags: Tags: abarth, esseesse, Fiat, fiat 500 abarth esseesse, fiat-500, fiat-500-abarth, Tuning
