Fiat 500 Abarth
11-20-2011, 03:58 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Fiat 500 Abarth
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-31166_7...cars-got-bite/
At the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, the peppy 101-horsepower Fiat 500 gets a heart transplant in the form of Fiat's award-winning 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo engine that boosts available power to 160 ponies. More impressive is the torque number: 170 pound-feet, which is the same amount of twist the Honda Civic Si develops with 2.4 liters of displacement. The Abarth 500 also features a single-option five-speed manual transmission and upgraded driveline components that can withstand the rigors of performance driving while mitigating torque steer.
The suspension has also been beefed up with Frequency Selective Damping (FSD) twin-tube shock absorbers by KONI and a stabilizer bar up front. Out back, the 500 Abarth still makes do with a torsion-beam rear axle, but also gains a stiffer stabilizer bar. The 500 Abarth can be had with optional 17-inch wheels or the standard 16-inchers. Regardless of size, the wheels wrap around an upgraded braking system.
The Abarth's cabin features the same Blue&Me hands-free calling system that you can get the standard 500 with, but the driver and front passenger now interact with the system while seated in sport bucket seats with pass-throughs for racing harnesses (not included).
The Abarth name and the Fiat 500 Abarth have a racing pedigree dating back to the 1950s and this newest model has proven itself already in a number of 24-hour endurance races, so I'm eager to find myself behind the wheel soon. Until we're tossed the keys, check out our gallery of the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth for more photos and details.
At the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, the peppy 101-horsepower Fiat 500 gets a heart transplant in the form of Fiat's award-winning 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo engine that boosts available power to 160 ponies. More impressive is the torque number: 170 pound-feet, which is the same amount of twist the Honda Civic Si develops with 2.4 liters of displacement. The Abarth 500 also features a single-option five-speed manual transmission and upgraded driveline components that can withstand the rigors of performance driving while mitigating torque steer.
The suspension has also been beefed up with Frequency Selective Damping (FSD) twin-tube shock absorbers by KONI and a stabilizer bar up front. Out back, the 500 Abarth still makes do with a torsion-beam rear axle, but also gains a stiffer stabilizer bar. The 500 Abarth can be had with optional 17-inch wheels or the standard 16-inchers. Regardless of size, the wheels wrap around an upgraded braking system.
The Abarth's cabin features the same Blue&Me hands-free calling system that you can get the standard 500 with, but the driver and front passenger now interact with the system while seated in sport bucket seats with pass-throughs for racing harnesses (not included).
The Abarth name and the Fiat 500 Abarth have a racing pedigree dating back to the 1950s and this newest model has proven itself already in a number of 24-hour endurance races, so I'm eager to find myself behind the wheel soon. Until we're tossed the keys, check out our gallery of the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth for more photos and details.
11-20-2011, 07:50 AM
#2
Moderator
I drove a regular 500 the week before last and it was a fun little car but gutless in the low rpm range. I can only imagine what all that extra power is going to do though. Should be a blast assuming you choose it for the $.
11-20-2011, 07:58 AM
#3
Registered User
Is this seriously coming over? I remember watching a TG review for this a few years ago and thinking that it would be just about the funnest super compact there is. That thing would be such a fun DD if you had a back road commute.
11-20-2011, 08:57 AM
#6
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I have put a few thousand miles on a rental Fiat 500 when I lived in Italy. The version I had was a 1.2 liter with about 75hp and I loved that car. The one I drive wasn't fast by any means, but you could tell the car was trying really hard. I can't imagine how much better it would be with some power.
