Sadly, the Abarth is not all frothed espresso. There's only so much you can do to make a tallish front-drive car handle like a proper sports car, but the Abarth gives its soul to play the part. Four-wheel disc brakes are up to the car's potential. Engineers lowered the ride height and stiffened up the suspension to give the tall city car handling that would set several sport coupes back a couple of paces. less so under full scat.Īll of the body accoutrement and rebellious thrashing is backed up by a track-ready chassis. Fuel economy is rated a not-so-frugal 24/32-MPG city/hwy. In no time, I was giggling like a devil on the win. But then, I discovered the Sport mode's "fun button" on the dash and some Italian version of Hades erupted. It seemed to take a lot of throttle-caressing to get it to move even when revved obnoxiously through its manual shift mode. That all sounded like the potential for rapturous turmoil and hedonistic pleasure, but on first drive, the car was not living up to the spirit I imagined. Given the standard five-speed manual's temperamental nature, get the automatic. That may not register as a lot of power until you realize the Fiat only weighs about 2,500 lbs. of torque through a newly-available six-speed automatic transmission to the front wheels. Under the stubby hood is a turbocharged and twin-intercooled 1.4-liter MultiAir four-cylinder engine that sends 160 horsepower and 183 lb.-ft. The Abarth's acoustically-tuned exhause makes the car sound like a souped up lawnmower, but the car's light weight give it a fun-loving spirit. Turbocharged Power Delivers Rapturous Turmoil Dre audio with a 368-watt amplifier and subwoofer rocks your socks off, but the powertrain will blow your hair back. Dash panels continue in body color for an expensive look while automatic climate control adds convenience. Grip the thick leather-wrapped steering wheel and enjoy. Our test car came with one-piece charcoal gray cloth buckets with red striping that hug your sides and provide all-day support. Most of the add-ons have legitimate purpose.įor 2015, designers upgraded the interior with a 7-inch high-definition color instrument cluster, Bluetooth streaming audio, and revised center console. A rear spoiler gives the car a longer profile while increasing downforce as the rear diffuser optimizes airflow. Flared wheel arches, unique side skirts, and twin chrome exhausts raise the visual gravity. The 500's traditional "whiskers and logo" face looks as good as ever, but is accentuated by a bolder facia and twin snarling nostrils. Meet the Fiat with a bad attitude - the 500 Abarth.īeyond the scorpion logo on the facias and fenders, you'll know the Abarth by its 17-inch forged aluminum wheels shod with low-profile Pirelli P-Zero performance tires and red brake calipers. But, there's a more venomous 500 that sports a track-proven turbo engine, fortified suspension, and enough styling accoutrement to scare the ricotta outta your lasagna. You probably think of the Fiat 500 as a cute little fuel-sipper that wears its Italian heritage on its fenders.
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