Fiat 500 Abarth

SPECIFICATIONS

1. Abarth models make 160 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque from a 1.4-liter Multi-Air turbocharged 4-cylinder. 2. With a 5-speed manual and weighing just 2,512 lbs it can accelerate to 60 mph in under 7 seconds. 3. While Italian in heritage, all North American 500 Abarths are built at the Chrysler Plant in Toluca, Mexico. 4. Pricing for the Abarth starts at $22,000

PREVIEW

Car enthusiasts throughout North America bemoan the fact that we often get short changed when it comes to receiving hot performance versions of popular vehicles in Europe and Japan. Either we don’t get them period, or when they do show up, they’re somehow three-quarters of a whole. And on paper at least, the Fiat 500 Abarth appears to be a bit like that.

In Europe, Abarth is considered a separate entity from Fiat with it’s own independent dealer network and cars based not only on the 500 but also the larger Punto. This would seem logical, given the nameplate’s storied history in Europe, where Carlo Abarth’s pint-sized, Fiat-based performance pills, notably the 595, 695, 850 and 1000TC proved to be giant killers in sports car racing during the 1960s. In fact, in Europe you can actually get “reborn” 595 Competizione and Turismo versions, limited edition 500 based cars that celebrates the brand’s racing heritage, as well as a cabriolet and a host of Esseesse (SS) tuning kits.

In North America, however, Abarth and, come to think of it, Fiat, have never enjoyed anywhere the same status as they have in Europe. As a result, when a tuned “Nuova Cinquecento” finally landed on our shores, four years after its debut across the pond, it was simply labeled Fiat 500 Abarth.

INTERIOR

Inside, as befitting a proper performance car, pint-sized or otherwise, the regular 500 cabin has been upgraded with a sporty, thick-rimmed Abarth steering wheel, prominent 160 mph speedometer and turbo boost gauge, plus drilled foot pedals and a pair of Abarth performance bucket seats, completed with firm bolstering and harness pass through.  Additionally, the back seat, tiny as it is, has been reconfigured to complement the front ones, with better lateral support should you find yourself banished there. Both cloth and leather upholstery is offered, though in our eyes the former seems more in keeping with this car and is certainly more practical, especially if you live in a hotter part of the country.

Although the original Abarths were primitive to say the least, this one boasts a whole array of modern conveniences, besides power windows, mirrors and climate control, plus a stereo with satellite radio, it’s offered with a dash top port for a detachable Tom Tom navigation system and is available with BLUE&ME hands-free technology (essentially Fiat’s version of SYNC).

                               

UNDER THE HOOD

But enough of that; the real reason somebody would likely want to buy a 500 Abarth in the first place is to drive the living snot out of it.

And again, on paper, all the right ingredients seem to be there. Our version is powered by a 1.4-liter Multi-Air turbocharged four that’s rated at 160 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque. (In Europe 135 and 160 hp non Multi Air 1.4 motors are offered).

On North American 500 Abarths only one gearbox is offered; a beefed up five-speed manual with a 3.35:1 final drive ratio designed to aid quick take-offs.The specs on the engine read straight out of a tuner’s wish list: cast-iron block with structural aluminum oil pan, forged steel crankshaft, lightweight pistons with cooling jets and a twin-cam alloy head with electro-hydraulic actuated valve timing, courtesy of Fiat’s Multi-Air system. Combined with the single turbocharger, twin intercoolers and dual exhaust, it delivers a raspy note at idle and feels eager to rev.

Shift action is also satisfyingly smooth and it’s very easy to make full use of the engine’s potential through fast, efficient cog swapping. With 170 lb-ft of torque, you don’t have to absolutely cane the blown 1.4L, since, for a small engine, the power spread is wide and generous (max torque is available from 2500 rpm to 4000 revs with peak power at 5,500). Thanks to equal length half-shafts, torque steer is actually quite minimal under hard acceleration, a far cry from most hot hatches of yesteryear – and a few current ones.