2012 Fiat 500 Abarth

 

After having been absent from the U.S. for more than 30 years, the Cinquecento is making up for lost time with a steady stream of variants. First up was the all-new 2012 Fiat 500, which arrived on our shores this past spring, followed closely by its 500C roll-top convertible sibling. Both of them are cheek-pinchingly cute, but we've been pining away for the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth, the bad boy of the 500 litter that is debuting for the first time in U.S.-spec form at the 2011 L.A. Auto Show.

Running deep in the 500 Abarth's blood is the spirit of racing legend Karl Abarth, who believed in "small but wicked" cars. During the 1950s, Abarth was known for transforming small, lightweight everyday cars into track-ready beasts, and his spirit is reflected in this type-A Cinquecento, which receives a sport-tuned suspension, bigger wheels, and a more muscular stance than its mild-mannered counterpart.

The power figures for the U.S.-spec model come in at 160 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque from its 1.4-liter turbocharged four -- roughly matching those of the Euro-market Abarth Esseesse model. While Fiat has not revealed the details on the Abarth's EPA rating, we don't expect it to be much worse than the manual 500's 30/38 mpg city/highway rating. Also absent from the release was the Abarth's 0-60 number; we anticipate it will be close to the Euro-spec Esseesse-tuned Abarth's time of 6.9 seconds.

The Abarth features a unique MacPherson suspension design with a 40-percent stiffer spring rate and 0.6-inch lower ride height over the base car, helping to reduce body roll and improve overall handling. In addition, the micro-car utilizes an Abarth-tuned electronic stability control system (On, Partial Off, Full Off) that works with Fiat's Torque Transfer Control system to maximize throttle performance during hard cornering. The Abarth's "Sport" mode further maximizes the driving experience by tightening steering feel, sharpening throttle response, and quickening shift times.

Aside from looking more aggressive with the Scorpion badge, the Abarth is further distinguished from the garden-variety 500 by a blacked-out fascia with twin "nostrils" designed to maximize airflow in and out of twin intercoolers. Side skirts provide a more athletic profile, and flared wheel arches further aid ventilation of the brake system. Standard on the Abarth are 16-inch wheels, but high-performance 17-inchers are available, and are offset by 11.1-inch front discs clamped by red single-piston front calipers in the front, and 9.4-inch discs in the back.

Also in the back the Abarth sports a rear spoiler that extends the roofline and aids with overall aerodynamics. A black-accented rear diffuser and double-tipped exhausts help complete the edgy look. Distinctive vintage plaques are also available for the driver and passenger rear-quarter panels. A tri-color (red, white, and green) "shot through" arrow is available, along with additional exterior decals that include the signature Abarth triple-stripe logo that runs horizontally along the lower bodyside with a gradient effect. Exterior mirror caps that match the stripe also are available.

Inside, the thick-rimmed Abarth-themed steering wheel has a flat bottom and is wrapped in perforated leather. Cruise control, audio, and Fiat's Blue&Me hands-free communication buttons are mounted on the wheel, while LED shift lights illuminate during gear changes on an analog turbo-boost gauge unique to the Abarth. Should buyers opt for TomTom navigation, there will be a 4.3-inch touch-screen display. Race-inspired features for the interior include aluminum foot pedals with black rubber trim, and a black leather-wrapped shift knob accented with red stitching. Front seats feature a one-piece design with large side bolsters and a racing-harness pass-through, and rear passengers will enjoy raised seats bolstered for added back support. The headliner and pillars are finished in black, while seats are available in black cloth or leather, or red and black leather.

 

Fiat also loaded the Abarth with a plethora of safety and security features (more than 35) that include seven airbags and smart pedals that move out of the way during an impact to help protect the driver's feet and legs.

"Bringing the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth to the U.S. enables us to reach out to driving enthusiasts who want Italian performance at an attainable price," said Olivier Francois, head of the Fiat Brand and chief information marketing officer, in a statement.

The only thing left to do is to drive it -- hard -- to see if this little Italian bad boy has the chops to take on the Mini S and its other pint-sized, go-fast competition.

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2012 Fiat 500 Wins Top Safety Rating in Minicar Category

Just the Facts:

• The 2012 Fiat 500 cleared a critical hurdle on Tuesday, winning a top safety rating in minicar crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also announced that the 2012 Fiat 500 will be among the 74 vehicles it will crash test for the new model year.
• The Fiat 500 and Ford Fiesta are the only minicar to earn the top safety rating thus far by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

ARLINGTON, Virginia — The 2012 Fiat 500 cleared a critical hurdle on Tuesday, winning a top safety rating in minicar crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The award applies to Fiat 500s built after July 2011 because the driver's seat structure was modified to improve occupant protection in frontal and rear-end crashes, the IIHS noted in a statement.
The announcement is reassuring news to consumers who might wonder if they're trading safety considerations for fuel savings. The Fiat 500 with a 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine and six-speed automatic transmission returns 27 mpg in city driving and 34 mpg on the highway, according to the EPA. The AAA Daily Fuel Gauge on Wednesday said the average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline stood at $3.47.
The Fiat 500 and Ford Fiesta are the only minicar to earn the top safety rating thus far by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also announced that the 2012 Fiat 500 will be among the 74 vehicles it will crash test for the new model year.
The Fiat 500 will be tested as part of the agency's five-star safety rating program. As of Wednesday morning, those results were not yet posted at Safercar.gov.
Word of Fiat's safety accomplishment was greeted by the headline "J.Lo's Famous Booty in Good Hands," by USA Today — a reference to Fiat's new high-profile advertising campaign starring Jennifer Lopez.

Fiat to Build a 'Baby' Jeep, Fiat Derivative in Italy

Fiat will build a "baby" Jeep in Italy to sell in Europe and possibly also the United States, two company sources told Automotive News Europe.

The new Jeep will be smaller than the Patriot and Compass. The model will be produced in Fiat's home plant of Mirafiori in Turin, alongside a similar vehicle for the Fiat brand that will replace the Sedici and an Alfa Romeo subcompact car for sale in Europe and North America.

Fiat had initially planned to build in Mirafiori the replacement for the Jeep Compass and Patriot and an Alfa SUV that would have shared systems and components with the Jeep model.

The change of strategy implies that the single model to replace the Patriot and Compass and its Alfa sibling will be manufactured in the United States. Jeep currently builds the Patriot and Compass in Belvidere, Ill.

Fiat declined to give details on which models will be built in Mirafiori as part of a refurbishment of the factory, but the automaker is developing smaller models to meet an increasing demand for downsized vehicles, especially in Europe.

In a statement issued on Monday, Fiat, which controls 53.5 percent of Chrysler Group, said it will remodel Mirafiori to build the most updated version of one of its three main architectures on which different nameplates for its various brands will be produced.

Development of the manufacturing infrastructure will begin in 2012 and production of the first nameplate, a Jeep SUV, is expected in the second half of 2013, it said.

The architecture to be installed in Mirafiori is internally called SUSW. It is a wider, U.S.-compliant version of Fiat's European Small architecture, which will debut next spring on two small minivans that Fiat will produce in Serbia to replace the Idea and Multipla models.

Fiat's group executive council made the production decisions for Mirafiori at meetings on Friday and Saturday, reversing a plan first announced in December 2010 to install in Mirafiori the bigger CUSW architecture.

CUSW is a wider, U.S. compliant version of Fiat's European Compact architecture that debuted last year on the Alfa Giulietta compact hatchback.

The first model to use the CUSW architecture will be a Dodge compact sedan that will replace the Caliber and will be unveiled in January at the Detroit auto show.

Mirafiori currently builds the Alfa MiTo 3-door subcompact, as well as the Fiat Idea and Lancia Musa small minivans.

Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said in a statement that refurbishing Mirafiori "is an important step in our plans to re-industrialize our Italian manufacturing backbone in view of current market developments and the increased distribution reach provided by Chrysler Group."

He added: "This leading-edge architecture will allow us to provide the most updated platforms for the development of our brands, and more importantly, will allow us to access the full powertrain offerings of both Fiat and Chrysler."

2010 Fiat 500 Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari - Auto Shows

Formula 1 fans are familiar with the concept of Ferrari-branded detritus, from pens and pencils to sportswear and laptop computers, but a Ferrari-badged car—well, other than a Ferrari, anyway—is something new. Nevertheless, the Frankfurt auto show will host the public debut of the Fiat 500 Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari, a Fiat with Ferrari-inspired design cues.
The looks begin with the Scuderia Red paint, while the rear valance and Ferrari-look 17-inch wheels are finished in Racing Grey and the side mirrors reside in carbon-fiber housings. Carbon fiber also forms the shells of the front seats, which are—like the rest of the cockpit—wrapped in black leather. Red cowskin accents the steering wheel, and paddles sprouting from its backside control the automated manual transmission.
Beginning with an already hot 500—Abarth is Fiat’s in-house tuning arm—the Tributo Ferrari’s turbocharged 1.4-liter inline-four squirts out about 50 extra horsepower, while a dual-mode exhaust system promises to do its best to imitate the spine-tingling wail of Maranello’s finest powerplants, most of which have boasted two or three times the Abarth’s cylinder count.
Fiat explains this exercise as two brands recognizing a shared history in motorsport, but we see it as the ultimate extension of the Ferrari merchandising machine—and a worthy competitor to the Toyota iQ–based Aston Martin Cygnet also appearing in Frankfurt. Prestige-brand economy-car comparo, anyone?

FIAT 500 Abarth At LA Auto Show

The Fiat 500 lineup will grow in North America, first with the 500c coverible and now with a sporty Abarth version. Fiat announced on Facebook that it will unveil the US-spec version of the 500 Abarth at the LA Auto Show this November. Sales of the model is expected to start in the later half of 2012.
We will have to wait until the LA Auto Show to get the full scoop on this sporty small car, but we can speculate a 1.4 litre engine that produces 170 horsepower. Nevertheless, come back later for more details.

Abarth 500 Esseesse

Italian, hard core high performance, race bred chassis, cutting edge engine design. You could be forgiven for thinking that it's a Ferrari...
...but this is an Abarth 500. Abarth in Australia has launched with the Abarth 500 Esseesse, making this the first country to get this variant straight out of the factory.
Compared to the normal Abarth 500, the Australian Esseesse version gets a power boost (from 99 kW to 118 kW), with torque up from 201 to 230 Nm. The Abarth 500 Esseesse also has extra lowered suspension, up-rated springs and suspension, cross drilled brake discs and 7x17 inch alloy wheels in a style unique to the Esseesse.
The new Abarth 500 Esseesse is the real deal - an all out, no holds-barred, uncompromising, high performance pocket rocket with an engine that delivers amazing performance, a race-bred chassis that enables it to be fully utilised across a broad breadth of road conditions and a new appearance that says one thing: This 500 is ready to rock.