Fiat 500C Abarth Review and Specification : Techmistory
It is possible to drive the Fiat 500 Abarth Cabrio like a normal, sensible person. It is possible to shift gears at a rational 2,500 RPMs so you can avoid blasting pedestrians with its obscenely loud baby Ferrari exhaust like you're Maverick buzzing the tower in Top Gun.
It is possible to keep it out of torque-boosting Sport Mode, to keep its convertible top closed up tight, to not try and make right angle turns at high speeds. It is possible to have one in your possession without actively finding any and every excuse you can to take it out for a joyride.
It is possible to do all of these things. It's just very hard, and you won't ever want to.
A fly in the 500’s ointment has always been its driving position. It’s far too high, even in the standard car, but this becomes a more serious problem when you’re trying to dial in some performance. That sense of being too far removed from the road is a deal breaker for us, a problem compounded by light steering that’s short on feel.
Nevertheless, the Abarth feels well planted on that widened stance and a heavily stiffened chassis keeps it stable to the limits of its mechanical grip. This does make the ride pretty awful, but in a shorty hot hatch you can expect nothing more.
The 1.4-litre T-Jet petrol engine in here is turbocharged to 135bhp. That may not sound like much, but there’s not much to the Fiat 500 so it feels exceedingly quick. And if you can afford the Esseesse upgrade, power is tweaked to 160bhp, which starts to feel bonkers. Turismo and Competizione variants get this pack as standard, along with upgraded front and rear dampers plus 17-inch alloys. The ultimate mini rocketship that grips as well as it goes?
The first factor is the Abarth makeover, starting with the turbocharged and twin-intercooled 1.4-liter MultiAir four with 160 horsepower and 170 lb-ft that will light up the front tires through the five-speed manual box. (No word yet on the availability of an automatic.) Presentation points accrue for the red, look-what-I-have engine cover complete with scorpion logo. Adding some sassiness to the regular 500C’s chassis are stiffer springs, Koni front shocks, a 0.6-inch-lower ride height, bigger brakes with red-coated calipers, and wider Pirelli tires. No one will doubt you are piloting something beyond a standard 500. There are Abarth scorpion badges on the front, sides, and rear; more-aggressive fascias at both ends; Abarth side stripes; and dual exhausts. The best visuals and dynamics come with the optional 17-inch wheels.
It looks good, but if anything, it may all be a bit much, like it's angrily trying to overcompensate for its too-cute little brother. The Abarth is here to party, and it really, really wants you to know it.
Things I didn't care for included the very cheap plastic buttons for the A/C and radio, and the seats, whose minimal side bolstering and narrow, flat bottoms proved to be rather uncomfortable after a while.
The central gauge cluster is a combined tach/speedo setup with an info screen in the center. It's a lot to take in, and I definitely prefer a traditional separate setup for those things, but you get used to it. I'm still not nuts about the radio controls behind behind the steering wheel too.
Power: 160 HP at 5500 RPM/170 LB-FT at 2500-4000 RPM
Transmission: Five-speed manual
0-60 Time: 7.0 seconds
Top Speed: 131 mph
Drivetrain: Front-Wheel Drive
Curb Weight: 2,600 lbs.
Seating: 4 people
MPG: 28 city/34 highway
MSRP: $26,000 base/$31,850 as tested
It is possible to keep it out of torque-boosting Sport Mode, to keep its convertible top closed up tight, to not try and make right angle turns at high speeds. It is possible to have one in your possession without actively finding any and every excuse you can to take it out for a joyride.
It is possible to do all of these things. It's just very hard, and you won't ever want to.
A fly in the 500’s ointment has always been its driving position. It’s far too high, even in the standard car, but this becomes a more serious problem when you’re trying to dial in some performance. That sense of being too far removed from the road is a deal breaker for us, a problem compounded by light steering that’s short on feel.
Nevertheless, the Abarth feels well planted on that widened stance and a heavily stiffened chassis keeps it stable to the limits of its mechanical grip. This does make the ride pretty awful, but in a shorty hot hatch you can expect nothing more.
The 1.4-litre T-Jet petrol engine in here is turbocharged to 135bhp. That may not sound like much, but there’s not much to the Fiat 500 so it feels exceedingly quick. And if you can afford the Esseesse upgrade, power is tweaked to 160bhp, which starts to feel bonkers. Turismo and Competizione variants get this pack as standard, along with upgraded front and rear dampers plus 17-inch alloys. The ultimate mini rocketship that grips as well as it goes?
The first factor is the Abarth makeover, starting with the turbocharged and twin-intercooled 1.4-liter MultiAir four with 160 horsepower and 170 lb-ft that will light up the front tires through the five-speed manual box. (No word yet on the availability of an automatic.) Presentation points accrue for the red, look-what-I-have engine cover complete with scorpion logo. Adding some sassiness to the regular 500C’s chassis are stiffer springs, Koni front shocks, a 0.6-inch-lower ride height, bigger brakes with red-coated calipers, and wider Pirelli tires. No one will doubt you are piloting something beyond a standard 500. There are Abarth scorpion badges on the front, sides, and rear; more-aggressive fascias at both ends; Abarth side stripes; and dual exhausts. The best visuals and dynamics come with the optional 17-inch wheels.
EXTERIOR
Exterior additions on my tester included no fewer than 10 scorpion logos, including the ones on the wheel hubs (Come on, Fiat, couldn't you squeeze a few more on there?), red-colored side mirrors, a red 80s Dodge Turbo-esque stripe with the word "ABARTH" on it, a revised rear bumper that to me looks a bit like the one on the Ferrari F12berlinetta, and huge 17-inch 12 spoke wheels.It looks good, but if anything, it may all be a bit much, like it's angrily trying to overcompensate for its too-cute little brother. The Abarth is here to party, and it really, really wants you to know it.
INTERIOR
Just as it's an odd mix of nice materials and decidedly cheap ones, the interior is a mishmash of things I liked and things I didn't. The former includes the shiny, body-colored dashboard, the soft leather on the seats, gearshift and above the instrument cluster, and the aluminum pedals.Things I didn't care for included the very cheap plastic buttons for the A/C and radio, and the seats, whose minimal side bolstering and narrow, flat bottoms proved to be rather uncomfortable after a while.
The central gauge cluster is a combined tach/speedo setup with an info screen in the center. It's a lot to take in, and I definitely prefer a traditional separate setup for those things, but you get used to it. I'm still not nuts about the radio controls behind behind the steering wheel too.
Fiat 500C : Specification
Engine: 1.4-liter turbocharged inline fourPower: 160 HP at 5500 RPM/170 LB-FT at 2500-4000 RPM
Transmission: Five-speed manual
0-60 Time: 7.0 seconds
Top Speed: 131 mph
Drivetrain: Front-Wheel Drive
Curb Weight: 2,600 lbs.
Seating: 4 people
MPG: 28 city/34 highway
MSRP: $26,000 base/$31,850 as tested
Fiat 500C Abarth Review and Specification : Techmistory
Reviewed by Ankit Kumar Titoriya
on
22:13
Rating:
Reviewed by Ankit Kumar Titoriya
on
22:13
Rating:
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