Rides : Check Out The 2013 Fiat 500 Turbo

Vital Stats

Engine:

Turbo 1.4L I4

Power:

135 HP / 150 LB-FT

Transmission:

5-Speed Manual

0-60 Time:

8.1 Seconds (est.)

Top Speed:

130 MPH

Drivetrain:

Front-Wheel Drive

Curb Weight:

2,477 LBS

Seating:

2+2

Cargo:

9.5 CU-FT

MPG:

28 City / 34 HWY

Base Price:

$19,500

As-Tested Price:

$22,350

AOL Autos Best Deal Price: ?

$17,372 - $19,946

Research the 2013 FIAT 500 »

Try as I might, I just can't bring myself to stick to a routine of drinking diet soda. Nevermind the fact that I'm trying to cut soda out of my life altogether – every now and then, I just want the high-octane stuff, and diet simply won't do. If I'm already going to subject myself to the sweeteners and caffeine, I'm going to take the calories that go along with it.

Some people feel the same way about cars (go big or go home!), but I'm not one of them – I often see the merit in less-potent machines that automakers offer. For example, while I simply adored the Mini John Cooper Works GP that I recently tested, I still said I'd rather have a Cooper S Hardtop every day. And while the Ford Focus ST may have been crowned the winner in my hot hatch comparison test from last year, my experience in the Fiesta ST a couple of months ago reminded me yet again that less can indeed be more.

So when Fiat introduced this 500 Turbo – a sort of Diet Abarth – I was prepared for the possibility of similar conclusions. But with the range-topping Abarth proving to be an incredibly delicious concoction, would this tall glass of diet quench my thirst just the same?

The 500 Turbo is far closer to the Abarth than it is to the standard 500 when you look at the numbers.

Our friends in Europe have been able to buy the 500 Turbo for a few years now... because it's called the Abarth in the Old Country. That's right, the standard European-spec Fiat 500 Abarth is pretty much the same thing that we get in the States with a Turbo badge (or, rather, without any badges). Our Abarth, on the other hand, is better known elsewhere as the 595 Turismo or 595 Competizione.

It should come as no surprise, then, to learn that the 500 Turbo is far closer to the Abarth than it is to the standard 500 when you look at the numbers. Under the hood is the same 1.4-liter MultiAir turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine, tuned here to deliver 135 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 150 pound-feet of torque from 2,500 to 4,000 rpm. These numbers fall short of the Abarth by 25 hp and 20 lb-ft (assuming you've pressed the Sport button in the Abarth, that is – in standard tune, it produces the exact same 150 lb-ft), but represent increases of 34 hp and 52 lb-ft over the naturally aspirated 500 hatchback. Likewise, on-paper performance puts the Turbo more on the Abarth side of the spectrum. Hitting 60 miles per hour takes 8.1 seconds in the Turbo, compared to 6.9 seconds in the Abarth and nearly ten seconds in the base car.

Like the Abarth, the Turbo is only available with this do-it-yourself shifter.

Visually, the Turbo falls somewhere in the middle, looking like a slightly more steroid-enhanced version of the non-turbo Sport trim. The hatchback's front fascia has been extended by 2.7 inches to accommodate the larger turbocharged engine, and larger air intakes, smoked headlamps and repositioned foglamps are all visual cues to the car's more performance-oriented demeanor. Along the sides, the Sport's 16-inch alloy wheels remain intact, wrapped in 195/45R16 Pirelli Cinturato P7 tires, hiding larger brakes (11.1 inches in front and 9.4 inches out back – an increase of one inch up front, but exactly the same as the standard 500 at the rear. Calipers get red paint, too). Speaking of the rear, the Abarth's dual exhaust has been ditched in favor of a single outlet here on the Turbo, though the more pronounced diffuser remains, as does the Sport's smaller hatch-topping spoiler.

Stepping inside, however, reveals an interior that's very much devoid of Abarth-ness. You don't get the beefier, flat-bottomed steering wheel of the Scorpion, and you don't get the more supportive sport seats with their fixed headrests. Instead, everything is nearly the same as what's offered on the Sport – the only performance cue is the larger five-speed manual shift knob that's found in the most potent of these little Italians. And like the Abarth, the Turbo is only available with this do-it-yourself shifter.

The Turbo uses the same engine as the Abarth, just detuned slightly in terms of horsepower.

All of my original complaints about the 500 haven't changed here in the Turbo – the seating position is too high (and while this could largely be due to the fact that I'm on the shorter side, I simply cannot find a comfortable driving position), the materials used throughout the cabin are hardly premium, and all of the switchgear is merely a reminder of the fact that the 500 is, essentially, a six-year-old car.

Again, the Turbo uses the same engine as the Abarth, just detuned slightly in terms of horsepower. But because the torque number is the same as the Abarth when it isn't in Sport mode, you don't really notice a huge loss in low-end power for off-the-line acceleration. When I drove the Abarth last year, I basically never took it out of Sport mode, meaning I had the full 170 pound-feet of twist on hand at all times, but here in the Turbo, less grunt at the low end means there's less torque steer to manage, and when the full torque thrust hits, it's not as sudden.

There isn't a huge weight difference between the Turbo and the Abarth, either. The former weighs a sprightly 2,477 pounds, and the latter only adds 35 pounds to that. To boot, both cars have the exact same fuel economy rating – 28 miles per gallon in the city and 34 mpg on the highway.

Rev the engine on the Turbo and you can still hear plenty of Abarth aural cues.

What you lose in the Turbo model is the sort of hilarious fun that comes with the full-on Scorpion package. Many drivers will likely appreciate the more linear, better-balanced demeanor of the Turbo, but it just doesn't pull on the heart strings the way the Abarth does. That seriously sinister exhaust burble from the Abarth doesn't completely carry over, largely thanks to the single exhaust versus the more powerful car's dual pipes, but the low, grumbly tones are still there. Rev the engine on the Turbo and you can still hear plenty of Abarth aural cues, it just sort of sounds like the soundtrack is being smothered by a large pillow.

Compared to the standard 500, the Turbo's sport-tuned suspension is fitted with larger CV joints that provide a 53-percent improvement in overall torsional strength, meaning the car is better set up to handle the added power of the turbocharged MultiAir engine. On the road, the same bouncy characteristics of the short-wheelbase 500 are still present, but the added oomph is fun. As a daily driver, I can see why folks would appreciate the softer dynamics of the Turbo compared to the Abarth, but from where I sit, it simply feels like a quicker version of the cute little hatch rather than a detuned version of big brother Abarth.

Those looking for something to stand toe-to-toe with a Mini Cooper S will be disappointed.

Once again, my complaints with the Turbo are exactly the same as they are in the Abarth. Simply put, the steering feel isn't as direct and go-kart-like as you'd expect in a package this small, and the use of the five-speed manual transmission isn't as engaging as it should be. The action of the clutch pedal is light and linear with a clear engagement point, and the brakes work well with solid feel, but those looking for something to stand toe-to-toe with a Mini Cooper S will be disappointed, much like I was with the Abarth compared to a John Cooper Works (though the Fiat's seriously lower price point softens that blow quite a bit). And then there's the tippy feeling instilled by the aforementioned too-tall seats.

The Turbo model starts at $19,500 – a $900 increase over the Sport – and my tester was packed with optional goodies like the $650 comfort and convenience group (automatic air conditioning, heated front seats, satellite radio) as well as the $1,500 Beats by Dr. Dre audio system (that sounds awesome in such a little car, by the way). All in, that's just $22,350 – $1,800 less than a similarly equipped Abarth. And if you want the extra goodies that really make the Abarth an Abarth (larger 17-inch wheels and sport seats), you're looking at $26,550, or a $4,200 increase over the Turbo I drove.



Those looking for a properly quick Fiat will find the Abarth a charming little package – I love it endlessly, despite its considerable flaws. This softer Turbo model is still a pleasant little thing to drive, but just doesn't get you as emotionally involved in the whole driving process as the sportier, louder, faster, quicker 500.

If I were shopping 500s, the bang-for-the-buck budgeter inside me knows that the Turbo still provides lots of thrills for a cheaper price – like how I know that diet soda can be just as tasty without all those love-handle-inflating calories. But every time I drove the 500 Turbo, I just kept wanting more. And that full-strength Abarth formula was exactly what I craved. 

 

Credit : Autoblog

 

Rides : Fiat Promises To Expand Sex Soaked Ads For New 500 Lineup

Most everyone agrees that sex sells.

Chrysler Group will soon find out whether sex tinged with bawdy humor sells Fiats.

The automaker premiered a series of new short films for its launch of the Fiat 500e electric, 500 Abarth Cabrio, and 500L wagon Wednesday at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The spots might make their way to TV, just as the brand's sex-soaked "Seduction" commercial did during the 2012 Super Bowl.

Credit : Autospies

Rides : Check Out The Abarth 695 Maserati Edition

Abarth has recently pulled the wraps off its latest creation, the 695 Maserati Edition, which will debut at the Mille Miglia in Italy.

The Abarth 695 Maserati Edition has been painted in Pontevechhio Bordeaux which was achieved with a special three-layer paintwork which is reflecting the light and accentuating the color shine, while the electrically controlled soft top is coming in grey fabric. The small model has been fitted with an Abarth Koni suspension, electric power steering with sport mode, upgraded braking system and a fresh set of Neptune Design 7×17-inch alloy wheels, wrapped in 205/40 tires.
Power to the Abarth 695 Maserati Edition is coming from the 1,4 liter (1,368 cm3) 16-valve four-cylinder Turbo T-Jet MTA engine, which is developing a total output of 180 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and it has a peak torque of 250 Nm, available at 3,000 rpm. The unit is mated to the Abarth Competizione transmission with five speeds and steering wheel mounted paddle shifters. The small vehicle can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in under 7 seconds before reaching a top speed of 225 km/h (140 mph). The Abarth 695 Maserati Edition is burning 6.5 liters of fuel every 100 km in an average cycle and it’s emitting 151 g/km of CO2.

Rides : Fiat Releases New Commercials Featuring Catrinel Menghia

Fiat released other commercials which features the Romanian-born and Italian-speaking model, Catrinel Menghia.

There are in fact 3 commercials, all featuring the beautiful model. The first two show the Abarth flung around the desert and in the second the turbocharged 500 is seen down the Las Vegas Strip. If in the first two Catrinel just stands there and looks beautiful, in the third she actually drives the car in a race with a lucky cameraman. Well this is not entirely true since the two cars are piloted by professional drivers. What it matters is that at the end of the race Catrinel gets out of the car with her hair blowing in the wind, looking beautiful once again.

“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 FIAT Brand and Chief Marketing Officer — Chrysler Group LLC. “With its lightweight, track-tuned handling and purpose-built design, the Fiat 500 Abarth brings to life the legendary racing heritage of the brand and becomes the Italian high-performance car for everyday driving.”

Rides : Check Out The All New 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth

As Well Heeled As An Italian Super Model

Vital Stats

Engine:

Turbo 1.4L I4

Power:

160 HP / 170 LB-FT

Transmission:

5-Speed Manual

0-60 Time:

7.2 Seconds

Top Speed:

130 MPH

Drivetrain:

Front-Wheel Drive

Curb Weight:

2,533 LBS

Seating:

2+2

Cargo:

34.7 CU-FT (max)

MPG:

28 City / 34 HWY

MSRP:

$22,000

Research This Car »

Not to spoil the rest of this article, but the number one thing that the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth has going for it is its styling. That isn't to say the rest of the car isn't worth writing home about – quite the contrary, actually – but if there's one driving factor that makes you want to run to the Fiat dealership and spend your hard-earned dollars on an Abarth, it's how it looks. You'll read a vast variety of opinions across this great big Interweb about the 500 Abarth's driving dynamics, interior refinement and value, but you'll be hard-pressed to find one critic who considers the Abarth anything less than molto bella.

Smart, then, that the Chrysler Group chose to employ European goddess supermodel Catrinel Menghia for its seductive Super Bowl ad spot starring the 500 Abarth, ending the 60-second commercial with the phrase, "You'll never forget the first time you see one."

So three months after we first met the North American-spec 500 Abarth in person at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, we finally got the chance to see if our lust for the cute little Italian runs more than skin-deep. On Fiat's invitation we hit the roads – and track – around Las Vegas to see exactly how powerful the scorpion's sting really is.

Dimensionally, the 500 Abarth is nearly the same as the Sport model on which it's based, save the fact that the front fascia has been pushed out by 2.7 inches (to make room for the larger engine) and that the whole car sits 15 millimeters lower to the ground. Cosmetic changes up front include a blacked-out grille with integrated fog lamps, as well as larger air intakes to better cool the turbocharged engine. Around back, a larger liftgate-mounted spoiler has been added to provide better downforce, and there's a new two-piece fascia with dual exhaust tips and a big ol' diffuser in the middle.




Standard rolling stock is a set of smoke-finished 16-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 195/45-series Pirelli Cinturato P7 all-season rubber, but if you're smart, you'll skip the standard wheel-and-tire package and upgrade to the 17-inch kit. Here you get decidedly more attractive 12-spoke wheels, rendered in either a dark alloy or bright white finish like the ones on our test car (which we really, really like, by the way) wrapped in stickier 205/40-series Pirelli P-Zero Nero three-season tires. We found these shoes provided plenty of grip while tossing the Abarth around Red Rock Canyon outside of Las Vegas, but on the track, we'd really like some proper summer performance tires for maximum grip in the corners.

While we unabashedly love the Abarth's exterior, it's too bad we can't say the same thing about the interior, where the car is already showing signs of its age. Remember, the 500 may have been launched in the United States as a 2011 model, but the car has been around in Europe since 2007, as evidenced by the fact that a lot of the plastics and switchgear feel decidedly last-generation, or at least discount.



Specific interior changes for the Abarth include a turbo boost gauge in the instrument panel, as well as a thicker, leather-wrapped steering wheel with a flat bottom for better hand-to-helm interaction while tossing the hot hatch about. We wish the wheel were smaller in diameter, but our big gripe here are that there's no telescope function to the steering column, and in a sort of typical Italian fashion, the wheel itself is mounted on an inward slant so the top is further from the driver than the bottom.

It's hard to get a comfortable seating position because of this, and drivers with longer legs and shorter arms will feel like they're reaching too far while sitting too close to the pedals. What's more, the high-riding feeling of the standard 500 carries over, and while there's a manual vertical adjustment feature for the driver's seat, we kept trying to force the lever down past its lowest setting since we commonly felt like we were sitting way too high off the ground for a sporting car.



Abarth models come with cloth sport seats as standard kit, though leather seating surfaces are optional. There's no nifty infotainment/navigation screen to be had, but Fiat does offer an optional TomTom unit that can be mounted to the dash just to the right of the gauge cluster. The manual shift knob is also now wrapped in leather and there are aluminum pedal covers, but that aside, there isn't much to separate this car from the base 500. The plastics on the door and center console feel cheap, and little details like the chrome rings around the window switches and the general feel of the buttons aren't great. Strangely, even though the two companies have only recently partnered up, there's just so much in this Fiat that reminds us of the Old Chrysler. You know, Dodge Caliber Chrysler.

But we shouldn't be too hard on the interior. After all, the 500 Abarth's main competitor is the Mini Cooper S, which is an ergonomic mess inside, despite the fact that we've had many years to get used to all of the funny toggle switches and over-sized dinner plate speedometer. The Mini no doubt has a bit more space for passengers and cargo, but we're still torn as to which cabin we'd rather sit in, especially on longer trips. Hot hatches are all about dynamics, though, so we'll forgive the Fiat's lackluster interior and get down to what's really important: driving.



The 500 Abarth is powered by Fiat's 1.4-liter MultiAir turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine, which delivers 160 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of maximum torque. You have to engage Sport mode to get the full 170, otherwise the car will default to only delivering 150 lb-ft of twist. Sport mode also alters the steering and throttle response, and trust us, you'll want to push this button each and every time you start the car.

Off the line in Sport mode there's a huge amount of power available right at initial throttle tip-in, though it quickly fades away as you keep your right foot down. More annoyingly, the clutch pedal offers very little feedback, and it's tough to accurately feel the engagement point for first gear when pulling away from a stop. In most cases, this means you'll be revving the hell out of the little four-banger before setting off, but in some cases, while you're getting used to it, you may just stall. A five-speed manual transmission is the only available cog-swapper, and while a sixth gear would be nice (engineers told us that there simply wasn't room to package an additional gear), performance and fuel economy don't really suffer as a result. Be nice, and you'll manage 28/34 miles per gallon (city/highway).



Fiat claims that the 500 Abarth will sprint to 60 miles per hour in 7.2 seconds, 0.6 seconds behind a Cooper S. Keep in mind, the Mini may have 21 more horsepower and seven more pound-feet of torque, but it's also 135 pounds heavier. A lot of this can be chalked up to the fact that while both the Fiat and the Mini deliver peak horsepower at 5,500 RPM, the Cooper's torque peaks from 1,700 to 4,500 RPM, while the 500's peak twist is only available from 2,600 to 4,100 RPM. You really need to dig into the Fiat to pull out the most power (hello, turbo lag), whereas with the Mini, it's ready to go more often.

Before we get into the actual handling dynamics, we have to talk about the most surprising part of the Abarth experience: its exhaust. The little hatch has a loud, deep, throaty growl that sounds classically Italian and even a bit Lamborghini-esque when you really wind it up. It grumbles and gargles at idle, with our co-driver pointing out that it almost sounds like a tractor at times – downright agricultural – and while cruising on the highway, it's quiet and reserved. If the styling is our favorite thing about the Abarth, the exhaust is easily our runner-up. Hear for yourself in our Short Cut video below.


Fiat engineers improved upon the 500 Sport's suspension by adding a unique front MacPherson setup with 40 percent stiffer springs and better lower control arms. Out back there's a twist-beam setup with a 40-percent more torsionally rigid rear axle, 20-percent stiffer springs and a 22-millimeter Abarth-specific solid stabilizer bar. All that technical mumbo-jumbo means the Fiat was impeccably well-behaved during our drive from the Las Vegas strip out to Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch in Pahrump, Nevada. Despite its small wheelbase, the suspension isn't overly crashy on city streets or broken pavement, and the ride quality is firm yet comfortable while cruising on the highway. Because the chassis isn't as rigid as other track-focused hatches, there's a bit of body roll in the bends, but we can live with that one caveat if it allows the suspension to be so smooth.

The steering setup, however, is a bit of an issue. In its standard mode, the Abarth's steering suffers from the same problem as the base 500: being slow to respond and not offering much feedback, especially on-center, despite having a 10-percent quicker steering ratio (15.1:1, up from 16.3:1 in the 500 Sport). You'd think that pressing the Sport button would solve this, but all it really does is make the steering feel artificially heavy, still lacking enough feedback to really make it engaging. It's not terrible, and the Abarth's small size and well-sorted suspension still made it tossable along the roads near Red Rock Canyon, but we know that a Cooper S wouldn't take nearly as much steering effort to drive enthusiastically while still returning a similar – if not higher – level of fun.



On the track, things get really interesting. For best results, we spent most of our laps in second and third gear, revving above 4,000 RPM, only shifting into fourth on the front and back straights. And while it's easy to drive the Abarth hard, the 64/36 front/rear weight distribution causes a couple of problems. We commonly hit speeds as high as 90 or 95 mph on the long back straight, and when hitting the brakes to prepare for the next turn, the front end would load up and the little Fiat's butt would wiggle a bit. That heavy front end also means there's noticeable understeer while cornering, and the twist-beam rear suspension will allow the back end to get squirrely at times, but it's all completely safe. You'd really have to try hard to lose control, and the overall experience is more along the lines of hooliganism than precision.

Once again, the natural comparison here is to that of the hot hatch stalwart Mini Cooper S, which Fiat had on hand for us to take on competitive drives. While we weren't able to drive the Mini on the track, our extensive experience with the Cooper S leads us to believe that we'd be able to pull off quicker lap times simply due to the better steering, better power delivery and more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension.



The 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth goes on sale at the end of March, with first deliveries starting in early April. The cost of entry: $22,000, not including $700 for destination. Check every option box and you'll sit just below the $27,000 mark. That seems hefty at first glance, but consider that a similarly equipped Cooper S costs nearly $4,000 more, and the Mini's price can go even higher if you option for things like navigation and the cold weather package, not to mention the seemingly endless styling decisions. While that might make the Abarth seem like a bargain, consider also that the Mini's higher price accurately reflects how much better it is to drive. A base Acura TSX starts at $29,810 and a base BMW 3 Series costs about $5,000 more. Those are very different cars, but they're still entertaining, and not surprisingly, we'd take the BMW every single time.

But we still want the Abarth. So much. On the drive home from Spring Mountain that afternoon, we stopped at a gas station and spent the better part of ten minutes just staring at the thing, examining its lines, dissecting its design, and talking about what little tweaks we'd make once we plunked down our hard-earned cash for one. Does it make mistakes? Many. But then again, even Ms. Menghia must stumble in her high heels from time to time.