Fiat also released today a huge photo gallery and in depth description of the new Fiat 500 Abarth. The Fiat 500 Abarth was announced over a year ago and already it has seen two special editions - the Assetto Corse and the Opening Edition that was announced today.
The Fiat 500 Abarth houses a 1.4 liter 4 cylinders in line with 4 valves per cylinder engine that develops 135 BHP (99 kW) at 5500 rpm and 206 Nm of torque at 3000 rpm in 'SPORT' mode. The engine is coupled with a 5-speed C510 gearbox.
The top speed of the Fiat 500 Abarth is 205 km/h and it needs 7.9 seconds to reach 100 km/h from a standing start. In a combined cycle it will need 5.4 liters of fuel to go 100 km.
Abarth Press Release:
500 Abarth
Abarth design
Just over one year has gone by since the announcement and, as planned in the brand relaunch plan,
Abarth & C. S.p.A. has kept its promise to resume and bring up to date all the activities that have made its name go down in history.
To emphasise the authenticity of the project, brand activities have immediately focused on resuming and bringing up to date all the activities carried out in the past by Abarth & C., beginning with direct participation in Italian and international races, the organisation of single-brand trophies and the preparation of the cars for customers - moving through road cars and conversion kits to accessories and garments reflecting Abarth style.
A whole new world has been reborn around the Abarth brand, hinging on the core values that bought it such good fortune in the past: innovation in design, the use of cutting-edge materials and attention to detail. All founded on the most authentic passion for motoring, without forgetting the human and engineering heritage.
The Abarth engineers immediately focused on one specific detail that has marked out the world of Abarth since the beginning: transferring the experience of motor racing to the world of road
vehicles. Abarth has always been a byword for lively cars, challenges, passion and great emotion - and now it is back with the intention of appealing to the dreams of all motorsport lovers: last September saw the first Abarth reinterpretation carried out on the Grande Punto and now comes the turn of the brand new 500 Abarth to add another notch to this ambitious project of Fiat Group Automobiles.
This clear, strong approach that Karl Abarth was first to make his own has now reappeared in the design and production of new models and in the development of all brand activities. Abarth achieves this goal by calling on the aid of leading companies in the sports car component field: Brembo, BMC, Sabelt,
FPT–Fiat Powertrain Technologies and Magneti Marelli amongst others. These important partners of international scope guarantee the highest levels of performance and safety through their products: exactly in accordance with the Abarth philosophy.
The new Abarth is, however, first and foremost a company in its own right with a diverse organisation (led by its CEO Luca De Meo), with its own headquarters and production workshop divided into four levels, with a product range and a dedicated distribution network: flagship store, dealerships, specialised preparation shops and service workshops.
The organisation of this commercial network encapsulates three important brand values: sportiness, authenticity and customer relations. To ensure an authentic shopping experience, the conversion is carried out with the greatest attention to every detail in accordance with a unique style, a veritable distillate of references to the world of Abarth: history, sports cars, tuning kit, accessories, merchandising and the world of racing.
The first figures suggest that the products are selling as fast as an Abarth: more than 80 dealerships are already operating in Europe, in Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands and Greece. By the end of the year, the network should be complemented by the addition of Belgium, Portugal, Spain and Poland: this confirms the goal of 100 dealerships in Europe, the same number of official preparation shops and some 200 authorised workshops. The extension will also affect non-European markets, beginning with Japan by the beginning of 2009.
A distribution and preparation network that is truly one of a kind and has certainly contributed to the great success of the 155 bhp Grande Punto Abarth 1.4 Turbo T-Jet: more than 2000 cars have been sold in less than nine months since they first went on sale.
Not to mention the fact that last May, two tuning kits for the 155 bhp Grande Punto Abarth 1.4 Turbo T-Jet went on sale, one entitled ‘Assetto’ and the other ‘esseesse’ (the latter also includes an engine modification that increases the car's power to 180 bhp): more than 500 kits have already been sold in just two months.
Customer age is another significant factor: more than 60% are under 30 while more than 30% of Abarth customers are buying a Fiat Group Automobiles product for the first time. These data confirm the worth of the project and uphold another historical Abarth value: allowing motorists to enter the world of motorsport in complete safety at an accessible price.
Now comes the turn of the brand new 500 Abarth to continue along this path, starting from absolute respect for an unforgettable past and taking forward into the future an entire world of victories, style and symbols that have made the Abarth Scorpion logo into an authentic legend that still stirs the blood of car enthusiasts.
From racing experience: technology, performance and safety
Introduced at the 78th Geneva Motor show and due to be marketed from July 19 in Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Greece, France and the Netherlands, the new 500 Abarth was developed by the Abarth engineers in the spirit of the legendary 500 Abarth cars of the 1960s.
The new car was created with the intention of reinforcing the brand’s sporting position. Outside it looks like a nimble and compact pocket car while inside it offers the very best that is currently available in the field of engineering, safety and technology, remaining faithful to the saying coined for the Abarth cars of the 1960s (small but deadly): veritable scorpions, in other words, able to sting the passion of thousands of motorists with a taste for challenge, speed and Italian style. The new 500 Abarth is certainly no exception. It is a heady mix of technology, performance and safety that finds its roots in the experience and passion of the world of racing.
Sporty and practical style: an ideal stylistic balance between past and future
The style of the 500 Abarth, created by the Fiat Group Automobiles style centre, chimes perfectly with the Scorpion tradition and is no mere window-dressing but significantly contributes to the car’s performance. The best example of this approach to styling lies in the particular attention devoted to the aerodynamics and function of certain elements.
For example, the rear view of the 500 Abarth is typified by the presence of a special bumper, aerodynamic extractor, twin exhaust terminal and tailgate spoiler that give it a sporting look but also excellent aerodynamic performance. A scorpion logo is printed above the silencer, just as on the historical Abarth exhausts.
The front end makes a specific statement that the 500 Abarth is an out-and-out GT: the three-part pattern formed by the air intakes comprises a central intake that is larger than on the basic model, and an upper slot (above the number plates) that is also wider. The two symmetrical ‘nostrils’ on either side of the bumpers correspond exactly to the position of two corresponding intercoolers that can be seen through the openings and are there to ensure air is able to flow in and out.
The front end with the frieze has been shifted forward to create the space needed for the turbocharger. This makes the side profile of the 500 Abarth more pronounced and striking in pitch-perfect Abarth tradition: on the 850 TC and 1000 TC models, no-nonsense external manifolds were a recognisable feature of the brand. The Abarth logo ‘floats’ on a finned surface that acts as an additional air intake. Abarth badges are positioned on the sides, crossed by a three-coloured thunderbolt, exactly as on the Abarth 595 and 695 Abarth of the 1960s, to symbolise the brand’s racing vocation.
The wheel rims, available in 16 and 17 inch sizes, come in different styles: from multispoked rims to rims bordered by holes (the reference to the forged wheel motifs of the 1970s is clear).
Racing interiors for the satisfaction of a sporty drive
The out-and-out racing interiors on the 500 Abarth feature specific instruments and an analogue pressure gauge used to measure the turbo pressure. The pressure gauge contains a ‘GSI’ (Gear Shift Indicator) that turns on an LED to encourage the driver to shift gear.
The main gauge, with sporting graphics, is lipped on top to offer further protection against glare while the three-spoke steering wheel incorporates moulded grips for the thumbs and is levelled off at the base to ensure increased passenger room and space for adjustment.
The aluminium pedals with rubber inserts also reveal a clear racing vocation, as does the gear knob (leather trimmed with a more ergonomic grip for sporty use) and handbrake lever grip (also in leather).
The seats with head restraints built into the back rest also reveal a special Abarth design with a wraparound configuration in order to hold the body tightly in position even when cornering. They can be trimmed in leather, in two black or red specifications, or in two types of different cloth.
Top level driving safety and satisfaction
Created to meet the toughest standards, the 500 Abarth is one of the safest cars in its entire segment. Stable, effective braking plus good pick-up ensured by the 135 bhp power units and predictable handling at all times allow the new car to sail serenely through critical situations. The 500 Abarth is also fitted as standard with 7 airbags (two front, two window bags, two sidebags and one for knee protection): a record for this car category. The new model also features technically sophisticated products to ensure effective car control by the driver (active safety): including ABS with EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution), the sophisticated ESP (Electronic Stability Program), ASR (Anti Slip Regulation) Hill Holder devices to help the driver during hill starts and HBA (Hydraulic Brake Assistance) to help in emergency stops.
For the very first time in this segment, the new 500 Abarth also offers two features that are appealing by any standards: the ‘TTC’ (Torque Transfer Control) and ‘GSI’ (Gear Shift Indicator) systems. The first device improves the transfer of drive torque to the wheels and, in particular, guarantees excellent cornering behaviour thus making the car safer and more entertaining during a sporty drive. The ‘GSI’ (Gear Shift Indicator) encourages the driver to shift gear by turning on a special indicator on the control panel (an LED flashes five consecutive times). In detail, if normal mode has been selected, the system tells the driver that fuel savings could be made by shifting to another gear. If the driver continues in sport mode, the gearshift suggestion aims to achieve the best possible performance.
The 500 Abarth also offers all the properties of dynamism and comfort that allow its users to tackle longer, more demanding routes in comfort. This is also due to the suspension configuration: the front system is a Mac Pherson configuration while the rear suspension features interconnected wheels (i.e. semi-independent) with a torsion beam. Created from a Magneti Marelli design, both selected configurations have been appropriately revised and developed for the new vehicle to ensure great handling and top level driving comfort.
Powerful, smooth power units
Abarth cars are known and appreciated throughout the world as sporty cars that are able to offer the challenge of a great tradition of races and victories through outstanding motor engineering. Cars that enhance everyday driving experiences with a true racing feel and authentic driving satisfaction.
The new 500 Abarth upholds these characteristics but if necessary can also offer something more: more performance, more handling, better braking capacity. All the dynamic performance of a car destined for the track, in other words. The credit goes mainly to the exuberant engine concealed beneath the bonnet: a Fire 1.4 16v petrol Turbo engine that delivers a maximum power of 135 bhp (99 Kw) at 5500 rpm and a maximum torque of 206 Nm at 3000 rpm in ‘Sport’ mode (in ‘Normal’ mode, the torque remains 180 Nm at 2500 rpm). A power unit that ensures a thrilling performance while also making the 500 Abarth extremely satisfying to drive even during day-to-day use.
In detail, the engine is a 1368 cm3 4 cylinder 16 valve unit (turbo charged with a fixed geometry IHI RHF3-P turbocharger) that delivers exhilarating performance. Top speed is 205 km/h while acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes place in just 7.9 seconds. This is partly achieved by the overboost function, activated by the ‘Sport’ button that modulates control unit mapping and turbo pressure in addition to load on the steering wheel. Yet all this typically Abarth sportiness comes with very frugal fuel consumption: 5.4 l/100 km over a combined cycle.
The new spirited, smooth power unit also reveals itself to be gentle on the environment: the new Abarth is already designed to meet the toughest restrictions imposed by future European standards (Euro 5), and already complies with the emission limits that are due to enter into force in 2009.
It should also be remembered that the 135 bhp 1.4 16v Turbo T-Jet belongs to the new T-jet family that applies the philosophy of downsizing: the adoption of a new-generation turbocharger, combined with a smaller capacity engine, allows us to achieve performance levels that are comparable to or even better than higher-capacity power units, but with lower fuel consumption and emissions. And more: the presence of the turbo significantly increases the maximum torque, making it available at a lower RPM, but with the results of offering greater flexibility and an unrivalled response compared to conventional aspirated engines. All this comes with an essential construction simplicity that benefits the strength and reliability.
Telemetric function
Blue&MeTM MAP with Telemetry makes its debut on the 500 Abarth. This additional highly innovative service has been developed by Magneti Marelli as a result of know-how built up in the world of racing and combines an aid to sporting performance with the advantages of Blue&MeTM MAP.
The monitoring function displays the main acquired in-car parameters (engine rpm, vehicle speed, gear engaged) that are transferred from the Blue&MeTM to the PND (Portable Navigation Device) Bluetooth.
The TRACK function, accessible if the driver is on one of the circuits present in the device’s SD memory, displays a set of additional information such as the car’s position on the track (by means of GPS) and trip time.
The configuration function makes it possible to store telemetric data for a route and associate it with a personalised session (identified by the driver’s name, circuit, date). The information recorded may be retrieved easily and also analysed at a later stage using the analysis function.
The Blue&MeTM MAP 500 represents a new frontier in the portable navigation system market: the system is safe and easy to use due to the high level of on-board integration from an electrical/mechanical viewpoint (achieved by means of a specific support in the dashboard) and also from the viewpoint of connectivity, ensured by a Bluetooth connection to the Blue&MeTM platform.
The benefits of this structure are considerable: the device uses data from the car CAN network to improve navigation, voice messages are played by the on-board sound system, navigation pictograms are replicated on the instrument panel and the destination may be entered by means of keys on the steering wheel or by means of voice commands.
