Wallpapers

Posted on August 3, 2010 by simpixelated

Anyone looking for a new desktop wallpaper, should look no further than the gallery over at NetCarShow.com. They have 6 pages worth of very large format images of the beautiful Fiat 500 Abarth (like the one to the left), along with just about every other car model in existence. Which one is your favorite?

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Configure Your Own Abarth!

Posted on August 2, 2010 by simpixelated

While I was browsing the Abarth website, I stumbled upon the awesome Abarth Car Configurator, which lets you spec out a Fiat 500 Abarth in your choice of paint, interior color, rims, stickers, etc. I ended up making a black 500 with the Abarth red stripe and mirrors, Titanium alloy wheels, and black leather seats. Hopefully there’s an even better US spec version of this in the works, because there’s nothing better than a good configurator. What options would you choose?

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Fiat 500 vs Abarth Part 2: Interior

Posted on July 22, 2010 by simpixelated

The differences between the Fiat 500 and its racing-inspired Abarth version are too many to list in a single post. So instead I’m continuing a five part series of posts that focus on the details of each aspect of the car: body, interior, handling, and engine. Today we’ll be focusing on the interior of the car.

The Abarth features a race-inspired interior, including more useful gauges, tighter form-fitting seats, and more leather and aluminum than the base Fiat 500.

Boost Gauge

No turbocharged car would be complete without a boost gauge used to measure the turbo pressure. Abarth has added the new analogue instrument to the left of the standard speedometer and includes a “Gear Shift Indicator” which lights up via LED, “that prompts the driver to change gear at the opportune moment. It shows the best time to shift up or down for the greatest fuel economy in normal mode but press the Sport button and it turns its attention to maximizing performance.” (Yahoo! Cars UK)

Driving Controls

All the pieces that you use to control the car, the parts that your hands and feet are in constant contact with, have been redone with higher quality materials that provide a more ergonomic feel. The steering wheel, wrapped in leather, is three-spoked and incorporates molded thumb grips and a flat base to increase passenger leg room and space for seat adjustment. The gear knob is also leather trimmed and has a more ergonomic form for good grip during aggressive shifting. The pedals have been switched out from the standard Fiat 500 to ones made out of aluminum with rubber inserts.

Seats

Another staple of sports car models, racing style seats, have been added to the Fiat 500 Abarth. Compared to the original seats, they have much larger bolsters in a wraparound configuration designed to hold the body tightly during corner. The seats can be trimmed in leather or two different types of cloth, in either black or red or a two-tone configuration.

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Abarth Speedster 500

Posted on July 21, 2010 by simpixelated

The Fiat 500 isn’t even here yet, nor the Abarth version, but Fiat is already spreading rumors about an Abarth Speedster being in the works. Here’s the word from Inside Line:

Abarth is also developing a coupe version of the 500 inspired by the tiny Zagato Abarth 750 of 1959. The caricature-like official artist’s impression gives little away but hints at a shallower glass house, a cut-down windshield and a faster rake for the roof line and rear pillars. It’s understood that the car will be offered in both open and closed forms. The closed version will feature the Zagato-signature double-bubble roof of the original.

Here’s a picture of the 1959 Zagato Abarth 750 in question:

And here is the supposed artist’s rendering:

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Fiat 500 Abarth Reviews

Posted on July 21, 2010 by simpixelated

While the Fiat 500 Abarth has yet to come to the USA, it has been available in Europe since 2008. This has given ample time for the car to gather glowing reviews. Although the US version will more than likely have some slight modifications, you can expect the car to be almost identical to the car these lucky reviewers were able to drive. Below is a compilation of some of the best reviews I have found online:

Have you found any more online that were decent reads? Please link them in the comments!

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What is the Esseesse?

Posted on July 20, 2010 by simpixelated

The Esseesse (SS) is an aftermarket kit available directly from Abarth that turns the Fiat 500 up to 11. Here’s the description direct from the Abarth website:

Absolutely everything is ramped up: the peak torque reaches a dizzying 230Nm at 3000rpm, the power output is 160bhp and top speeds can reach 211km/h. Goodies include perforated front and rear disc brakes, a special air filter powered by BMC, four tyre pressure sensors, high-performing tyres and 17” alloy wheels in white or titanium.

Be sure to check out the Abarth website for more technical data to drool over (or download the PDF directly). Will there be a similar upgrade kit for the Fiat 500 Abarth US version? In an ideal world, I could order the kit through an official Fiat/Chrysler dealership and have it installed by an Abarth approved mechanic on site. Ah to dream.

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Why do I want a Fiat 500 Abarth?

Posted on July 19, 2010 by simpixelated

My futurewife calls it a “fast clown car”. My mother was very surprised I would want something so “much rounder than my 300ZX“. While I can’t argue with the lack of a standard sports car profile on the Fiat 500, there’s just something about it that excites me. I’ll admit that the base model is a bit Beetle-ish and not necessarily any more exciting than a Smart Car, although it is Italian. But the Abarth version really hits the right notes for me. You probably already know about all the improvements and differences between the Fiat 500 and the Abarth version, I’ve attempted to cover it well enough myself, but what truly got my interest started in the car was its feature on Top Gear.

Being on Top Gear is essentially my main requirement for any car that I buy. If it wasn’t at least made fun of by Jeremy Clarkson, then I don’t want it. While of course he did poke fun at the Fiat 500′s pint-size aggression and Abarth’s absolutely mad history, he also did a much better job of explaining why I would want one:

Be sure to check out TopGear.com’s full review of the car.

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Will you buy the 500 or wait for the Abarth?

Posted on July 18, 2010 by simpixelated

Its a tough question, because it will hard waiting another year or more for the Fiat 500 Abarth to show up in the US. If demand is low, they could delay or even cancel their plans to bring it and the electric version as they have previously announced. I will definitely be taking the Fiat 500 for at least one test drive, if not many more. Having never even seen the car in person, I’m excited for the base model just to finally understand the proportions, feel the interior, and see how the car drives. If its that spectacular, I could see putting down the money for the car knowing I might be trading it in a year down the line for the amped-up Abarth.

What about you? Will you be getting one of the first Fiat 500s in the US, or will you hold out for the Abarth?

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Before Buyers, Fiat Has to Sell to Dealers

Posted on July 17, 2010 by simpixelated

Although I was grateful to my parents for loaning me a free car through most of college, I have to say I was never exactly proud of the make and model. It was a 2001, gold Plymouth Breeze. While it had some major problems, it served me well enough. But if it wasn’t for the Fiat’s partial ownership of Chrysler, I would never contemplate buying anything from a Chysler dealership, which I assume is exactly why Fiat would like them to build a separate Fiat only dealership to help promote the Fiat 500. I don’t blame them, I wouldn’t want the spunky Italian small-car mixed in with Sebrings and Town and Countries.

Unfortunately, Chrylser dealerships are apparently skeptical about the selling power of a single model from Fiat. According to a recent article from The Detroit News, “Chrysler Group LLC dealers expressed caution Tuesday about adding Fiat franchises, concerned whether they’ll sell enough small cars to warrant the cost of a separate dealership.” Its not just another building either, Fiat will apparently require a whole separate parts and service department, including accessories and staff trained specifically in “Fiat sales methods and customer service”. For those dealerships willing to take on the new costs, expect a totally different buying experience from the standard Chrysler dealership.

Hopefully there is enough demand for the Fiat 500 that dealerships do decide to build these separate showrooms. Even more importantly, I hope the demand is high enough to warrant bringing over the Fiat 500 Abarth as they’ve promised.

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Fiat 500 Abarth Confirmed at Fiat Freak Out

Posted on July 14, 2010 by simpixelated

Laura Soave, the CEO of Fiat North America, stopped by the annual Fiat Lancia Unlimited club convention (Fiat Freak Out) last weekend in Asheville, North Carolina to help promote the brand face to face with enthusiasts. Among other announcements, Soave said that for the Fiat 500 Abarth US version, “she could have had just the engine, but wanted the whole package”! Great news for us Abarth fans, because this is yet another confirmation that the sport-tuned version of the 500 will be coming to the USA eventually.

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