ABARTH

695 Tributo Ferrari Headlines Abarth’s Line-Up in Goodwood 

Abarth is marking its return to the Goodwood Festival of Speed for the second year in a row with the 500-based 695 Tributo Ferrari. A 1.388 cc turbocharged 4-cylinder engine delivering 180 PS at 5,500 rpm and 250 Nm of torque at 3,000 rpm powers the spirited city car with the Ferrari badges. The Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari accelerates from 0-100 km (0-62 mph) in less than 7,0 seconds, while its top speed reaches 225 km/h (140 mph). Despite the performance, its average consumption stands at 6.5 lt/100 km (43.3 mpg).
Abarth will also bring to Goodwood the Punto Evo esseesse and the manual gearbox version of the open-top 500C, which until now was only available with the “Competizione” paddle-shift semi-automatic. 

Camal’s Retro Sexy Fiat 500 Marcia Corta

What happens when two people who share their passion for sports cars and motorbikes meet under the right circumstances? It depends, but if we ‘re talking about two Italians, Alessio Minchella (designer) and Alessandro Camorali (surface and product development) who met in 2010 while working at Pininfarina, the result is a new company, Camal, and a new product. The newly formed venture’s main principle was delivering stylish products affordably available to all.The Fiat 500 was the perfect starting point, and the 500 Marcia Corta the end result.
Their goal was to give the little Italian car more character without altering its retro feel like fitting additional headlights that bring to mind old rally cars.
All changes to the bodywork are done in order to comply with the original and quite special feeling of the 500, and ensure adequate air flow to the ducts. Camal is currently looking for partners for production and distribution, with a price close to the Abath kit.

Lucarelli-Monza Crafts Extreme Fiat 500 Abarth with RWD and Mid-Mounted 230HP Engine

There are tuners and there are tuners with some taking the easy way out going for a quick fix while others take up the challenge to create something truly unique. Italy’s Lucarelli-Monza belongs to the second category of tuners. The Monza-based tuning house has revealed details on its newest creation called the 500 Abarth Motore Centrale R230. As its name implies, the heavily modified Italian hatchback gains a new layout with a mid-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive. Of course, such a radical change is not an easy task with the company having to re-engineer the entire vehicle.
Among other changes, the rear seats of the production model were dropped to create space for the engine while there’s also a new rear suspension set-up and a high-performance braking system with 335mm front- and 305mm rear- discs coupled with four-piston calipers.
The 500 Abarth’s standard 1.4-liter turbocharged engine was reworked extensively gaining a larger Garrett turbo, different injectors, custom sport exhaust system and other parts boosting output to 230HP and 330Nm, which are fed to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox and an electronic limited-slip differential.
The mechanical upgrades are accompanied by a new aero kit that includes a side-air vent for the engine along with new 17-inch alloy wheels shod in 205/40 tires. Inside, the 500 Abarth features a pair of bucket seats with the entire cabin dressed in leather in a two-tone black and orange theme. The exterior and interior mods are the work of Aznom.
The end-result of all these changes is a hot mini that weighs in at 1,050kg (2,314 pounds) and is capable of reaching 100km/h from standstill in just 4.7 seconds en route to a top speed of 240km/h (149 mph).
And if that ain’t enough, Lucarelli-Monza is working on a more hardcore yet still street-legal version called the R280 Track which goes on a strict diet to drop weight to 950kg (2,094 pounds) and gains a 280HP engine for a 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint time of3.9sec and a top speed of around 260km/h (162 mph).

VIDEO: IED's Abarth SCORP-ION Sports Coupe Concept at the Geneva Motor Show

If the rumors are true, Fiat's Abarth division may soon get its own version of the Alfa Romeo 4C mid-engined coupe, but for now, fans will have to make do with the SCORP-ION sports coupe study that was unwrapped at this week's Geneva Motor Show.
The SCORP-ION is a conceptual proposal for an environment-friendly sports car designed by the students of the Master of Arts in Transportation Design at the Istituto Europeo di Design of Turin (IED) and constructed in cooperation with Abarth. The strictly two-seater study measures 4.01 meters long and is powered by four electric motors, one on each wheel. Check out the video from the Geneva Show presentation after the break.

Fiat Abarth 500 Gulf Limited Edition: The Real Photos

This here is the actual, factual Fiat Abarth 500 Gulf Limited Edition special in the flesh, photographed at the Autopolis Fiat dealership in Luxembourg. We say this because yesterday, we reported on the limited run special and Fiat's photoshoped picture that made the internet rounds. While our friends from Auto55 and Autofans verified the story with the official press release, we were left wondering what the Italian mini with the classic racing-livery would look like in real life.
Today, our pondering came to an end as the Marketing and Communications director of Autopolis Luxembourg dropped the first real life shots of the car in our mailbox. We believe Fiat should have released these photos instead of the 'chop from the beginning, but we'll give them props for keeping a close eye on the web-o-sphere and swiftly reacting to our post.
As for the car itself, it was created by the Italian brand's official importer for Luxembourg, Autopolis, in association with Gulf Petroleum, to celebrate the latter's 10th anniversary in the country.
Only ten examples of the Fiat Abarth 500 Gulf Limited Edition will be built, each priced at €25,000 (not including VAT) a piece, which is about US$34,000. Aside from the iconic Gulf Racing livery, the special edition 500s also get the 'esseesse' performance kit that pushes the 1.4-liter turbo engine's output to 160-ponies, a Monza sport exhaust and Corse-Sabelt racing buckets with the seatbacks finished in Gulf-blue.

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Chinese Man Commissions US$666,000 Gold Trimmed Fiat 500 C Abarth with Diamond iPad

An incredibly wealthy Chinese businessman has commissioned Italian tuning firm Fenice Milano to build a one-of-a-kind Fiat 500 Convertible Abarth inspired by the 'La Dolce Vita' concept study we first showed you back in October 2010. The bespoke 500 C Abarth is named "La Dolce Vita Gold and Diamonds 200hp" and according to Fenice Milano, the car will cost a breathtaking €500,000 or about US$666,000 at current exchange rates.
The starting point of the build is a Fiat 500 Convertible Abarth. As the car's name suggests, at the unnamed client's request, there is abundant use of gold. On the outside, the golden pearlescent white painting includes 24K gold particles while the precious material also adorns the body trim and wheels. The electric fabric roof top is finished in black.
Inside, Fenice Milano has completely overhauled the 500 C Abarth's interior. For starters, the redesigned steering wheel has the outer ring made of teak wood and comes with 24k gold inserts. The original carpet floor was replaced with handmade teak wood while the center console is embellished with a gold framed instrument panel, more wood and 24K gold inserts.
The redesigned seats are also sewn with the precious material, the interior elements are full grain leather and natural-colored Alcantara with handmade on sight stitching.
One of the most eye catching items is the Apple iPad Supreme Edition made in 24k gold and diamonds by English designer Stuart Hughes. The removable Ipad is positioned on the upper section of the center console and provides a complete interaction of the device with the car. It is fitted with a GPS navigation system, an audio system that can handle MP3 and all Ipod features and also an internet connection run by wi-fi and a appropriate sim card.
In partnership with Romeo Ferraris, the Italian tuning firm also applied some performance upgrades to the car including an engine kit with a new turbine, a complete exhaust system and an ECU tune, lifting the 1.4-liter motor's output from 140HP to 200HP, plus a set of Brembo brakes and a sports suspension.
Being such an expensive build, the handover of the "La Dolce Vita Gold and Diamonds 200hp" to its new owner won't be a simple transaction. "The future owner wants the delivery of his new “little treat” to be made in absolute concealment, in a jewelry shop owned by a friend, as depicted in the animation video," said Fenice Milano in a statement. Video and photos follow after the break.

Hamann and H&R Jointly Tune the Fiat 500 Abarth with 275HP

Tuning firms Hamman and H&R have joined forces to create a monster out of the Fiat 500 Abarth with an insane power boost to 275-horsepower.
Beginning with the engine bay, Hamann's engineers used forged pistons, enhanced connection rods, new camshafts and a modified turbocharger to increase the 1.4-liter petrol unit's peak output to an impressive 275 hp and 380 Nm (280 lb-ft) of torque. That's 196.4 hp/liter, more than double of what is considered to be an excellent ratio.
All that oomph is sent to the front wheels through a 5-speed manual transmission with a race clutch, as the factory version would be torn apart. There's also a limited-slip differential (LSD) to improve traction.
It's clear that this Abarth must be very fast, so adequate stopping power is a must. The German tuner offers a choice of sport brakes, with four-piston calipers and discs ranging from 264 to 305 mm in diameter.
It would a shame if this much grunt wouldn't be accompanied by proper looks. Fortunately, Hamann didn't disappoint as it fitted the 500 Abarth with an aggressive two-tone bodykit, featuring modified bumpers, extra-wide wheel arches, lowered side skirts and two- or four-pipe exhaust system, plus a large diffuser.
Oversized 18-inch alloys wrapped around in 215/35 or 225/35 high-performance tires complete the package.
With Hamann's work done, H&R took center stage developing a new coil-over suspension and widening the car's tracks with wheel spacers. According to the company, these changes also made the steering more accurate as the firmer suspension reduces pitching and swerving movements to a minimum.
The H&R Hamann FIAT 500 Abarth will be on display at the Essen Motor Show, starting Saturday, November 27. More information on pricing and availability should follow soon.

Paris Show: Abarth 500C Esseesse with 160 Ponies

If you feel the regular Abarth 500C could benefit from a few more ponies under the hood, Fiat's performance division has the answer in the form of the Esseesse edition. The tuning package bumps output of the standard 1.4-liter turbocharged engine from 140HP and 206Nm to 160HP and 230Nm, respectively.
As a result, the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) drops 0.6 seconds to 7.5 seconds, while top speed increases from 205km/h to 209km/h (130mph).
The scorpion-branded version of Fiat's 500 rag-top convertible that was shown in Paris featured a two-tone paint job with a white chromatic line separating the two colors, and came fitted with a Record Monza exhaust silencer and unique 17-inch alloys with 5 diamond shaped spokes.

Ferrari F1 Drivers Alonso and Massa get their own Abarth 695 Tributo

One of the perks of being an F1 driver for an automaker is that you get a lot of free stuff, including cars - not because white collar execs love you, but because they want to milk every single ounce of fame out of you. In the case of human billboards Ferrari team drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, aside from those lovely gas station employee-like hats and polos, they also get their pick of cars from the Fiat Group.
This time, Alonso and Massa were handed over the keys of two Fiat 500-based Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari special edition models finished in Scuderia red with Racing grey details.
The limited special series Abarth model is powered a 1.4-liter force-fed four-cylinder engine tuned to develop 180HP, and comes with a bevy of goodies including carbon fibre parts, body hugging bucket seats from Sabelt, four-pot Brembo discs and unique 17-inch Corsa Grey alloy wheels.
On sale in Europe since July, Abarth has already notched up more than 600 orders, more than half of which are for export to countries like the United Kingdom, France and Germany, and that despite its inexcusably high price (£29,600 / US$45,500 in the UK, €46,339 / US$59,000 in Spain).

Fiat UK Prices New Abarth 500C 140HP and Punto Evo 165HP

The new Abarth 500C will cost from £17,500 OTR and the Abarth Punto Evo from £16,500 OTR, Fiat's UK arm announced. Both models will make their UK public debuts at this weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed, before going on sale in Britain from Saturday 17 July.
The semi-convertible Abarth 500C is motivated by a 140HP 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which provides a top speed of 127mph and a 0-62mph (100km/h) time of 8.1 seconds, while returning 43mpg UK on the combined cycle.
The feisty city car is equipped with seven airbags, xenon headlights, TTC (torque transfer control), parking sensors, Blue&Me hands-free telecommunications system, leather steering wheel and 16-inch alloy wheels plus a six-speed automated manual gearbox with paddle shifters, as standard.
The facelifted Abarth Punto Evo is powered by a 165bhp 1.4-liter Turbo, which can accelerate the car from 0-62mph (100km/h) in 7.9 seconds, and on to a top speed of 132mph, while delivering more than 47mpg UK on the combined cycle.
Standard equipment includes six airbags, TTC, Eco Gear Shift Indicator (EGSI), performance sport switch, Start&Stop tech, 17-inch alloy wheels and Blue&Me hands-free telecommunications system.

Fiat's Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari Special Available in the UK, Priced at £29,600

The Fiat 500-based, Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari, is possibly the closest we'll ever get to a baby model from the company with the Prancing Horse logo. And now, almost a year after its world premiere at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show in Germany, Fiat has confirmed UK availability.Only 152 examples of the Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari will be available in right hand drive form in Britain, each carrying a steep price tag of £29,600, which comes to around €35,500 or US$46,900 at today's exchange rates. That's roughly what you'd pay for a BMW 135i Coupe M Sport (£30,675) in the UK.
Those select few buyers get what Fiat describes as a Ferrari inspired design with a unique Scuderia Red finish complemented by racing stripes, carbon fiber mirror caps, 17-inch Corsa Grey wheels, additional air inlets / outelts and quad tail pipes.
The hot hatch's interior has also been upgraded with carbon fiber bucket sport seats from Sabelt that weight 10 kg or 22 lbs a piece less than the standard seats, a flat-bottomed black leather steering wheel with red leather inserts, carbon trim and a new instruments specially made by Jaeger
Under the skin, the Prancing Horse-branded mini sports a pumped up version of standard Abarth 500's 1.4-liter turbocharged four-banger with 180-horsepower at 5,500rpm and 250Nm of torque at 3,000rpm, hooked up to a five-speed automated manual gearbox.
Fiat says its can accelerate from 0-62mph (100lkm/h) in seven seconds and has a top speed of 140mph (225km/h), while returning 43.3mpg UK (36.1 mpg US) on the combined cycle.
Completing the mechanical upgrades are the four-pot Brembo discs and recalibrated dampers.
Those interested can place their order through Abarth's 17-strong UK dealer network.