2012 Fiat 500 Abarth
The Fiat 500 Abarth gets 160 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque from a 1.4-liter, inline, turbocharged four-cylinder engine that routs power to the front wheels via a five-speed manual transmission. (David Undercoffler / Los Angeles Times)
A similar version has been gnashing at the roads in Europe since 2008, but our example lands with more power and a single transmission choice, so if you like your shifts done for you, this isn’t your car. (David Undercoffler / Los Angeles Times)
The Abarth gets its “go” by taking the 500’s 1.4-liter engine and adding a prodigious 59 horsepower and 72 pound-feet of torque by way of a turbocharger and its maximum of 18 PSI boost. Peak torque is yours from 2,500 to 4,000 rpm. (David Undercoffler / Los Angeles Times)
Meanwhile, the suspension has been lowered and stiffened; the steering ratio is tighter and quicker; the standard stability control has been retuned and can be set at “on,” “partial on” and “full off”; the front brake rotors are larger; and the car now has an unapologetically loud dual-exhaust system that is difficult to describe without referencing a bodily function that decorum encourages me to describe merely as flatulence. (David Undercoffler / Los Angeles Times)
Exterior upgrades on the Abarth include more aggressive front and rear bumpers and side skirts, a rear spoiler and 16-inch alloy wheels. Another $1,000 gets you the 17-inch versions I had on my tester. (David Undercoffler / Los Angeles Times)
The 500 Abarth will do zero to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds, according to Road & Track. $22,700 is the base entry fee; the model tested here is $26,050. (David Undercoffler / Los Angeles Times)
Inside, the Abarth gets a thick, flat-bottomed steering wheel (which, because of the snug proportions of the 500’s cabin, feels enormous), a turbo boost gauge, aluminum pedals and unique, one-piece seats. (David Undercoffler / Los Angeles Times)
My tester added butter-soft leather trim to those seats for $1,000, automatic climate control for $600, body stripes for $350 and a $400 TomTom dashboard-mounted navigation system. (David Undercoffler / Los Angeles Times)
A five-speed manual is the only transmission option. The shifter has long, slightly vague throws and the gearing could use a sixth ratio. (David Undercoffler / Los Angeles Times)
