In Britain, the 'Abarth Corse by Sabelt' seats are offered throughout Abarth's 16-strong dealer network and are priced at £2250 per pair (leather) or £1760 per pair (fabric). They will initially be available on the Abarth Grande Punto, followed later in the year by the Abarth 500 version.
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.
source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com
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We're not sure if it's allowed here in the States (though we can't see why not), but here's a cool idea for future owners of the Fiat 500 looking into personalization options. The Fiat 500 Abarth in Polizia livery is the creation of German suspension manufacturer Bilstein and it will be displayed at the firm's stand at this week's Essen Motor Show. Along with the colors of the Italian Police force, the 500 Abarth also gets a set of white alloy wheels and Bilstein's B14 threaded kit with variable height-adjustment.
source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com
Fiat has released the first U.S. commercial featuring it's 500 super-mini urging buyers to "live their life with passion". Priced at $15,500, which should certainly test your passion tolerance, the 500 will be available at 130 dealerships across the country with a 101 hp 1.4-liter MultiAir four-cylinder engine. Check out the video after the break to see if you can resist Fiat's Jedi-like mind-control techniques.
The little Cinquecento will have both manual and automatic transmissions and the all-important for the U.S. market, XXL cup-holders as standard. Customers can choose between three trim levels – Pop, Sport and Lounge, and numerous exterior and interior color combos.
source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com
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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.
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"It's important that the Fiat enthusiasts and fans are among the first to receive their very own Fiat 500 Prima Edizione special edition vehicles, as they share the same excitement about the brand's presence in North America," said Laura Soave, Head of Fiat brand North America.
"As we begin to introduce Fiat to North America, our goal is to develop a solid relationship with our customers so they are made to feel as part of the brand. Over 1,000 people are on the waitlist for the Prima Edizione, a clear indication of the buzz that the Fiat 500 is generating among our fans", Soave added.
Those that didn't receive the special invitation from Chrysler or didn't manage to reserve the 'Prima Edizione", need not worry as Fiat will soon begin accepting U.S. orders for the regular version of the 500. At first, the 500 will be available in Sport, Pop and Lounge trims, followed by a faux-convertible variant called the 500C in spring of 2011.
Fiat 500s from U.S. Dealer Presentation, Plus 500 Sport (red)
The North American market Fiat 500 will be built at Chrysler's Toluca plant in Mexico. All variants of Italy's answer to the MINI are powered by Fiat's 1.4-liter four-cylinder MultiAir engine that will be manufactured in the USA. Output and fuel economy figures will be released closer to the launch date.
The red-colored 500 Sport version featured in the photo gallery below matches a sportier-tuned suspension with a new bodykit that includes unique front and rear bumpers with additional air-vents, side skirts and a roof spoiler. The car's more athletic appearance is rounded off by special 16-inch alloy wheels with Mineral Gray painted pockets, a chromed exhaust tip and gloss black shadow-line window trim.
Chrysler said the Fiat 500 Sport also features an available SkyDome power sun roof.
The Detroit automaker has said it plans to open Fiat dealerships in around 165 locations across the United States with the biggest small-car registrations, including include Chicago, Manhattan, Los Angeles and Boston.
