- The performance-tuned Fiat 500 Abarth will reach U.S. dealers in late March.
- Prices start at $22,700, including a $700 shipping charge.
- EPA fuel-economy figures will be announced in February.
AUBURN HILLS, Michigan — The performance-tuned 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth will reach U.S. dealers in late March, priced from $22,700, including a $700 shipping charge.
The 500 Abarth's sticker compares with $16,200 for a standard Fiat 500, and $23,800 for a 2012 Mini Cooper S.
The 500 Abarth is powered by Fiat's 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo engine, which delivers 160 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. Additional features include Abarth-tuned suspension and brakes, dual exhaust, turbo-boost gauge with integrated LED shift light and 16-inch aluminum wheels.
The cockpit is equipped with performance seats, accent stitching, Bluetooth connectivity and a Bose premium audio system with steering-wheel-mounted audio controls.
Fiat says the 500 Abarth is aimed at "track-day enthusiasts and driving purists," and is providing a free day of on-track training at the Richard Petty Driving Experience as part of the car's price.
EPA fuel-economy figures for the 500 Abarth will be announced in February.
Inside Line says: The pocket rocket segment is about to get a lot more interesting.
Add A Comment »
k55 says:
09:03 AM, 01/24/2012
I was hoping for $ 21,500 ( which would be $3500 over the 500 Sport)......At $22,700 it seems they could have trimmed the fat a bit closer . I am interested in this but even 22k would be good ( including freight).
dbzimp says:
10:09 AM, 01/16/2012
Dizzi: You are absolutely correct!I constantly read brain dead 'blogs in regards to newly or as yet to be introduced vehicles. These "observations" in regards to new vehicles are always illiterately written and have no basis in reality.
epbrown says:
12:50 AM, 01/15/2012
@dagmar3: I don't think the goal is to out-populate the Mini on US roads. If they can come close to matching Mini sales (25-30k cars/year), that's a pretty sustainable business model. The core idea is that there's room in the market for a car that offers the Mini's style without the price, and this car definitely achieves that. And with some competition in the stylish compact market, Mini might re-think their pricing structure, as they are really getting up there. It's amazing how many people grouse about a $20k Fiat that don't bat an eye at a $30k+ Mini Cooper.
openeyes1 says:
04:47 PM, 01/12/2012
@dizzi ; Unfortunately the US having an epidemic of obesity, that's why big heavy SUV's, and Pickups remain so popular. When the new line of 2012 pockets rockets hits the showroom floors, there's going to be a lot of 300 lb rears that won't fit in their seats, and they will miss out on how much fun these vehicles are to drive.
dagmar3 says:
03:00 PM, 01/12/2012
Fiat not only has to compete with the 2012 Mini Cooper S, it also has to compete with the tens of thousands used Mini Coopers S and JCW on the market. Mini had a huge head start, and there isn't much pent-up demand.
At what sales level will Fiat declare victory? 10,000 units in a year? 5,000?
dizzi says:
01:09 PM, 01/12/2012
How many of you out there have actually sat your sorry butt in one of THESE cars???? HELLO ??? Not the current 500 models but one of THESE cars shown above in this article??? NONE ??? Oh well, let's go bash the crap out of it with your big mouth before you even get your sticky fat butt in the seat (if it fits).
Bunch of BENCH RACERS !!!! "My brothers, uncles, friends, sisters boyfriend used to drive a Fiat in 1978, he said they were junk, so this car MUST be a pile of junk too...." If I hadda dime every time I read a post like that ... damn$.
If you don't like how the car looks or its size, that's one thing, but to criticize this little pocket rockets performance without even taking it out of the parking lot is just plain silly, let alone just throw out "ALL THE REVIEWS SAY". Really??? Where? Not one link to prove your non-essential point.
$23k for any kind of performance car these days is a decent price... Maybe once it shows up and someone actually DRIVES one further than their biased imagination, they can actually voice their "fix it again tony" knucklehead opinion?
Now I haven't even driven the current 500, but which one of you WOULDN'T want to go to the Richard Petty Experience and get a chance to take the 500 Abarth around a track, fight back your crap-eating smile and say " yeah, but the reviews said .... ???? "
Till then ... PUT YOUR MOTOR WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS!
J.M.O... I could be wrong.
lmagri says:
10:44 AM, 01/12/2012
I have mini cooper s and the price was over 30.000 $ bought new back 2007
the abarth is well equiped at the base price a big difference from the mini cooper s that is not.
advantage to the fiat...
I drove the abarth ss in italy and was alot of fun as much as my mini so for the money ther are asking for is a great bargain
I will go and test drive it as soon arrived and if it drives like the one i drove in italy I will repleace my mini s ......
about the quality issues that is in the past Fiat is considered at this time one of the best car brands in the world...with several of the model topping the sales chart in the majority of the countries arround the world fiat operates.
luscious says:
09:47 AM, 01/12/2012
Uh...the reviews on this car in europe have not been negative...did you bother to read more than 1 article...just start with Top Gear's review, and keep going. You'll be hard pressed to find a bad one.
Safety-wise, this car scored a very high safety score for its class for the US model. Reliability wise, yes the Fiats of the 1980's were terrible! Come to think of it, so were Honda's in the 1980's....Toyota's as well...
The 1980's are gone. Although Fiat hasn't done as well as Honda & Toyota have done over the past 30 odd years in quality, its not a fair comparison to match them up with the Fiat Spyders we remember here in the US.
Seriously, do a little research before you post...or in other words, think before you speak!
Nothing like criticizing things you know nothing about....
hwyspeeder says:
10:09 PM, 01/11/2012
$6500 for the performance edition, does 0-60mph in
6.8, quarter mile in 15.6. 170 pound-feet of torque.
Early 90s Proteges and Kia Sephias be fare warned!
qdp says:
09:31 PM, 01/11/2012
This is a low-end, low-safety-rating, petite, Italian fancy car.