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CAP Blog > CAP Blog > Martin's Blog
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Feb
18
Written by:
Martin Ward
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
The Abarth name was re-launched last year with the Grande Punto Abarth and now the second model in the form of a 500, has gone on sale. Abarth is a subsidiary of the Fiat Group and like Alfa Romeo and Lancia, it is a stand alone brand. In essence the Abarth Grande Punto and 500 are still Fiat models but they have been given a sporty look and advanced handling. These differences have allowed the Abarth name to be reborn.
 Fiat chose Poole in Dorset for us to test the car and to take advantage of a private hill climb near by. Poole has the second largest natural harbour in the world, second only to Sydney. In the harbour is the Sunseeker yacht factory where the rich and famous spend their money and within sight of all the finished boats is one of only twenty Abarth dealers in the UK. Fiat Group has insisted that the Abarth will not be sold alongside Fiat unless it is in a suitable location and can only be sold by specialist dealers in that location.
The Abarth 500 is available from the factory in just one version but your local dealer (if there is one) can provide an ‘Esseesse’ (SS) kit for £2,500 which includes uprated alloy wheels (from 16” to 17”), an increase in power, ventilated brake discs, uprated springs and a new air filter made by Italian specialist BMC. The Esseesse kit is delivered to the customer in a high quality wooden crate. Once its contents have been emptied, the crate then becomes the property of the customer as a memento.
The Abarth 500 is powered by a 1.4 litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces 135bhp (the Esseesse kit produces 160bhp). It goes from 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds and has a top speed of 130mph where permitted. The official combined fuel figures are 43.4 mpg with Co2 emissions of 155g/km.
 The ride is very firm, which was expected but this may be too uncomfortable for many and with the very short wheelbase, it made it feel too choppy for everyday use. We drove it on a variety of roads and despite the relatively good road surfaces in Dorset, it was not a pleasant ride. However, once on the hill climb, the suspension and stiffness of the chassis came into its own. The braking, handling and steering were all superb. Everything about the car came alive and it just felt right and safe in these driving conditions. This is where it felt at home and all the engineering changes achieved by Abarth to make it the ultimate small hot hatch had proved worthwhile. Back onto the normal boring roads and it was like going down a cobbled hill on a piece of plywood. We had our fun, put it through its paces, but now it was back to reality.
The 500 is a four seater but the two rear seats are limited for space and could only really be put to any use by children. Two adults would find it too tight for leg and headroom and with the hard ride, they would want to be out of there fairly quickly.
 Quality is good all round with fit and finish much improved over the previous Fiat products. They really have got their act together. Style sells and the 500, whether it has a Fiat badge on it or Abarth, oozes style. It is cute, sexy and everyone seems to love it. It is one of those classic cars that will remain popular for many years and will not date quickly.
With the on the road price starting from £13,600, it is not just the Sunseeker crowd who can afford the Abarth, but with only around 700 units expected in the UK this year, it will still be a very elite crowd who are going to be seen in this one.
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