FIAT ABARTH

BY BRUCE HUBBARD – DETROIT

BONNIE LYNCH- GROSSE POINTE, MICHIGAN

BRADLEY HUBBARD –PHILADELPHIA

AUTO ADVISOR GROUP

AS WE HAVE STATED WE COULD NOT WAIT FOR AN ABARTH MODEL OF THE 500 CINQUENTO. IT IS HERE!  BUT BEFORE WE DISCUSS IN FURTHER LETS LOOK AT HISTORY.

A brave and bold move by Chrysler Group LLC was to bring the Fiat brand back to North America.  The cars are getting great reviews and unique models like the Gucci 500 are good for PR. Sales have been slow mostly in part for the fact the stand alone stores take time to build. We believe that when more stores are built the Fiat and Abarth models will do very well. Everywhere we travel in the 500 Fiats people rave about the design and quality of the interior. 

The Fiat 500 history is long. The first Fiat 500 named a Topolino (meaning mouse) was one of the smallest cars in the world at the time of its production. Launched in 1937, three models were produced until 1955 all with minor mechanical and cosmetic changes.

Fiat as the Chrysler Group are doing everything they can to continue the 500’s history with a retro with all the bells and whistles demanded in this competitive market. The car since first introduced was very attractive and cute. Cute as a bug. Journalist have been raving as to the potential of the Mini fighter. The 500 was first brought back to Europe in 2007 and now with US updates to meet federal regulations this wonderful vehicle is being sold in the USA and Canada.

Italian architecture, art and design have defined style for centuries. Italian automobiles are legends. Italian cars like Lamborghini to Fiat to Alfa Romeo, cars have been at the head of the pack in many respects for decades. With exciting style so many poster cars have been designed by Italian design firms including ItalDesign which created the designs for so many Italian vehicles as well as BMW M1 and the VW Golf. Champions of race including Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Masserati and Fiat are owned by Fiat. So is the respected builder and design arm known as Abarth.

Lamborghini, another respected Italian car manufacturer, is a subsidiary of Volkswagen. Alfa Romeo automobiles are noted for their blend of classic design and sporty details. Ferrari was founded by a former driver for Alfa Romeo's racing team. Lancia is a pioneering brand with more world rally championships than any other manufacturer. Lancia was the first company to put an electrical system in a car, and was also the first company to introduce standard production V-6 engines. Maserati is the only Italian company to produce a car that won an Indy 500 race.

FIAT as we all know now owns the majority of Chrysler Group. Fiat has been around for over a 100 years.  FIAT or Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino motor company, which was, founded as a company after acquiring other major Italian automotive brands on July 11, 1899.

Another Italian automotive bit of history is the fact that it took the first engineer, the famous Leonardo da Vinci, to think in concrete terms of an idea similar to the modern transportation we call an automobile. It was more than 500 years ago, however -- sometime around the year 1478 to be more or less specific -- when Leonardo drew out his plans for the world's first self-propelled vehicle.

Unlike Henry Ford's Model T in the early 1900s, Leonardo's car wasn't designed for mass-production. It wasn't truly a passenger car, since it didn't even have a seat. The vehicle was actually designed as a special attraction for Renaissance festivals, meant to instill wonder and awe in attendees.  Leonardo's car worked, but the Renaissance man was centuries ahead with yet another influential invention.

Eugenio Barsanti (1821-1864), an Italian scientist, developed in the early 50s of the 19th century his atmospheric engine. It used a "Voltaic (from Volta) pistol" as ignition mechanism. A spark skipping between two electrodes ignited the gas mixture. The Italian’s also developed a single cylinder gas engine far before Henry Ford ever used one in the Model T.

NOW IT IS 2012 JANUARY. SOME MEDIA HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE THE ABARTH VEHICLE I DID DRIVE ON DETROIT AVENUES SIX MONTHS AGO. IT WAS PRE PRE PRODUCTION  BUT SO SIMILAR TO THE PRODUCTION MODEL I WAS AMAZED. THE ENGINEERS IMPROVED EVERY ASPECT OF THE SUSPENION TO MEET ALL USA STANDARDS. PLUS, THEY MADE THE VEHICLE NVH OR NOISE VIBRATION HARSHNESS LOWER-QUIETER!  EVRY ASPECT OF THE ABARTH IS FOR THOSE WHO DEMAND PERFORMANCE AND HANDLING. THE ABARTH 500 IS SUPERB!

FIAT RELEASED THE FOLLOWING IN THE LAST FEW DAYS AND WE CANNOT VERIFY ANY OF IT. BUT, WELL AWARE OF THE FIAT BRAND AND CHRYSLER IT SHOULD BE 90% TRUE.

The FIAT brand today announced U.S. pricing for its new 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth. The starting U.S. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) is $22,000 (not including destination).

Faithful to the “small but wicked” saying coined for Karl Abarth’s cars in the 1960s, the Fiat 500 Abarth arrives to America with the racing traditions that have made it a success on European roadways and racetracks: world-class performance and precision, purposeful and aggressive styling, high power-to-weight ratio and limited production volume.

“The Fiat 500 Abarth feels like a double shot of espresso straight to your veins,” said Tim Kuniskis, Head of FIAT Brand for North America, Chrysler Group LLC. “With its wicked attitude, it will reward adrenaline fans who no longer need to pay six figures to feel the rush of true Italian performance.”

The race-inspired Fiat 500 Abarth comes standard with many performance features, including the all-new 1.4-liter MultiAir® Turbo engine delivering 160 horsepower (119 kW) and 170 lb.-ft. (230 N•m) of torque, Abarth-tuned suspension, brake systems and dual exhaust, turbo-boost gauge with integrated LED shift light and 16-inch aluminum wheels.

Driver and passenger performance seats feature a one-piece design with large side bolsters, racing-harness pass-through and accent stitching. The Fiat 500 Abarth also comes standard with BLUE&ME™ Handsfree Communication, Bose premium audio system and steering-wheel-mounted audio controls.

Abarth Driving Experience for New Owners of the powerful new Fiat.

Included in the price of each 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth is the opportunity for new owners to attend a segment-exclusive driving experience at no additional charge. The Abarth Driving Experience is an entire day of full-throttle training, guided by professional instructors from the Richard Petty Driving Experience to ensure fun and top-level instruction FIAT HAS STATED. WE HAVE NOT YET EXPERIENCED THE RICHARD PETTY SCHOOL AND ABARTH ON THE TRACK.

No doubt BMW and MINI still are the vehicle to challenge. MINI has done a remarkable job in North America with all their versions of the original MINI. Recently they even are showing a Coupe!

FIAT is building 500 wagon four door versions to help dealers to get more buyers. But, as we have stated before get more dealerships for without them no sales will occur.

Look at more articles we have done on FIAT Cinquento 500 since first brought to our North American shores.


Bruce Hubbard- Detroit-Bradenton-Miami
Bonnie Lynch-Grosse Pointe
Bradlay Hubbard-Philadelphia 
Auto Advisor Group
bh.autoadvisorgroup@gmail.com
bb.lynch@comcast.net
bradhubbard8@gmail.com
brucehubbard@earthlink.net