Fiat roar back with Abath (From Community Newsgroup)

Fiat roar back with Abath

11:28am Thursday 31st July 2008

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FIAT are re-introducing their famous Abarth badge for two of it’s most popular models.

The Grande Punto and the Fiat 500 are the first two in the Itialian car maker's stables to use the marque, synonymous in the 50s and 60s with motorsport and undiluted racing pedigree.

Fiat say the badge’s re-birth will not only appeal to Britain’s legions of sports car enthusiasts, but will demonstrate once again that Fiat Group Automobiles can successfully oversee and underwrite the production of safe, exciting, high performance cars at affordable prices.

The Grande Punto Abarth will sell with two different power outputs: a 1.4 multi-jet turbo with 155 bhp, or an even more tuned up version with the same engine wheezing out a heady 180 bhp, in the ‘Esseesse’ model.

The former actually offers rather mediocre performance, getting from zero to 62mph in a less than blistering 8.2 seconds; but the more powerful variant does the same sprint in a more promising 7.5 seconds.

Aside from the power, and a few chassis tweaks, both models are pretty much identical everywhere else. Both have a wider track than the standard Grand Punto for better cornering and grip, both ride on 17 inch alloys, have a redesigned front bumper and headlight housing, and larger air intakes to cool the turbo. The sideskirts, wheel arch trims, and plastic underbody are all different than the standard model too, and make for a neat looking package.

Inside the cabin the look is suitably athletic, too. The Abarth ‘scorpion badge’ is positioned on the passenger side dash, there’s a new, sporty looking instrument binnacle, with black leather and red stitched sports steering wheel, gear stick, and handbrake.

Front seats are the usual sporty numbers, and both models will get an MP3 compatible radio/CD-player, dark tinted privacy glass, and cruise control.

Prices are £13,500 for the standard model, but the Esseesse pack costs an extra £3,500. The 500 Abath offers much of the same, according to Fiat, but as yet there are no images of the finished product. Quite bizarrely though, the 135bhp pocket rocket is faster than standard Punto Abaths in straight line, doing standing to 62mph in 7.9 seconds. Unlike the Punto, though, which goes on sale later this year, the 500 Abath won’t make an appearance until early 2009.

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