REPORT: Four versions of Fiat 500 in the U.S. by 2011, including Abarth
by Frank Filipponio on Jun 29th 2009 at 11:29AM 
2010 Fiat 500 Abarth - Click above for high-res image gallery
Four 500s by 2011. That is the latest word out of Italy concerning the adorable Fiat 500. While the Chrysler/Fiat merger chugs along, the tiny 500 is the only model that has been officially greenlighted for American consumption under the Fiat banner. To make up for that dearth of models, Fiat will apparently offer the 500 in four different flavors when it reaches these shores: hatchback, convertible, station wagon and sporty hatchback. There's also an outside chance of a micro-CUV according to this Automotive News piece.
The "sporty hatchback" will be the Abarth, Europe's 2008 Car of the Year. Chrysler/Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne calls it "our iPod." Wonder if it's too late for some co-branding. While it might seem that a sporty wagon and sporty drop-top would be fairly easy to slot into the mix (Abarth Giardiniera SS Corsa, FTW!), we'll have to make due with those four iterations for the time being. The 500 family should be in U.S. dealerships by the first half of 2011. The American-market cars will likely be produced at a Chrysler plant in the United States or in Toluca, Mexico, but there's no official word on U.S. pricing yet.
Gallery: Fiat 500 Abarth
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
zamafir 11:38AM (6/29/2009)
Including Abarth? Awesome. I know one friend who's going to be stoked to hear this, and plotting to shed his recently aquired for weekend fun miata.
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GOT 8:00AM (7/01/2009)
BADA BING BADA BOOM!
Abarth FTW!
Luis_is_cold 11:46AM (6/29/2009)
wow this is great news , i will probably be in the market for a new car in a couple years and i love the 500 abarth. anyone have any estimates on what it might cost?
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PJ 12:26PM (6/29/2009)
Cars sold in both the US and UK markets usually sell for similar numerical values (without exchanging currency rates). The Abarth Essesse retails for £16,350, so I'd be surprised to see the US-market list for anything over $20K.
Sean Flanagan 11:46AM (6/29/2009)
Great news. On last week's Top Gear, it impressed me that Schumacher said he drives an Abarth as his daily driver. If someone like that would sooner drive one of these every day when he has access to any car in the Fiat stable (including Ferrari), I'm sold.
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Level 11:49AM (6/29/2009)
wow great news to know Chrysler/Fiat deal is working out so far...
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Jimbo 11:49AM (6/29/2009)
I thought it was already decided that the 500 was going to be built in Toluca, Mexico alongside the Jeep Panda.
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Rick C. 1:08PM (6/29/2009)
This part makes me nervous. The VWs built down there have QC issues. My cousin's new Beetle must have been built the day after Cinco de Mayo by a bunch of drunk assembly line workers.
bman 2:04PM (6/29/2009)
re: Mexico and VW quality
The problem with his VW isn't the built in Mexico part, it's the VW part. A lot of other manufacturers are getting high quality with their made in Mexico products.
inline6 1:52PM (6/29/2009)
FWIW, Chrysler's vehicles built in Toluca are no worse that the ones built anywhere else. From what I hear, Chrysler actually pays their Mexican workers better than VW, Nissan, etc, and their plant is more up-to-date.
While I wish the next 500 and Jeep "Panda" were built in the US, I'm still totally interested in what ends up coming across the pond. I can't wait to see. And I'll have an '08 Astra to trade when I do.
CB 11:50AM (6/29/2009)
Is the 500 station wagon a 4 door (or 5 counting the rear)? I haven't one of those.
A 500 Abarth Esseesse with 4 doors would be awesome.
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Colin Smith 12:42PM (6/29/2009)
Its a three door. There isn't room for four. This is a very very small car, even though the wagon is to be built on a lengthened wheelbase.
Anthony 10:47PM (6/29/2009)
Think the direct competitor to the new Mini Wagon without the price tag....
The Abrath was just what I was looking for when I heard Ford put the brakes on the Fiesta ST.
The 500 should come in around 16K "Nicely Equipped" competitive with Scions, something Chrysler has lacked, something Ford and GM both lack at the moment.
The Abrath will under cut the Mini S by quite a bit and offer close to the same performance stock, that is until you go to your local Chrsyler dealer and upgrade your Abrath to SS spec as seen on Top Gear last series, 160+hp and quite a bit lighter than the Mini S.
I'd say Abrath with Standard Features (No Navigation) but with Standard Ipod/Zune connect (In Europe it has a "Windows" port) and all the features in a loaded standard 500 - $18k-20K
Which is perfectly priced IMHO and sorry but in certain markets it will sell well (Northeast, West Coast, South Florida, etc) considering my car(s) will be paid off by the end of 2010, I will be in the market for a tiny runabout with some ballz under the hood!
ale 11:52AM (6/29/2009)
i would say, built in mexico... to get the price they need they for it
but man, these are going to be awesome
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adam1drift 11:52AM (6/29/2009)
wow..that is great news! wonder what they are gonna charge for the Abarth?
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wynklehop 11:56AM (6/29/2009)
I know its early, however any idea on the approx cost of the Abarth? Will it be priced like the Mini Cooper S, or the Cooper JWC?
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Bloke 12:13PM (6/29/2009)
The 500 is priced a fair way below the Mini here in the UK - after all, it's a class segment smaller. Abarth variants are a good deal more expensive than common-or-garden 500s though as you would expect.
landstrasse 5:03PM (6/29/2009)
the abarth 500 starts at 18.100€ here in germany. considering that cars are waaaay cheaper in the us./canada, my guess would be around 18-20k $ for a 3 door.
(its not build as a 5 door version in europe)
but this car is a dream, shares its base with the ford ka.
zamafir 12:18PM (6/29/2009)
Correct it should be priced along the lines of the GTi and Civic Si and as 'reliable' as the Mini.
Throwback 12:13PM (6/29/2009)
Great news, my question is how much will the style of the 500 change in order for it to meet our crash standards? The car was never intended for US consumption.
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