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2012 Fiat 500 Abarth [w/video]

Perfectly Imperfect Pint-Sized Pocket Rocket You can learn a lot about a car by the way it sounds. Fire up a Lexus LS and you'll hear practically nothing. Rev the snot out of a BMW M3 and your ears will be beaten by high-pitched traces of Formula One; do the same with a Dodge Challenger SRT8 and you'll be taken back to 1970 with a low, burbling rumble. Bear in mind that all of these machines mentioned are powered by V8 engines, long the bastion of beastly automotive soundtracks. Clearly, each car's designers tuned all eight cylinders, their assorted valves, camshafts and exhaust ... Read More

Vital Stats

Engine:
1.4L Turbo I4
Power:
160 HP / 170 LB-FT
Transmission:
5-Speed Manual
MSRP:
$26,700 as tested
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    Fiat 500 Abarth
    Detroit: Fiat 500 Cattiva and Abarth Tenebra concepts showcase design to enhance personality
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    Fiat brought out two new design concepts at the Detroit Auto Show, both intended to expand the appeal of its 500 Turbo and 500 Abarth models with upgraded and unique appointments inside and out. First up is the Fiat 500 "Cattiva," based on the 500 Turbo, painted with a vibrant Rame (Copper) exterior with contrasting Nero (Black) accents. The turbocharged ...

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    Fiat 500 Abarth
    Video: Fiat confirms 500 Abarth Cabrio for LA with F1-inspired video
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    In addition to the electric 500e, Fiat will be debuting a new 500 Abarth Cabrio under the lights of the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month. And to get everyone excited about the scorpion-stung droptop, Fiat has launched this promo video showing the cars zipping around a track at the hands of Ferrari Formula One drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe ...

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    Fiat 500 Abarth
    Paris: 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth Fuori Serie puts customization program on display
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    Customization programs are nothing new in the auto industry. For a fee, they offer a chance to work directly with the manufacturer to create a one-of-a-kind vehicle for the customer. These programs, however, are usually offered by makers of the most exotic, expensive and exclusive vehicles, like Ferrari, Rolls-Royce and Porsche. It's not often that a ...

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    Fiat 500 Abarth
    Los Angeles: Editors' Choice: Top Five 2011 LA Auto Show Debuts
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    We're packing up our cameras and laptops and heading out of the Los Angeles Convention Center, but before we seal the lid on the 2011 LA Auto Show, it's time to reflect on our staff's favorite debuts of the past two days. Unlike previous shows, there was nothing here in LA that truly stood out as the clear Best In Show winner, but because of that, there ...

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    Fiat 500 Abarth
    Los Angeles: 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth brings the scorpion's sting to North America
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    Excited as we were for the launch of the Fiat 500 in the United States, we've really just been waiting for this: the 500 Abarth. You see, Fiat's scorpion-branded tuning house has laid its hands on a host of models over in Europe, and now that we're finally seeing the performance fruits of the Chrysler-Fiat merger. Under the hood is a turbocharged, ...

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    Fiat 500 Abarth
    Official: Fiat 500 Abarth finally lands in the U.S. [w/video]
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    One of the benefits of the strengthening ties between Fiat and Chrysler is a mutual expansion of their joint product portfolio. The shared leadership of the two auto groups has seen Fiats arrive in North American showrooms and Chryslers proliferating overseas. Which is all well and good, but where's the excitement? Where are the performance models for ...

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    Fiat 500 Abarth
    Official: Abarth rolling in to Frankfurt with three new specials
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    Fiat's performance division, Abarth doesn't have a lot to work with. Just two models, in fact, but that hasn't stopped the Scorpion marque from making the most of the 500 and Punto ranges. Clearly, there's a lot of room for hot-hatch workings. Just take a look at what Abarth has in store for the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. On the floor of the ...

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    Fiat 500 Abarth
    Official: Fiat confirms 500 Abarth to make U.S. debut in Los Angeles
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    Social media allows for news to travel fast. Case in point, Fiat just sent out word via its official Twitter account minutes ago confirming that its U.S. spec 500 Abarth performance model will debut at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show in November. We recently had the chance to drive the European version, but this news allows us to commence being impatient ...

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    Fiat 500 Abarth
    Awesome mid-engine, RWD Abarth 500 Motore Centrale revealed at Top Marques [w/video]
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    There's a grand tradition to mid-engined hatchbacks that blend exotic layout with utilitarian bodystyle, and as promised, that tradition has now embodied itself in the Fiat 500. Developed by Lucarelli Monza – a new tuning house eager to make its mark – the Abarth 500 Motore Centrale is a substantial re-engineering of the Italian retro hatch. ...

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    Fiat 500 Abarth
    Paris 2010: 2011 Fiat 500C Abarth EsseEsse packs quite a punch
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    At this year's Geneva Motor Show, Abarth-tuned versions of the Fiat 500C and Punto Evo debuted, adding some cajones to the cute-as-a-bug Fiat 500C and the no-less-lovable Punto. Now, at the Paris Motor Show, the mark of the Scorpion brought us even hotter versions of both, and our reaction was that the difference between 500C, Abarth 500C and Abarth 500C ...

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