Fiat 500 Abarth visits Jay Leno's Garage

Zach Bowman — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Videos, Hatchback, Celebrities, Fiat

Joe Grace, Fiat Vehicle Line Executive, swung by Jay Leno's garage with the brand's new 500 Abarth for a little history lesson and a quick walk around. Here in the States, it's easy to forget that Karl Abarth, the man behind the Fiat tuning division, was as driven as they come when pushing the performance envelope. Abarth got his start racing motorcycles before turning his eye to four-wheeled prototypes and aftermarket performance, and his list of lifelong achievements is as lengthy as it is varied. Abarth was our kind of guy.

Grace took the time to show Leno exactly what makes the 500 Abarth so different from the comedian's own pint-sized hatchback, including its turbocharged, 1.4-liter four-cylinder good for 160 horsepower, along with its unique aesthetics and performance-oriented suspension and exhaust. Is the 500 Abarth cool? Sure. Is it as cool as Karl Abarth racing a steam locomotive with a sidecar motorcycle? We think not. Hit the jump to check the video for yourself.

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Fiat 500 Abarth visits Jay Leno's Garage originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Karl Abarth tribute: Fiat 500 Abarth "DA O A 100"

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:43:00 EST

Filed under: Tuners, Europe, Hatchback, Fiat

Click above for high-res shots of the Fiat 500 Abarth "DA O A 100"

Another day, another Fiat 500 variant that we Americans can drool over knowing we can't get it here in the States. This one is special, though, as it was designed to commemorate Karl Abarth's 100th (born on November 15, 1908) birthday. Not just a styling exercise, the 500 Abarth "DA O A 100" tribute comes with an upgraded 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Acceleration to sixty takes just 7.3 seconds, helped along by shortened gear ratios while its top speed is now 131 miles per hour. Suspension bits are revised as well, with lowered springs and new 17-inch alloys fitted with low-profile Pirelli PZero Neros.

We're loving the looks of the '100, which is blessed with Nuvolari Grey paint along with special silver side stripes and chrome-plated badges and side mirrors. Inside, that color scheme is repeated in leather with contrasting stitching - proving once again that the Italians will always have that innate sense of style. If you want one, better get your name on the list now, as Fiat's only planning to build 101 of the unique 500s.

Gallery: Fiat 500 Abarth "DA O A 100"

[Source: Carscoop]

Karl Abarth tribute: Fiat 500 Abarth "DA O A 100" originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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