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
Of all the major international auto shows on the calendar each year, the Bologna Motor Show may not rank among the most important. But it is vital for the Fiat Group, whose numerous brands make up more than just one lion's share of the Italian auto industry. As such, it's not a show for Fiat to take lightly, and this year, it's coming with a whole mess of new debuts.
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
Jennifer Lopez may be all well and fine for plugging the regular Fiat 500, but for the new Abarth version, Fiat's going to need something a little... racier. So for the latest spot advertising the arrival of the Scorpion-fettled Cin
Just as it has for years with the European-market Fiat 500, Abarth has gotten its hands on the version made in Toluca, Mexico for the North American market, taking what is rapidly emerging as a popular choice for style-conscious American drivers and turning it into a proper pocket rocket. Being introduced today at the LA Auto Show, the US-market Fi
Back before Fiat relaunched the Abarth performance brand, enthusiasts and auto journos across the pond were enamored with a humble but reportedly fun-filled little number called the Panda 100HP. As you might have guessed, it was Fiat's basic hatchback, packing a modest 100 horsepower, but the combination was said to be one of the most enjoyable driving m
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 which the Italian auto industry is so deeply loved? We
We dig Abarth. In fact we hope the Fiat performance brand arrives Stateside pronto. But when it does, we hope it comes with all the parts.
We see lots of tuner cars cross our digital desks here at Autoblog, but of all the turbocharged and aero-kitted monstrosities we see on a regular basis, few impress like what Romeo Ferraris can manage. The Italian tuning house has taken on everything from Land Rovers to Noah Joseph
The thing about scorpions is that they pack a mean wallop in a small package. And the same can be said of the auto marque that hoists the scorpion as its emblem. As promised, Abarth rolled into the Frankfurt Motor Show three cars deep. Or three new versions of their existing lineup, which is essentially centered around two cars, anyway.
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.
The Fiat 500 is just beginning to pop up on roads all over the country. It's available in hardtop and cabriolet forms, and the hotted-up Abarth version is just around the corner. Some can't wait to modify the car, and Boulder, Colorado-based Scagliarini Motorsports is ready to offer a slew of aftermarket accessories. Scagliarini is so into the new 500, it's decided to build a special version of its own, and the name is larger than the car itself.
"We have now reached the right moment to step on the accelerator of the Fiat-Chrysler integration," Sergio Marchionne said this week in a statement regarding his appointment of a single management team for both companies. According to Automotive News, four regional chiefs – North America, South America, Europe and Asia – will be in charge of Fiat and Chrysler effective September 1.
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.
Back a couple of years ago, Italian boatcrafter SACS teamed up with both Lancia and Abarth – each a division of the Fiat group – on a pair of ridiculously powerful rigid inflatable boats. The Lancia model Noah Joseph
Alfa Romeo 4C Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
Everyone's favorite car show is slated to return sometime next month, but we've got little indication of what to expect. We'll know soon enough, but before the first episode of the new season of Top Gear airs – likely with a teaser of what's to come – we've got these snapshots to go by.
