The 500 Abarth made its official debut at the beginning at the month at the Geneva Motor Show. But the company also reported that they will reveal a Abarth version of the 500 Convertible. Rumors say the new model will be launched in 2009. After the Convertible version, two Abarth-only models will also be launched.
The Abarth 500 Convertible will be powered by the same Fire 1.4 16v Turbo petrol engine that delivers a maximum of 135 bhp (99 kW) at 5,000 rpm and peak torque of 206 Nm at 3.000 rpm found in the coupe version.
For the third year running, Car Design News has run an online vote for the best car designs to have debuted in 2007. With over a thousand responses and an international readership that includes more car designers than any other media, this is the most qualified award within the car design world – truly ‘by designers for designers’. Awards were presented to the design team of each winning design at the Geneva Motor Show on Wednesday 5th March.
The award for the best concept show car announced in 2007 went to the BMW Concept CS, with over 51% of readers awarding the BMW a top three ranking.The award was presented to Adrian van Hooydonk, Director Design, BMW Cars, for the BMW Concept CS concept that debuted last year at the Shanghai Motor Show. “This award means a lot to us and the team” said van Hooydonk, “There was a lot of sweat that went into this design so we were pleased with the very positive reaction to the car,especially that from Car Design News”.
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Due to big demand, Fiat has decided to increase capacity for its 500 minicar to 190,000 units a year. By early March, 500 capacity at the Tychy, Poland, assembly plant will grow to 750 units a day from 500 units initially planned.
For the remake of its iconic minicar, Fiat had planned 120,000 units in the first full year, 2008. Fiat said it received 160,000 dealer orders for the 500 between its July 2007 introduction to the end of this January.
For 2007, Fiat had planned to build 58,000 units of the 500. Last year, Fiat built 65,525 units of the 500, according to UK-based market researcher J.D. Power Automotive Forecasting.
Of those, 42,470 were sold to final customers last year, according to UK-based market researcher JATO Dynamics. Fiat said it invoiced 58,846 units to its dealers in the calendar year.
Next year Fiat will unveil a convertible version and in 2010 a station wagon version will follow.
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Abarth made official today the Fiat 500 Abarth, a sportier and more powerful version of the Fiat 500. The 500 Abarth will be available at Abarth network in July. Next to the road version prepared with the conversion kit, the small Abarth will also be offered with a racing outfit, the 500 Abarth SS Assetto Corsa.
The 500 Abarth will be powered by a Fire 1.4 16v Turbo petrol engine that delivers a maximum of 135 bhp (99 kW) at 5,000 rpm and peak torque of 206 Nm at 3.000 rpm in ‘Sport’ mode (in ‘Normal’ mode torque is reduced to 180 Nm at 2,500 rpm).
The Abarth bodykit consists of a new front and rear bumper, side skirts, a roof spoiler, a rear diffuser, red caps on the exterior mirrors, twin exhaust pipes, a restyled bonnet and larger, 16’’ or optionally, 17’’ alloy wheels.
Inside, the ‘cockpit’ of the 500 Abarth features special instrumentation which is derived from the outfit on the Fiat model, with the addition of an analogue pressure gauge to measure turbo pressure. It incorporates a LED telltale that optimizes gear changes by lighting up at the appropriate moment.
Press release after the jump.
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At this year’s Geneva Motor Show, Fiat will go green. The first green model to be revealed will be the Concept car 500 Aria, truly "ecological manifestos" that confirm the will of Fiat to study continuous changes in the field of researching innovative solutions for the containment of polluting emissions and CO2 levels.
The 500 Aria will be powered by a 1,2 litre petrol propulsion engine combined with the robotic shift Dualogic.
At the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, Abarth will unveil the 500 Abarth.The new car was developed by the Fiat Group Automobiles Style Centre in the spirit of the legendary Fiat 500 Abarth of the 1960s, and will be marketed from July through the exclusive Abarth network.
With a strong sporty personality, the new car will be powered by a Fire 1.4 16v petrol Turbo engine, which delivers a maximum of 135 bhp (99 kW) at 5,500 rpm and peak torque of 206 Nm at 3,000 rpm in ‘Sport’ mode (in ‘Normal’ mode, torque is reduced to 180 Nm at 2,500 rpm). This brilliant, smooth new engine is also a friend of the environment: like the regular Fiat model it is derived from, the new Abarth will respect future Euro 5 legislation.
Another interesting feature of the 500 Abarth is the fact that it adopts the new TTC (Torque Transfer Control) system, which improves the transfer of drive torque to the wheels, but, above all, ensures that the car behaves impeccably on bends, making it safer and more entertaining even with a sporty driving style. In other words, it is faithful to the phrase coined for the Abarths of the 1960s ‘small but wicked’.
For those loving exclusive luxury, Studio M will present the next days in Rome at the "Scrigno - Tesori d’Italia" exposition a 24K Golden Fiat 500 that is priced at 70.000 euro!
What make the little Italian model so special is its exterior paint that includes a 24K gold powder. But not only the exterior is exclusive. The interior also: it features Loro Piana Kashmir carpets and Swarovski crystals encrusted in the emergency brake, pedals and the gearshift.
The cockpit is covered with Australian leather and all the interior is covered in alcantra.
If this is not what you desire, you also have a choice of 48 stones and different types of leather: ostrich, crocodile or snake.
The golden 500 will be called "Pepita" and its name will be engraved on the cockpit with the final three letters made of precious stones: "I" will be made of emerald, "T" diamond and "A" rubies.
So, what are you waiting for? O, yes! A reason to pay 70.000 euro for a Fiat 500!
When Fiat launched the 500 last year they have announced a few other version will also follow. The first of them, the Convertible version will debut in March at the Geneva Motor Show.
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Today at Monte Carlo (Monaco), Felipe Massa was presented with a Fiat 500 powered by an exclusive 1.4 litre, 120 bhp engine and personalised with unique graphic details, such as his signature embossed in the sill scuff plate.
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