Fiat’s little scorpion–The 500 Abarth

There’s talk about Fiat returning to the US, but with the company in the throes of a corporate reorganization and margins declining, there’s no way they could overcome the currency differential with their small cars. Yes, there have been hints they’re looking at factory sites in America, but that’s a long way away, if ever.

Which means, the little firecracker that is the Abarth-tuned version of the Fiat 500 will remain out of reach. It’s a high performance version of the Fiat 500 city car which went on sale in the UK last month. The 500 Abarth will make its international public debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

The new car was developed by Fiat Group Automobiles Style Center in the spirit of the legendary Fiat 500 Abarth of the 1960s, and is powered by a “Fire” 1.4 liter Turbo, which delivers a maximum of 135 bhp at 5,500 rpm, and peak torque of 152-lbs.ft at 3,000 rpm in ‘Sport’ mode, while in ‘Normal’ mode, torque is reduced to 132-lbs.ft at 2,500 rpm. T

The dramatic styling is not a mere exercise in interpretation, as the 500 Abarth optimizes aerodynamic behavior, reducing drag and increasing high speed stability, while the sideskirts also improve the Cd. Inside, the 500 features special instrumentation, with the addition of an analogue gauge to measure turbo boost. An LED telltale that optimizes gear changes by lighting up at the appropriate moment is also incorporated.

500 ABARTH – BRIEF SPECIFICATIONS

Engine

• 4 cylinders in line, 4 valves per cylinder, 1368 cc
• Power output: 135 bhp at 5,500 rpm
• Peak torque in SPORT mode: 152-lbs.ft at 3,000 rpm
• Drive-by-wire throttle
• IHI variable vane turbo

Transmission

• 5-speed manual
  
• Dual cable external gearbox control

Suspension and steering

• MacPherson layout at front with anti-roll bar
• Torsion beam axle with anti-roll bar
• Dualdrive electric power steering, with SPORT mode

Brakes

• Floating ZPH 4.1.2 front calliper, piston diameter 54 mm
• Ventilated front brake discs, diameter 284 x 22 mm
• Floating CII 34 rear calliper, piston diameter 34 mm
• Solid rear brake discs, diameter 240 x 11 mm

Wheels

• Standard: Aluminum alloy 6.5” x 16” – tires: 195/45 R16
• Optional: Aluminum alloy rim 7” x 17” – tires: 205/40 R17

Geneva brings a bumper crop of cars we Wannadrive!

Yes, a new year means another 12 months of salivating and booking tickets for Europe. The Geneva Motor Show is the home show for most of the mainland manufacturers, and we’ve already seen exciting debuts from Alfa, Fiat, Peugeot and…Škoda, which is testing a prototype Fabia Super 2000 rally car. Yummy.

(NOTE: Wannadrive is having image uploading problems, so we’ve got funky thumbs for the time being. We’ll take this notice down when we’ve figured out the issue. I do have hi-res photos available on request.)

Designed to be used in the Super 2000 category, its based on the second-generation Fabia and, in compliance with FIA regulations, is equipped with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder gas engine, a six-speed sequential transmission and a four-wheel drive system.

Dr. Eckhard Scholz, head of Škoda’s Technological Development, said: “We are glad to have started testing the Fabia Super 2000. This year we are planning to optimize and certify the vehicle so that we can use it on both national and international levels. Then we are also planning to offer the vehicle to private teams. Based on a customer service arrangement, further development work on the vehicle will be done in close cooperation with our importers worldwide.”

Head of Corporate Communications, Martin Lauer, added: “Our history of over hundred years of involvement in motorsport is unique, and we are proud to be able to continue the success story with the Fabia Super 2000.”

We say: We’re suckers for a hot hatch–bring on the homolgation version because we Wannadrive!

Fiat 500

I just got my sweaty, Nomex-clad hands on some hot new new Fiat 500 clips…we Wannadrive!

The tiny grille opening does a great job of evoking the rear-engined original cinquecento, but that’s not a lot of room for air. I’d say that of course, being a modern carmaker Fiat has worked out any issues with cooling, but this is still an Italian company.

Dig the blacked-out A-pillar and panoramic roof look. I bet that really opens up the interior. I just hope the A/C is up to coping with that huge heat sink.

Vauxhall Astra VXR Nürburgring

“There are plenty of hot hatches on the market,” claims the British PR, but aside from the Mazda3 and Civic Type-R, that’s painfully untrue in the USA. Over There, of course, it’s all-out hatchback war.

Your Astra VXR Nürburgring Edition isn’t much more than an appearance package for the VXR, but the VXR is such a burning hot number that it deserves it. Each individually-numbered Nürburgring edition comes with exclusive all-white paint, and lightweight white 18-inch alloys with unique Dunlops. Other exterior features include dark tinting, “carbon fibre effect” mirrors and B-pillars and checkered flag graphics.

As with the standard VXR, the Nürburgring Edition produces 240PS (236 hp) in factory tune, giving it a 0-60mph time of 6.2 seconds, and an electronically-limited top speed of 155mph. Each UK-specification car also comes with a Remus Sports Exhaust, developed with Vauxhall’s BTCC race team, Triple-Eight Race Engineering.

Like the standard car, the Nürburgring Edition uses a six-speed manual gearbox and lowered, uprated VXR suspension with ESP as standard. Ventilated 321mm discs at the front and 278mm discs at the back help slow things down, while VXR blue-painted calipers remain.

The Nürburgring Edition theme continues inside, with carbon fiber detailing on the door trims and fascia; leather trim with the Nürburgring circuit graphic embossed into the unique Recaro front seat backrests; and an individually numbered plaque showing each car’s build number.

It goes without saying, we Wannadrive!

 

Renault Clio Sport Tourer

Well, it’ll be a while before we really have Wannadrive up and running. Believe it or not, we’ve got a team of respected international journalists lined up, but we all have real jobs, currently.

But so you don’t think we’re not really here, here’s the first car we Wannadrive: the bodacious Renault Clio Sport Tourer…

If I’m watching the clip correctly, the message is: Sport Tourer–it’s like being stabbed in the eye. Or possibly, given the inexplicable packing of a badminton racquet, Clio: The shuttlecock of cars.