I first saw the Fiat in person at a Dodge dealership and found myself coming back to it a few times. My colleague stated, “It seems like you actually like that car.” Being a proud “race car driver” and having seen the Jennifer Lopez advertisements, I couldn’t help but take that as a knock at my manhood. At first my ego was put on guard, but in reality there 
was something that I liked about it. I wasn’t sure how I felt with all of this, and just walked away from the vehicle. Then along came the announcement that the Fiat 500 (not the Abarth model) would be eligible for Spec B racing. For more information about this, click here. Knowing that this car is going to be used for racing, I now have and an excuse for admitting to liking the vehicle!
What I found after sitting inside the Fiat at the Detroit Auto Show is that it really doesn’t matter what the length of the car is outside. It’s what’s on the inside that counts. I had to 
re-think things a bit. I’ve seen a Fiat 500 in a parking lot filled with other fairly typical, large American vehicles. Sure, the Fiat is not a large vehicle but don’t let that fool you into thinking that it’s cramped inside the cockpit. We had one of our editors, Jake Gulick, who happens to be 6’3″, sit inside the car. On multiple occasions he mentioned how comfortable the car was and how impressed he was with the interior space in the front. While the rear seats are fine for a child or shorter person, my head was touching the roof (I’m 6’0″ tall). While we have not test driven the car, it is something we look forward to doing. The Fiat 500 Abarth has 160 bhp, and 170 lb-ft torque.
Additional Information: Faithful to the “small but wicked” saying coined for Karl Abarth’s cars in the 1960s, the new 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth arrives to America with the racing traditions that have made it a success on European roadways and racetracks – world-class performance and precision, purposeful and aggressive styling, high power-to-weight ratio and limited-production volume.
“Bringing the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth to the U.S. enables us to reach out to driving enthusiasts who want Italian performance at an attainable price,” said Olivier Francois, Head of FIAT Brand and Chief Marketing Officer – Chrysler Group LLC. “With its lightweight, track-tuned handling and purpose-built design, the Fiat 500 Abarth brings to life the legendary racing heritage of the brand and becomes the Italian high-performance car for everyday driving.”
Building on the excitement of the new 2012 Fiat 500 (Cinquecento), the new Fiat 500 Abarth is designed for track-day enthusiasts and driving purists who want the ultimate high-performance small car with the pedigree of an exclusive Italian exotic.
With its all-new 1.4-liter MultiAir® Turbo engine, Abarth-tuned suspension and brake systems, race-inspired design, and technology features not traditionally included on a small car, the new 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth unleashes the brand’s legendary performance heritage to American streets.
“Abarth treatment” and tradition continues to deliver extraordinary results
In the late 1950s Karl Abarth believed that racecars with brilliant performance could be derived from small, lightweight, everyday driving cars – including the original Cinquecento (500). And his tradition of track-ready small cars continues today by utilizing the 2012 Fiat 500 Sport as a base point for the new high-performance Fiat 500 Abarth.
When driving any car it is important to always drive as safely as you can to avoid being involved in an accident. Sometimes however accidents can happen out of the blue, and they are not necessarily your fault. If you have been involved in a car accident, it is best to understand your legal options before you take any next steps.
There are other ways you can improve your driving skills too. A friend of mine has recently completed an nys defensive driving course online and has found that brushing up on her driving skills has been incredibly beneficial. You can never be too safe on the roads, and attending additional courses is an excellent way to expand your driving knowledge.
Staying faithful to the performance principles that made the Abarth name a success, the new Fiat 500 Abarth continues the brand’s motorsport traditions, including:
• Everyday Performance Car
o Track-ready capability, high horsepower-per-liter engine, combined with the quality, efficiency and refinement expected in a world-class small car
• Competitive
o Benchmark levels of performance, track-proven reliability and durability
• Aggressive
o Purposeful and functional performance design, Abarth-tuned powertrain control module (PCM) and performance-tuned exhaust with menacing sound
• Attainable
o State-of-the-art powertrain and chassis technology once limited to premium-priced performance cars
• Racing Heritage
o More than 60 years of performance and competition tuning, including active international series races today
