Fiat Car Blog

Looking good with the scorpion badges and racing stripes Italian car manufacturer Fiat is fielding the Fiat 500 Abarth as its first car to roll off the shore of the United States. The tiny car has a very popular following in Europe and Americans fond of the ride will get a chance to drive their very own Fiat.

The partnership of Chrysler with Fiat almost guarantees an influx of European car hitting the U.S. streets in the next few years. There will be sports cars from the garage of Alfa Romeo as well.

The Fiat 500 was specifically designed to provide consumers with an easy to drive, economical, fun, small car. The Abarth variant refers to the beefed up 1.4L 4-cylinder engine that can output about 135hp. The fuel mileage of the vehicle is pegged at 36.2 mpg based on European standards.

The first 500’s were produced as early as 1957. The carmaker made the original design as the inspiration for the new release giving it the retro look. Abarth is the tuning division of Fiat which takes care of enhancing the looks and performance of the cars.

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Alain Raymond, an auto journalist for a newspaper in Quebec, shares his love story with the 1964 Fiat Abarth 1000 TC. The love story began when he was still in a university in Lebanon. He dreamed of getting his hands on one but had to be contented with its cousin, the Fiat 600.

Year’s later the promise was fulfilled when Raymond was able to purchase his Italian love Fiat Abarth 1000 TC formerly driven by race driver Umberto Tuscano.

Raymond cannot get any Italian than the car that he was able to get hold off.

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While American continue to wait for the Fiat 500 to be available in the United States, Europeans will get another taste at an Abarth-tuned 500. The latest Fiat model is called the DA 0 A 100, created in celebration of Abarth founder Karl Abarth’s 100 birthday.

The new Fiat 500 DA 0 A 100 is built with a turbocharged 1.4L engine, which produces 160 horsepower (25% more compared with the regular 500 Abarth) and 170 lb-ft of torque, giving the DA 0 A 100 0-60 in 7.3 seconds. Maximum speed is raised from 127 mph to 131 mph.

Compared to the standard Fiat 500, the new DA 0 A 100 boasts of remarkable improvements in its overall performance. It is equipped with high performance front brake pads, perforated disc brakes, unique low springs, BMC special air filters, and 17” alloy wheels with Pirelli Pzero Nero 205/40 R16 ZR 17 tires. Some features of the DA 0 A 100 model is a representation of Karl Abarth’s passion for motorcycle racing.

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