Emphasising the value Abarth now has within Fiat Group, the task of unveiling the little car fell to Fiat Group Chairman Luca di Montezemolo and CEO Sergio Marchionne, both of whom are previous owners of the original 500.

One of the most anticipated launches in Geneva yesterday was that of the 500 Abarth, the ultimate halo model of the little car that has taken the automotive world by storm over the last six months. Indeed, Fiat brand CEO Lorenzo Sistino revealed yesterday that the order book for the 500 stands at over 170,000 units – an impressive achievement.

The famous Abarth brand was reborn exactly a year ago in these very halls when the Grande Punto Abarth was the star attraction on the stand. Yesterday, though, it was the turn of the second model to join the range, the 500 Abarth, to have its covers pulled off. Previewed very recently at the inauguration of the new Abarth complex at Mirafiori in Turin, this was the first opportunity the world’s press would have to examine the new ‘hot’ contender, which is backed by a remarkable history, up close.

Decked out in its famous red and white check pattern, the Abarth stand is located by the Fiat Group’s Ferrari and Maserati offerings, helping to emphasise its separation from the rest of the Fiat range and to hammer home its sporty credentials. The theme wholly revolved around these two colours, with cubes suspended above the stand, in the form of seating for visitors, or piled high in a large glass case which announced the stand. The stage was thus perfectly set for the main act.

The stand was packed by the time brand CEO Luca de Meo got the press conference underway. Abarth was de Meo’s brainchild whilst Fiat brand boss, and although he was subsequently promoted away from this job to take charge of group marketing activities (including, most recently, responsibility for the Alfa Romeo division), he is still responsible from the Scorpion’s fortunes. De Meo outlined the brand’s initatives, but the crowd were here for just one thing – to see the 500 Abarth, and see if it stacked up. Emphasising the value Abarth now has within Fiat Group, the task of unveiling the little car fell to Fiat Group Chairman Luca di Montezemolo and CEO Sergio Marchionne, both of whom are previous owners of the original 500.

With a flourish, the 500 Abarth, which is equipped with a 135 bhp 1.4-litre 16v T-Jet engine, was unveiled, presenting a squat, aggressive but very well-designed little car that is every inch an Abarth in the true meaning of the word. With peak torque of 206 Nm and the innovative new TTC (Torque Transfer Control) technology performance is assured. At the same time none of the 500’s acclaimed looks and poise have been sacrificed in turning it into a potent menace, and the styling is much more integrated and harmonious than the pre-release images conveyed.

The entire stand was given over to the single 500 Abarth on display, the car presented on a rising ramp, while a second example in cutaway form revealed the inner workings of the new road rocket.  In a neat point of attention to detail, the exhaust box on this show model was embossed with the Abarth name and the scorpion symbol.

It’s been a hectic rebirth for the Scorpion. In just a year, Abarth has returned to public consciousness, introduced two powerful new models and further upgrade options, and begun putting in place a new dealer network which is steadily rolling out across Italy and Europe. 

by Edd Ellison in Geneva