Following appearances at
the 2007 and 2008 editions, Abarth will be back at the
Bologna Motor Show for the third time since its recent
rebirth this week showing its current range with a
strong motor sports flavour as befits the Scorpion
brand, although there won't be any new features to
present as is the case right across the Fiat Group
Automobiles booths.
In the run up to the show
Abarth has announced healthy sales for its newest models
to date, with approximately 1,600 Abarth 500C and nearly
1,300 Abarth Punto Evo models having now been sold.
Since 2007 the brand has enjoyed continual growth, as
evidenced by sales of nearly 28,000 units for the Abarth
Grande Punto and Abarth 500 models in addition to
approximately 6,000 performance kits designed for the
two models. Abarth is also extending its dealer network
to other international markets such as Israel, Romania,
Cyprus, Lebanon, Finland and Australia.
The limited edition Abarth 695 “Tributo Ferrari” will be in the
spotlight - on display for the first time with Modena
Yellow livery - the fastest and highest performing
road-going 500 ever, arising out of joint venture
between Abarth and Ferrari, based on shared values that
include a passion for performance, a racing soul,
attention to detail and Italian style. This numbered and
limited special series has been marketed since July and
has notched up more than 600 orders; more than
half of which are from countries such as United Kingdom,
France and Germany.
There is also space for a Aci-Csai-Abarth Formula model
that this year took part in a championship reserved for
this single-seater made by Tatuus on a carbon fibre
body, an FTP Racing 1.4 Fire Turbo engine developing 180
HP based on the engine used in the Abarth 500 Trophy and
Sadev transmission with a sequential six-speed gearbox.
This Aci Csai and Abarth single seater trainer is
destined to hone the skills of talented young drivers
until 2014, serving as their career launch pad towards
the higher formulas. It is the heir to the Formula
Azzurra category that introduced the Csai "Young Drivers
Project" in 2005. In this sector too, Abarth boasts a
long tradition, dating back to the 1970s and 1980s, with
the Italia and Fiat Abarth formulas that made it
possible for drivers of the calibre of Michele Alboreto,
Riccardo Patrese and Alessandro Nannini to make their
names.
Bolstered by the success of the recent conversion kits
(one Abarth 500 out of three is converted using the
official kit), Abarth presented the new “esseesse” kits
for the Abarth 500C and Abarth Punto Evo at the Bologna
Motor Show. These are designed to improve their
performance, handling and safety without having to
renounce the car's low emission and fuel consumption
level. At the stand the public can admire a Punto Evo
“esseesse” and an Abarth 500C “esseesse” that perfectly
illustrate the spirit of Abarth tuning, encapsulating
practical elements and unassuming good looks: in
accordance with brand tradition and market requirements,
Abarth cars are a mix of sporty yet elegant looks and
safe driving experience yet always with sporty
performance levels.
The Punto Evo “esseesse” is in fact capable of 180 HP
with truly thrilling performance levels: maximum torque
of 270 Nm at 3000 rpm in sport mode, top speed of 216
km/h and acceleration from 0-100 km/h in just 7.5
seconds. On the other hand, the “esseesse” kit for the
500C turns the Scorpion-branded convertible into a
genuine open-topped sports car: 160 HP, maximum torque
of 230 Nm in sport mode, top speed of 209 km/h and
acceleration from 0-100 km/h in just 7.6 seconds.
The Abarth Punto Evo “esseesse” is exhibited with a
Campovolo Grey body, named after the airport, still
operational today, that is located opposite the
company's historic headquarters in Corso Marche, Turin.
This was where the young Karl Abarth used to buy paint
for his cars, the very same Campovolo grey shade used
for aircraft. In detail, the Abarth Punto Evo on show
combines this particular colour with an Abarth band in
the body shade and 18’’ alloys in a special white
“esseesse” design. Inside, the car features “Abarth
Corse by Sabelt” seats in black leather with a
distinctly sporty design and an Abarth Blue&MeTM MAP
satellite navigation system complete with telemetrics
developed with Magneti Marelli.
The Abarth 500C “esseesse” on the other hand, comes with
an elegant Campovolo grey and Pista grey two-tone livery
with a white chromatic liner, an element that divides
and at the same time combines the two souls of the car:
the elegance of a cabriolet above and the out-and-out
sporty performance of the “esseesse” kit below. The 500C
“esseesse” is exhibited with an original “Record Monza”
exhaust silencer (dual mode with variable back pressure)
that enhances the engine sound above 4000 rpm and, as on
the Punto Evo, with an Abarth Blue&MeTM MAP satellite
navigation system with telemetrics.
This year Abarth achieved important results in sports
activities as well, in both rallies and on the track in
Italy and Europe, as the victory of Luca Rossetti and
Matteo Chiarcossi aboard an Abarth Grande Punto S2000 in
the 2010 European Rally Championship exemplifies.
Rossetti also took the place of honour in the Italian
Championship Drivers classification, in which his team
mate Giandomenico Basso, paired with Mitia Dotta, came
in fourth. Again speaking of rallies, the first edition
of the Abarth 500-Selenia Trophy was raced with the
Abarth 500 in the R3T version in the limelight. The
absolute winner was the expert Roberto Vescovi, but a
large group of Under 25 drivers fought it out behind
him, and they took the most prestigious awards. Not
counting the large number of foreign drivers who raced
in their national championships behind the wheel of the
Abarth 500 R3T, personally prepared by Abarth for the
competitions.
Track activities have also met with great success. The
tried and tested single-make Abarth 500 Selenia Italia
and Abarth 500 Selenia Europe trophies, both won by
Nicola Baldan, have been joined this year by a
championship reserved for single-seater Formula
Aci-Csai-Abarth cars with the intention of allowing
young drivers to show their mettle at the wheel of a
experience-building single-seater car at an accessible
price. Divided into 7 events consisting of 2 races each
on Italy's leading race tracks, more than 40 drivers
competed in this championship. Many arriving from abroad
and all very young, they made the competitions highly
spectacular and hard-fought. For the record, the victory
went to Frenchman Brandon Maisano, 17, member of the
Ferrari Driver Academy, Ferrari's breeding ground.
Anticipation for the single-seater's debut in 2011 in
Europe as well with the Formula Abarth European Series
is high.
