24.11.2010 STRONG MOTORSPORT FLAVOUR FOR ABARTH IN BOLOGNA

ABARTH RACING DAY 2010
ABARTH RACING DAY 2010
ABARTH RACING DAY 2010
ABARTH RACING DAY 2010
ABARTH RACING DAY 2010
ABARTH RACING DAY 2010
ABARTH RACING DAY 2010
ABARTH RACING DAY 2010
ABARTH RACING DAY 2010
ABARTH RACING DAY 2010

Last weekend more than 5,000 enthusiasts and around 1,200 Abarth road, race and rally cars took over the Varano de’ Melegari circuit for the end-of-season "Abarth Race Days 2010" event.

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.

 

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