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The 500 Abarth, which for the North American
markets will be built alongside the 500 and
500C at the Chrysler Group’s factory at
Toluca in Mexico, comes fitted with the same
1.4-litre MultiAir-equipped turbo engine as
the recently-unveiled Dodge Dart, delivering
160 hp (119 kW) and 170 lb/ft (230 Nm) of
torque. |
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Fiat
North America has announced that the 500 Abarth will
start at US$22,000 (excluding a US$700 destination
charge) when it arrives on sale at dealerships
Stateside.
Fiat is hoping that the Abarth version can kick start
flagging sales of the 500 in North America after a
disastrously-managed launch of the brand. It is hoped
the high-performance version can help reposition the 500
and sell it to a wider audience, after a marketing
campaign which focused on a female audience predictably
succeeded in pigeonholing the car.
Setting pricing at US$22,000 is pretty much in the
ballpark where Fiat was expected to price the Abarth
version. It does, however, leave it facing bigger and
better-equipped rivals which it will have to win over
with its attributes. The standard 500 starts at
US$15,500, also excluding destination, taxes, title and
registration fees, and its pricing has been regarded as
one of the numerous stumbling blocks to its success.
Significantly, the 500 Abarth will comfortably
undershoot the entry-level Mini Cooper S, which starts
at US$24,300. However, it pitches itself into a price
bracket where it faces bigger and perhaps more rounded
alternatives. The Volkswagen GTI, which is equipped with
a 2.0-litre, 200 hp TSI engine and 6-speed manual
transmission (as opposed to the 500 Abarth’s 160
horsepower and 5-speed combination) starts at just under
$24,000, and offers all the practical features of a
larger car, a genuine boot, and comes from a more
upmarket brand. Hyundai's new Veloster Turbo is another
likely tug on potential buyer; pricing of the Korean car
hasn't been announced yet but it will start above the
500 Abarth.
However, Chrysler Group is positive that the pricing
will be competitive. “The Fiat 500 Abarth feels like a
double shot of espresso straight to your veins,”
believes Tim Kuniskis, the recently-appointed head of
Fiat North America. “With its wicked
attitude, it will reward adrenaline fans who no longer
need to pay six figures to feel the rush of true Italian
performance.”
The 500 Abarth, which for the North American markets
will be built alongside the 500 and 500C at the Chrysler
Group’s factory at Toluca in Mexico, comes fitted with
the same 1.4-litre MultiAir-equipped turbo engine as the
recently-unveiled Dodge Dart, delivering 160 hp (119 kW)
and 170 lb/ft (230 Nm) of torque. Unlike in Europe, the
500 Abarth on this market will carry the Fiat name and
will be sold through Fiat's network of showrooms. Standard equipment
includes Abarth-tuned suspension, brake systems and dual
exhaust, turbo-boost gauge with integrated LED shift
light, and 16-inch alloy wheels. Inside, the equipment
list also features Blue&Me handsfree communication, Bose
premium audio system, and steering-wheel-mounted audio
controls.
While the advertising campaign for the 500 and 500C,
which saw Fiat hiring actress and singer Jennifer Lopez
to be the face of the Italian supermini, spectacularly
backfired, the company has had much more success with
its first online commercial in the build-up to the North
American arrival of the new 500 Abarth. Called
‘Seduction’, this 60-second digital spot racked up more
than 1 million YouTube views in its first week and has
now reached nearly three million hits. The Fiat 500
Abarth made its Stateside debut at last year’s Los
Angeles Auto Show.
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