Fiat 500 abarth dissapointment

[Matt Bodycombe]

Always had a soft spot for small FIATs. I have heard the most fun version is the 875 cc twinair. Not the fastest and there have been criticisms of its economy. However the engine is nippy, sounds good when pushed and the light engine sharpens up the handling.

[J242]

Anyone remember the phrase 'I took him like a King'?

Ahh, memories of Mil and his mighty Mustang slaying Fabia.

I also hear that a Fabia can beat an M3......

Anyone remember the phrase 'I took him like a King'?

Ahh, memories of Mil and his mighty Mustang slaying Fabia.

I also hear that a Fabia can beat an M3......

pfft. my felicia does 300 miles an hour in first gear. drove it to the moon yesterday!

[ickleginge]

I have heard the most fun version is the 875 cc twinair.

Just trust me when I say

[Phil-E]

Just trust me when I say

Lol. It's a cracking engine in terms of it's design and technology but is not the smoothest. They fitted them with a DMF to smooth out some of the vibrations.

The internet is awash with poor fuel economy and people getting nowhere near the claimed figures (completely way off).

I think there is even some legal action taking place about it.

Phil

[cheezemonkhai]

Anyone remember the phrase 'I took him like a King'?

Ahh, memories of Mil and his mighty Mustang slaying Fabia.

I also hear that a Fabia can beat an M3......

I mean if the vRS beat the 500, imagine what a 2.0 would have done?

[Phil-E]

I mean if the vRS beat the 500, imagine what a 2.0 would have done?

Used more fuel?

[Matt Bodycombe]

@Phillje: I think part of the fuel economy issue is that people are driving the twinair too hard. Apparently it encourages hard driving and sounds like it is turning over slower than it actually is so people are booting it hard. Steve Cropley is running a Panda Twinair long termer at Autocar and is getting over 50mpg but says you have to drive for it. He also says it is very much a "marmite" engine but he loves it.

Edited 16 November, 2012 by Matt Bodycombe

[cheezemonkhai]

Used more fuel?

No, taken them both like a king and the veyron that was on the road too. Duuh I mean obviously a 2.0 Fabia will slaughter everything else on the road.

Back OT, the MK1 fabia vRS in stock format is not particularly fast and handles like a plate of jelly. It's steering is weak too.

While it might be quite quick in a straight line, if you put a corner near it, it'll run crying unless some serious suspension upgrades have been carried out.

There is no way a man in an abarth was trying if you pulled away as if he wasn't.

Even the basic one is 133bhp and 1035kg or about 129 bhp per tonne

The Essesse is 155bhp and 1035kg or about 150bhp per tonne

The Abarth Assetto Corse is 190bhp and 930kg or about 203 bhp per ton

By contrast the Fabia vRS is 130bp and 1315kg or about 99 bhp per tonne.

Add the handling and the fabia is further behind if there was a corner or a few.

So if you've had a good remap or more and spent a good amount of money on the suspension and handling mods, then fine, but otherwise it's unlikely.

More importantly, why does it matter if you're faster than a 500?

Edited 16 November, 2012 by cheezemonkhai

[andypandypoos]

I wouldn't say a stock PD130 anything is actually quite quick in a straight line

[skinnyman]

I mean if the vRS beat the 500, imagine what a 2.0 would have done?

Warped time and space I would have thought.

More importantly, why does it matter if you're faster than a 500?

As Mr Heaton sang, 'There's always someone with a faster cart'.

[Ootohere]

Can i ask just out of interest since the title has 'Fiat 500 Abarth' in it.

Was it a Soft Top one which will have had the Autobox?

I took one for a drive and it was fantastic fun, 30 mph really felt so much more & 70 mph was great fun.

All speeds actually felt super dooper, certainly not a disappointment.

Fun to drive is fun IMO.

(i was very much in touch with my feminine side that day i think.)

So glad i had no hooligans attempting to not race me.

george

[cheezemonkhai]

Can i ask just out of interest since the title has 'Fiat 500 Abarth' in it.

Was it a Soft Top one which will have had the Autobox?

I took one for a drive and it was fantastic fun, 30 mph really felt so much more & 70 mph was great fun.

All speeds actually felt super dooper, certainly not a disappointment.

Fun to drive is fun IMO.

(i was very much in touch with my feminine side that day i think.)

So glad i had no hooligans attempting to not race me.

george

I have to say the mini one is so much more fun to drive than many faster cars.

As you've said, because it handles well and you have to work it a little, you just feel like you're connected with the car/road and it's a great experience.

Fast and isolated is nowhere near as much fun.

I wouldn't say a stock PD130 anything is actually quite quick in a straight line

I was being polite.

[Phil-E]

I think what often happens when you're bimbling along in a PD130 and want to get moving you get that big lump of torque and it moves without having to really try or change down etc and feels quick. For other drivers of cars like the 500 Abarth to get moving quicker than you it takes a bit more dedication and a couple of down changes to get the engine revving and get the power due to the (relatively) low torque (152lb ft vs 230lb ft).

The only real way you would beat one is on an endurance run where they would need to stop for fuel more often (35 litre tank doing at best 40mpg)!

They are also paying more (probably) for their insruance (group 27).

What's interesting is they both have the same rated top speed of 128mph. Not that it means much... I've had a GPS speed of 138mph out of mine (standard).

Phil