Fiat News: Fiat 500 Abarth Starting At $22,000

[William Maley]

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William Maley

Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

January 12, 2012

Fiat has announced pricing for the new 500 Abarth. The small hot hatch will begin at $22,000, plus a $700 destination charge. That’s a $4700 difference between this and lower end 500 Sport model, but you do get a lot for that extra coin.

The 500 Abarth comes with a modified version of Fiat’s 1.4L MultiAir Turbo engine, which delivers 160 HP and 170 lb-ft of torque. Other bits include a an Abarth-tuned suspension and brakes, tuned dual exhaust system, and 16-inch alloy wheels. Inside, the Abarth performance seats, accent stitching, Bluetooth connectivity and a Bose premium audio system with steering-wheel-mounted audio controls.

The $4700 difference also includes a one-day driving school taught by the Richard Petty Driving Experience.

Press Release is on Page 2

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FIAT Brand Announces U.S. Pricing for New 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth

• Starting at $22,000, the Fiat 500 Abarth unleashes legendary Italian performance onto American streets
  
• Designed for track-day enthusiasts and driving purists who want the ultimate high-performance small car at an attainable price
  
• Fiat 500 Abarth customers entitled to segment-exclusive, full-day Abarth Driving Experience
  

Auburn Hills, Mich. , Jan 11, 2012 - The FIAT brand today announced U.S. pricing for its new 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth. The starting U.S. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) is $22,000 (not including destination).

Faithful to the “small but wicked” saying coined for Karl Abarth’s cars in the 1960s, the Fiat 500 Abarth arrives to America with the racing traditions that have made it a success on European roadways and racetracks: world-class performance and precision, purposeful and aggressive styling, high power-to-weight ratio and limited production volume.

“The Fiat 500 Abarth feels like a double shot of espresso straight to your veins,” said Tim Kuniskis, Head of FIAT Brand for North America, Chrysler Group LLC. “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 race-inspired Fiat 500 Abarth comes standard with many performance features, including the all-new 1.4-liter MultiAir^® Turbo engine delivering 160 horsepower (119 kW) and 170 lb.-ft. (230 N•m) of torque, Abarth-tuned suspension, brake systems and dual exhaust, turbo-boost gauge with integrated LED shift light and 16-inch aluminum wheels.

Driver and passenger performance seats feature a one-piece design with large side bolsters, racing-harness pass-through and accent stitching. The Fiat 500 Abarth also comes standard with BLUE&ME™ Handsfree Communication, Bose premium audio system and steering-wheel-mounted audio controls.

Abarth Driving Experience for New Owners

Included in the price of each 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth is the opportunity for new owners to attend a segment-exclusive driving experience at no additional charge. The Abarth Driving Experience is an entire day of full-throttle training, guided by professional instructors from the Richard Petty Driving Experience to ensure fun and top-level instruction in a safe and structured setting.

“Seduction” Digital Spot Reaches Nearly 3 Million YouTube Views

The 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth and its digital spot titled “Seduction” made their debuts at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show. The 60-second social media spot promoting the 500 Abarth seduced more than 1 million YouTube viewers in its first week and now has reached nearly 3 million views. Without having ever been aired on television or cable networks, it has rapidly spread through the web and gained global attention.

It represents the unique characteristics of the Fiat 500 Abarth as a sensual and strikingly stunning model and takes a peek at what happens the first time a customer encounters the race-ready vehicle. The spot ends with a sexy and edgy message, “The Fiat 500 Abarth. You’ll never forget the first time you see one.”

The “Seduction” digital spot was created in partnership with The Richards Group and can be viewed at the FIAT brand’s YouTube site or via the following link: http://www.youtube.com/fiatusa

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[z28luvr01]

Should be an interesting cross-shop between this and the Cooper S.

If ever a car personified a little high-strung Italian like myself, the 500 Abarth is it.

[A Horse With No Name]

I still like the Cooper S better, but the little Abarth is cool!

[Drew Dowdell]

should be a fun little egg

[A Horse With No Name]

should be a fun little egg

Indeed...kind of interesting on how the Europeans are picking up on building fun, creative small cars, kind of where the Japanese seem to have left off awhile back.