Car fanatics visiting the Geneva Motor Show this week will certainly do a double-take at the Abarth stand. There, they’ll find the Abarth 500C and the Abarth Punto Evo, both created out of a partnership with Fiat.
The 500C show car is a two-tone model with half painted white and the other half in black. The 103 kW 1,4-litre turbocharged engine produces up to 206 N.m of torque and is capable of hauling the car from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.1 seconds. This is still almost a second slower than the MINI Cooper S Convertible, however, fuel economy is much better than the Cooper, with the 500C using 6.5 l/100 km, versus the MINI’s 7.2 l/100km.
Right next to the 500C is the Punto Evo show car, in white with red accents, which sprints to 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds. It features a Garrett turbocharger mounted to the 1.4-litre Multiair engine, which now produces 119 kW and up to 250 N.m of torque. The ‘SS’ badged Punto Evo has an extra 12 kW. Exterior enhancements include a larger font bumper and a new rear bumper with space for twin exhaust pipes and a diffuser. The SS model also features better brakes and 18-inch wheels.
Customers in Europe and Japan will be the first to drive the new cars with South Africa and other world markets to follow around mid-year.
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