Debuted at the Concorso Italiano in Monterey, California, Fiat has shown off their first Fiat 500 Turbo model. The new car is meant to act as a go-between for the standard Fiat 500 and the hot, mad and scorpion clad Abarth.
The Fiat 500 Turbo gets a more an aggressive front fascia and rear bumper, (that brings the Abarth to mind anyway if we’re honest) as well as some revised side skirts and 16-inch alloy wheels. The new rear diffuser hides some chromed tailpipes, a tailgate-mounted spoiler and a rorty sports exhaust note to go with those chromed tips.
Underneath the diminutive bonnet lies the turbo-charged 1.4-litre MultiAir engine from the Fiat Punto. It produces 101 kW and 203 Nm of torque. That is a 25 kW and 70 Nm gain over the standard, none turbo 1.4 model. A 5-speed manual transmission is the transmission of choice, and rightly so. The 500 Turbo also receives a slightly sports tuned suspension, lower front control arms for more rigidity, larger 280 mm ventilated front brake discs for better stopping power and a tweaked power steering system for improved steering response and driving enjoyment.
The interior changes are more limited, which is no surprise considering how tiny the cabin is already, but they do include some sports seats, a different gear knob and a revised steering wheel with silver stitching. “We listened to our customers,” said Tim Kuniskis, Head of FIAT North America. “The new Fiat 500 Turbo is the answer to all the fans that loved the style of our Cinquecento but wanted more power and performance for their daily drive. The Fiat 500 Turbo hits the sweet spot between the regular Cinquecento and the high-performance Fiat 500 Abarth.”
Pricing is set 10% less than the Abarth model. We hope the Fiat 500 Turbo will be making an appearance locally sometime soon too.
