500 abarths, anyone know much about them?
Discussion
Ive got the Abarth Grande Punto as the 500 was just a little too small for me but I've sat in one at the dealerships where I bought my punto and asked a few questions. Theres a few guys on here that own 500's that seem to swear by them so might be worth posting in the Fiat/Alfa/Lancia area.
Standard one is about 135 horsepower but they do an uprated Esseesse version which has about 160, different suspension, different brakes and a few other tweaks. The esseesse rides harder than the standard version and if the standard 500 is anything like my standard GP then the ride isn't exactly soft at the best of times.
Performance wise I think is about 7 seconds to 60 and top speed around 130 which is definitely brisk if not 'fast'
Especially considering they are dinky little 1.4 turbo lumps which will do over 40mpg on the motorway (although I've had my GP down to 16mpg using the extremely fun 'sport' button on the dash!).
As I said, a bit too small for me as I have a drum kit to take to gigs so needed something a bit bigger but Abarth's are quite uncommon which is a definite plus for me. Abarth cabins are very nice places to be too with my GP and the 500 I sat in, having splashes of Alcantara about the place and just being generally comfortable. If it was me I would take the abarth but then again I'm biased! Hope that sheds a little light for you, someone will be along shortly to tell me I'm wrong but as I said, might be worth posting in fiat/Alfa/lancia area to try and get an owners account.
Cheers,
Tony
Standard one is about 135 horsepower but they do an uprated Esseesse version which has about 160, different suspension, different brakes and a few other tweaks. The esseesse rides harder than the standard version and if the standard 500 is anything like my standard GP then the ride isn't exactly soft at the best of times.
Performance wise I think is about 7 seconds to 60 and top speed around 130 which is definitely brisk if not 'fast'
Especially considering they are dinky little 1.4 turbo lumps which will do over 40mpg on the motorway (although I've had my GP down to 16mpg using the extremely fun 'sport' button on the dash!). As I said, a bit too small for me as I have a drum kit to take to gigs so needed something a bit bigger but Abarth's are quite uncommon which is a definite plus for me. Abarth cabins are very nice places to be too with my GP and the 500 I sat in, having splashes of Alcantara about the place and just being generally comfortable. If it was me I would take the abarth but then again I'm biased! Hope that sheds a little light for you, someone will be along shortly to tell me I'm wrong but as I said, might be worth posting in fiat/Alfa/lancia area to try and get an owners account.
Cheers,
Tony
Test drove one and looked into buying one. Great little cars, bit of turbo lag and torque steer but nothing too bad, scored very low on the other's half "wtf is that POS thing doing on the drive" gauge 
Spantney said:
Standard one is about 135 horsepower but they do an uprated Esseesse version which has about 160, different suspension, different brakes and a few other tweaks. The esseesse rides harder than the standard version and if the standard 500 is anything like my standard GP then the ride isn't exactly soft at the best of times.
Only thing I can add is that the Essesse kit can only be added after a certain period (2 years?) of car being built. There's a tuning box you can plug in (possibly TMC?) which will give around the same bhp but will invalidate your warranty.bicycleshorts said:
Only thing I can add is that the Essesse kit can only be added after a certain period (2 years?) of car being built. There's a tuning box you can plug in (possibly TMC?) which will give around the same bhp but will invalidate your warranty.
I believe the kit must be added within 12 months of purchase new, and the ECU will be checked to make sure it hasn't spent most of its (early) life in the red line.Alucidnation said:
bicycleshorts said:
Only thing I can add is that the Essesse kit can only be added after a certain period (2 years?) of car being built. There's a tuning box you can plug in (possibly TMC?) which will give around the same bhp but will invalidate your warranty.
I believe the kit must be added within 12 months of purchase new, and the ECU will be checked to make sure it hasn't spent most of its (early) life in the red line.I ran one for 14k miles / 10 months and really didn't gel with it at all.
It looks good, is well equipped, can get 50MPG but just never really felt fun. The ride I could cope with but the sterring feel was dire.
I let several others drive the car and tehy didn't complain though so maybe its just me....
Teocali said:
ITs 12months or 10,000 miles, and the part on the rev limiter is true.
I ran one for 14k miles / 10 months and really didn't gel with it at all.
It looks good, is well equipped, can get 50MPG but just never really felt fun. The ride I could cope with but the sterring feel was dire.
I let several others drive the car and tehy didn't complain though so maybe its just me....
Out of curiosity, how did it compare to your Sportka? That's what I bought instead of an Abarth.I ran one for 14k miles / 10 months and really didn't gel with it at all.
It looks good, is well equipped, can get 50MPG but just never really felt fun. The ride I could cope with but the sterring feel was dire.
I let several others drive the car and tehy didn't complain though so maybe its just me....
Yeah I know about the 12 month warranty thing with the Esseesse kits, its the same with the Puntos, cheers for bringing it up though. There are plenty of pre-Esseesse'd cars out there second hand if you do fancy one for the extra performance. As mentioned by a previous poster, you can get the TMC box too which brings the power up to Esseesse levels, thats what I'll be doing when my warranty expires in december
Interesting about the 12 month warrenty situation & the essesse kit.
I've got my eye on a little 500C abarth but it hasn't got the kit on unfortunately. I did ask about getting it fitted as part of a deal but it's over 12 months old unfortunately.
I'm not sure I could live with 130bhp unfortunately!
So are the semi-auto versions 160bhp as standard?
I've got my eye on a little 500C abarth but it hasn't got the kit on unfortunately. I did ask about getting it fitted as part of a deal but it's over 12 months old unfortunately.
I'm not sure I could live with 130bhp unfortunately!
So are the semi-auto versions 160bhp as standard?
LaurasOtherHalf said:
Interesting about the 12 month warrenty situation & the essesse kit.
I've got my eye on a little 500C abarth but it hasn't got the kit on unfortunately. I did ask about getting it fitted as part of a deal but it's over 12 months old unfortunately.
I'm not sure I could live with 130bhp unfortunately!
So are the semi-auto versions 160bhp as standard?
You can get the TMC box which is about £300 and will bring it up to Esseesse power levels, but as has been mentioned I believe that would invalidate your warranty. Not so much an issue on a car which is nearing 3 years old but if its only just over a year I wouldnt risk it. What sort of budget are you looking at? Cheers, Tony.I've got my eye on a little 500C abarth but it hasn't got the kit on unfortunately. I did ask about getting it fitted as part of a deal but it's over 12 months old unfortunately.
I'm not sure I could live with 130bhp unfortunately!
So are the semi-auto versions 160bhp as standard?
I love mine, had it for three years and I'm never selling it. Mine is a bit mad as it's hugely modified and should be pushing c. 300+ bhp at the flywheel when it's finally back from the latest round of mods and upgrades. I track mine pretty much exclusively these days and it's fabulous on the track, on the road it's just hilarious fun to drive. I have invested silly money in it but the smiles I get out of it make it worth every penny in my book.
The stock suspension on the road is a little compromised and really works better with a set of Bilstein coilovers. I run KW V3's on my car. They are great fun and as someone else said they drive like an old school hot hatch with a great revvy engine not the sanitised heavy flywheel experience you get in some other hot hatches.
Go to www.abarthforum.co.uk for more info on the cars.
The stock suspension on the road is a little compromised and really works better with a set of Bilstein coilovers. I run KW V3's on my car. They are great fun and as someone else said they drive like an old school hot hatch with a great revvy engine not the sanitised heavy flywheel experience you get in some other hot hatches.
Go to www.abarthforum.co.uk for more info on the cars.
Ordered this for Mrs K on Saturday, hoping to pick it up tomorrow.
She really wanted the baby blue TwinAir with free road tax but I was quite smitten by the Abarth. Asked the salesman if the ride was much firmer than our 500 so he threw over the key to one parked outside and said go out, enjoy it and make your mind up. I liked it.
She really wanted the baby blue TwinAir with free road tax but I was quite smitten by the Abarth. Asked the salesman if the ride was much firmer than our 500 so he threw over the key to one parked outside and said go out, enjoy it and make your mind up. I liked it.
rob.kellock said:
Ordered this for Mrs K on Saturday, hoping to pick it up tomorrow.
She really wanted the baby blue TwinAir with free road tax but I was quite smitten by the Abarth. Asked the salesman if the ride was much firmer than our 500 so he threw over the key to one parked outside and said go out, enjoy it and make your mind up. I liked it.
Well jell, as they say round here.She really wanted the baby blue TwinAir with free road tax but I was quite smitten by the Abarth. Asked the salesman if the ride was much firmer than our 500 so he threw over the key to one parked outside and said go out, enjoy it and make your mind up. I liked it.
The Crack Fox said:
The ride is a bit bouncy, and the rear can be easily unsettled when you chuck it about, but they're great fun on the hoof.
To this, I'd add that they're nippy but IMO a little 'plsaticy' inside, basic and you can tell it's not a luxury car.Might just be the one I used mind.
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