Abarth in the South of France
Discussion
Hello All,
Have just got back from a few days playing with the 500SS in the South of France - I'd planned to take the Exige S down there, but hadn't planned on the amount of luggage we carry - the Abarth packed it all in with room to spare & proved to be just as much fun on the twisty mountain roads - here are a few pics:
On the drive Friday night:
On the road Saturday afternoon:
;D
Have just got back from a few days playing with the 500SS in the South of France - I'd planned to take the Exige S down there, but hadn't planned on the amount of luggage we carry - the Abarth packed it all in with room to spare & proved to be just as much fun on the twisty mountain roads - here are a few pics:
On the drive Friday night:
On the road Saturday afternoon:
;D
Those Abarths really eat up the corners too, I was so impressed by one when I went on a Euro driving trip this summer.dannytherev said:
Very nice how does it compare to the VTS only ask as I have one myself and I'm very happy with mine suprised a few people with its cornering ability
Hey Danny,The Abarth and the VTS are very different cars given the price differential in this type of car and the BHP/normally asp. vs turbocharged engines.
The Abarth has a wow factor about it that still has me out polishing it every other weekend, but I prefer the VTS for its driving position and strangely the feel of the steering wheel / location of gear lever (yeh ok - I'd never make it as a car reviewer). I think the feel of the VTS steering in general is also better, more driven by the strange Abarth set-up (you have a base settings - who uses that? - and then a sport setting, that firms everything up, but feels a little too electronic). You really feel in the VTS that you're connected to everything in the direction department.
The VTS does start to feel as though it's straining at higher speeds/revs, whereas the Abarth feels strong at higher speeds, but for the city commute I love the VTS.
VTS is going shortly, so the Abarth comes into daily service - will be interesting to get a "daily" comparison between the two.
i remember said:
Is that a f
king massive bag of dog food in the boot there?
Sure is - the place we've got has a local stray dog that lives in one of the barns in the hamlet. My wife insists on feeding him every time we're down there - I think we spent more time choosing the food for the dog than we did for ourselves - he's named Elvis:king massive bag of dog food in the boot there?
nismo48 said:
Well can you answer my question please..??
]Dont you just love some people, sod off will you!!!
Amazing pictures of a wonderful little car, am I write in say this is knocking out 155 BHP. I'm heading down there in couple of weeks but unfortunately i'm not taking my Cooper S which I would just love to do......
I'm just jealous really..Everytime i've tried it on my plate the law have stopped me..!!!
I don't think nismo gets out much.
L100NYY said:
duggan said:
nismo48 said:
Well can you answer my question please..??
Why are you so bothered? It's hardly the crime of the century and I think it suits the car....Ok will do..you crawl back under that rock first..!!
Dont you just love some people, sod off will you!!!
Amazing pictures of a wonderful little car, am I write in say this is knocking out 155 BHP. I'm heading down there in couple of weeks but unfortunately i'm not taking my Cooper S which I would just love to do......
Nick_Johnson said:
nismo48 said:
Well can you answer my question please..??
]Dont you just love some people, sod off will you!!!
Amazing pictures of a wonderful little car, am I write in say this is knocking out 155 BHP. I'm heading down there in couple of weeks but unfortunately i'm not taking my Cooper S which I would just love to do......
Scottyb28 said:
Awesome car, planning a european holiday for next year, how long does it take you to get to the south of france?
Not decided on what car to use for the trip, the Abarth is one car we agree would be great fun just hope i can afford one next year
We stayed just outside Poitiers on the first night - we arrived in France at around 1000hrs local time and the a blast down the Autoroutes to the Hotel. Set of next morning early and was down at our place by mid afternoon - the relaxing way to do it. Not decided on what car to use for the trip, the Abarth is one car we agree would be great fun just hope i can afford one next year
You *could* blast down there in a day - I had an S1 Exige a few years back that we drove overnight setting off at 1600hrs and arriving back in London at 1000hrs the next day (had to hang around at the Eurotunnel for it to open!) - but it takes the fun out of the journey.
Re the Abarth - the SS kit lifts the BHP to 158 and also add's different springs (reduces ride height + stiffness), different brake discs, remap + the wheels - it was running at about 34mpg on the way down - lovely but of kit - as I mentioned, it just feels special in it's own way!
Excellent! I bet that was a right hoot in the South of France. I went there last month but sadly hired a car instead of taking mine and it turned out to be a *cough* Matiz :-( all the time I was there all I could think was "why have I been granted such an awful car on such brilliant roads".
duggan said:
dannytherev said:
Very nice how does it compare to the VTS only ask as I have one myself and I'm very happy with mine suprised a few people with its cornering ability
Hey Danny,The Abarth and the VTS are very different cars given the price differential in this type of car and the BHP/normally asp. vs turbocharged engines.
You really feel in the VTS that you're connected to everything in the direction department.
but for the city commute I love the VTS.
VTS is going shortly, so the Abarth comes into daily service - will be interesting to get a "daily" comparison between the two.
I am thinking of getting some engine work done soon so it should be pretty quick then, first M.O.T. next month so will get cracking then I think
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