Thursday 17th June 2010

Hotter Abarth 500C And Punto Evos On The Way

New Esseesse versions will follow latest Abarth launches

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The new 500C Abarth from Fiat

Hotter Esseesse versions of both the new Punto Evo Abarth and 500C Abarth will be launched in November, hard on the heels of the new models arriving in the UK this summer.

According to Autocar, the Punto Evo Esseesse will be upgraded from 163bhp to around 180bhp, while the Esseesse version of the 500C will be boosted from 138bhp to 157bhp, as per the 500 hatchback.

Meanwhile Fiat has released a couple of new videos of the Abarth 500C and Abarth Punto Evo in action. (See below.) "The new Abarth Punto Evo aims to win an even bigger place in the hearts of young enthusiasts," it says, "continuing the work begun with the Grande Punto, which is bought mostly by customers aged between 18 and 30."

"The Abarth 500C is distinguished by its elegance and dynamism, while the Abarth spirit lives on in its sporting features," the blurb continues. "The new open-topped car with its reworked engineering also represents a strategic choice by Abarth: this model was also produced to appeal to women customers who seek design and elegance but also appreciate the performance of a true sports car."

PH is pencilled-in to drive the new Abarth 500C in gritty Yorkshire next month, where naturally we're looking forward to getting in touch with our feminine side!

Video: Fiat Abarth 500C

Video: Fiat Punto Evo Abarth

[bencollins]

Does look quite nice in two tone, anybody test driven one? can you see out of the back rear view mirror wise? top down obviously

[B10]

Why does the hardtop Abarth come with a manual and the 500C version a flappy gearbox. Shame that both manual and flappy are not available on both cars.

[RB Will]

If that is the best videos they can come up wit I wouldn't buy the cars. Also that Punto looks bloody awful now with the black dummy in its mouth.

[Exoticaholic]

bencollins said:

Does look quite nice in two tone, anybody test driven one? can you see out of the back rear view mirror wise? top down obviously

I have put down a deposit on one. My dealer told he they are expecting their demo car in last week of June, or first week of July.

There are two two-tone combinations; black and white as per pictures and dark grey/light grey.

Single colours are available as well.

[robsco]

Lovely. The Puntos especially look fabulous when Abarth'd up.

[Beefmeister]

Autocar have driven the 500C Abarth already:

http://www.autocar.co.uk/CarReviews/FirstDrives/Fi...

[paradad]

What was that awful noise in the background??????????????????? I would have prefered to have heard the sound these cars make!!!!

[SDxsi]

paradad said:

What was that awful noise in the background??????????????????? I would have prefered to have heard the sound these cars make!!!!

I was thinking the same thing?? Sci-fi added to Fiats to make them look better? I think not.

[Papa Hotel]

Dammit, the Punto Evo still has a fugly face. Shame, it was gorgeous to start with.

[poing]

I thought the 500 Abarth SS already had 158bhp??

[Somnophore]

poing said:

I thought the 500 Abarth SS already had 158bhp??

exactly what I was thinking!

[whythem]

anybody know where that road was?

[AbarthChris]

Somnophore said:

poing said:

I thought the 500 Abarth SS already had 158bhp??

exactly what I was thinking!

It does in hatch form, the C version has 138bhp

It says that in the article!

[PascalBuyens]

Thanks FIAT for redefining "boring video" for me....

[Benjman]

bencollins said:

Does look quite nice in two tone, anybody test driven one? can you see out of the back rear view mirror wise? top down obviously

This is the italian way of driving. Who cares what's behind the car

[poing]

AbarthChris said:

Somnophore said:

poing said:

I thought the 500 Abarth SS already had 158bhp??

exactly what I was thinking!

It does in hatch form, the C version has 138bhp

It says that in the article!

The articles are not always 100% correct

So the SS version of the 500C doesn't normally have the extra power? Didn't know that, although I can see why because it's less likely to be bought for the performance but I just assumed the SS pack was the same for all 500 versions.

I guess it is now

[LuS1fer]

What does it look like in legal form ie with see-through front screen and side windows. Ah, like a normal one...

[MattjK]

I think the Punto is a gorgeous little car. I really want to love it, but I always find myself walking on past the Fiat garage. I think it's a combination of little niggly things about the brand, the reliability, the price and the gearbox. To be honest, it's mostly the gearbox.

[Papa Hotel]

MattjK said:

I think the Punto is a gorgeous little car. I really want to love it, but I always find myself walking on past the Fiat garage. I think it's a combination of little niggly things about the brand, the reliability, the price and the gearbox. To be honest, it's mostly the gearbox.

take one out for a drive. I don't think the gearchange will give you a stiffy but it won't break, the Stilo is dead.

[frosted]

The ds3 looks better than both