When CAR had the regular Fiat 500C on test early in 2010, many people on the CAR team thoroughly enjoyed it (even though not many of the guys will admit to this). The car’s fun-to-drive character was a hit, especially with CAR editor, Hannes Oosthuizen. So, when the Abarth 500C rocked up at our offices for testing, I was more than happy to spend a weekend with this tuned version of a car that I already love.
Abarth has tuned this 1,4-litre 16-valve turbocharged petrol engine to push out 103 kW (4 kW more than the hard-top version) and 206 N.m of torque when in sport mode (180 N.m in Normal). Drive is sent to the front wheels via a five-speed manual transmission. Thanks to the short throws and sport driving mode (that makes the overboost function available), the 500C is quick off the mark. There’s a nice bit of oomph available at 3 000 r/min, enough to throw you back in your seat a bit. It makes overtaking a breeze. Fiat claims a zero to 100 km/h sprint time of 7,9 seconds for the fixed-roof Abarth 500.
The driving dynamics of this car are perhaps the best part. The fun factor is high and you can’t help but smile when you’re pushing it around a corner. It’s not exactly a hot hatch, but the taut steering (a little less so in normal mode) and small wheelbase makes the Abarth 500C a hoot to throw around. It’s easy to steer into corners and agile, too. This is helped by the torque-transfer control system which helps with torque transfer from wheel to wheel. The handling is not as precise as, let’s say, a Mini, but I’d much rather choose the Abarth. One main reason being that my kidneys stay firmly in place when the 500C goes over rough surfaces. I took the 500C over a rough gravel road (not by choice) this past weekend, and it the suspension felt compliant enough for me to know that those with dentures can be reassured that they won’t fall out.
When it comes to the styling, the telltale signs of this car’s performance potential come in the form of dual tail pipes (which gives it a cool-sounding rough exhaust note), red brake calipers, large front air intakes and the two inlets on either side of the bumper that allow for airflow to the intercoolers. The funky 16-inch alloys and scorpion Abarth logos dotted about also hint at what this 500C is capable of. The canvas-top isn’t obvious to passers-by. This is because it’s more of a large sunroof than a complete folding top. It can be activated at speeds of up to 60 km/h.
The Abarth 500C isn’t without its faults. When the roof is down, I found that rearward visibility was all but non-existent when using the rearview mirror. Also, there are some rattles that come from inside the cabin and I don’t think that the buttons to switch between songs on the audio face work. I tried on a few occasions, but couldn’t get it right.
But as a driver’s car, the Abarth 500C is really enjoyable. I couldn’t help but want to spend as much time in it as possible.
FAST FACTS:
Price: R255 000
Engine: 1,4-litre, 16-valve, turbocharged
Power: 103 kW at 5 000 r/min
Torque: 206 N.m at 3 000 r/min
0-100km/h: 7,9 seconds*
CO2: 151 g/km
Fuel economy: 6,5 litres/100 km*
*claimed figures