We’ve seen a couple of hot examples of the Fiat 500 thanks to the in-house Abarth brand, but not one of them comes close to the extreme power figure from this new Pogea Racing Abarth 500.
The hot new model boasts a whopping 302 kW (yes, more than the 280 kW Mercedes-AMG A45) and 445 N.m of torque from its tiny 1,4-litre turbocharged petrol engine. How has Pogea Racing achieved this feat? By replacing almost every component in the engine and decreasing its compression ratio to 8.9:1.
The drivetrain and chassis have also been reworked to allow them to cope with all that extra power. A custom dual-clutch transmission, a reinforced front axle, uprated braking system and KW Clubsport suspension are just a few of the many upgrades made to the stonking little Abarth 500.
The result is a claimed 0-100 km/h time of 4,7 seconds and a top speed of 288 km/h. That sprint time, of course, can’t compete with the likes of the all-wheel-drive A45, chiefly since the tuned 500 retains its front-wheel-drive layout.
As you will no doubt have noticed, this little hyper hatch also benefits from some styling upgrades, including a carbon-fibre body kit (which adds 48 mm of width) comprising a new bonnet with air intakes, fresh front and rear bumpers, chunky side skirts, new mirror caps and a roof mounted spoiler.
Inside, you’ll find half-shell bucket seats, a fully reupholstered leather or Alcantara cabin and a decent sound system.
The Pogea Racing Abarth 500 starts at €58 500 (about R786 000), however, only five of these cars will be built…
