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The new Abarth 500C will cost from £17,500 OTR and the Abarth Punto Evo from £16,500 OTR, Fiat's UK arm announced. Both models will make their UK public debuts at this weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed, before going on sale in Britain from Saturday 17 July.The semi-convertible Abarth 500C is motivated by a 140HP 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which provides a top speed of 127mph and a 0-62mph (100km/h) time of 8.1 seconds, while returning 43mpg UK on the combined cycle.The feisty city car is equipped with seven airbags, xenon headlights, TTC (torque transfer control), parking sensors, Blue&Me hands-free telecommunications system, leather steering wheel and 16-inch alloy wheels plus a six-speed automated manual gearbox with paddle shifters, as standard.The facelifted Abarth Punto Evo is powered by a 165bhp 1.4-liter Turbo, which can accelerate the car from 0-62mph (100km/h) in 7.9 seconds, and on to a top speed of 132mph, while delivering more than 47mpg UK on the combined cycle.Standard equipment includes six airbags, TTC, Eco Gear Shift Indicator (EGSI), performance sport switch, Start&Stop tech, 17-inch alloy wheels and Blue&Me hands-free telecommunications system.
Fiat has rolled out the production version of its long-awaited two-cylinder gasoline engine family called TwinAir that's has been developed by FPT (Fiat Powertrain Technologies). The first car to receive the new turbocharged engine is the Fiat 500, in both three-door and convertible forms, with sales to begin from September, 2010.
The innovative 0.9-liter two-cylinder gasoline unit implements several technologies, including a small-sized turbine, start and stop and the firm's MultiAir electro-hydraulic valve management system that reduces fuel consumption and emissions by controlling air directly via the inlet valves, without using the throttle.Fiat says that compared with a medium-sized four-cylinder of equal performance, the new Twinair engine is significantly shorter (-23%) and lighter (-10%), while returning 30% lower fuel consumption.The new Twinair engine will eventually be offered in various flavors with power outputs ranging from 65 to 105 HP, while Fiat is also planning to present a hybrid variant pairing the two-cylinder gasoline unit with an electric engine.In the 500 and 500C, the 0.9-liter gasoline unit produces 85HP at 5,500 rpm and 145Nm of peak torque at 1,900 rpm. The Italian automaker claims that compared to the 1.2 8v, the new 85 HP turbo has 23% more power and a 30% better performance.Equipped with the 85HP 0.9-liter engine and a manual gearbox, the Fiat 500 reaches a top speed of 173 km/h (108mph) and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) in 11 seconds, while returning a combined fuel consumption of 4.1 lt/100km [equal to 57.4mpg US and 68.9mpg UK] with C02 emissions of just 95g/km.Those figures are further improved with Fiat's Dualogic robotised gearbox as the 500 returns 4.0lt/100km [equal to 58.8mpg US and 70.6mpg UK] with 92g/km of CO2.In addition, the Fiat 500 with TwinAir 85 HP and the Dualogic robotized gearbox will come equipped with an ECO button positioned on the dashboard allowing the driver to select from two modes, Normal and ECO. In the first mode, the engine delivers the maximum available torque (145 Nm) while steering assistance is set on normal.In ECO mode, the emphasis is on "eco-friendly" driving as torque is cut off to 100 Nm at 1,750 rpm to minimize consumption and promote a driving style more suitable for city traffic while the steering wheel is lighter (CITY mode is automatically selected).The new Twinair engine will be offered on other A- and B-segment Fiat Group models including the Panda and the Punto Evo.
Fiat has announced a new limited edition version of the 500 city car, which will go on sale across Europe (including Britain) in September. Called, appropriately enough, the 500 Blackjack, the special mini is decked out in a matte black finish with glossy black details such as the door handles, exterior mirrors, fog lamp surrounds and bumper trims. The car rides on 16-inch black alloy wheels with a red frame on the center, while some variants also get red brake calipers. The package also upgrades the interior with seats upholstered in red leather or alternatively, in black leather and fabric, unique trim and silver seams on the leather steering wheel and gear knob.The 500 Blackjack will be available with all engines in the range including the new TwinAir 85HP 0.9-liter two-cylinder turbo petrol. Prices in Italy start from €13,850.
Only 200 examples of the recently announced Fiat 500 BlackJack limited edition are in the... cards for the UK market. The matt black mini goes on sale next week and as with previous special edition 500s, the BlackJack will initially be available for order online through Fiat's official UK website.Aside from the individual paint job, the BlackJack edition also gets 16-inch alloy wheels in matt black with red detailing, a glossy black finish for the exterior accents such as the mouldings, door handles, mirrors and license plate holder, and red brake calipers (only 1.4L model). Fiat UK did not mention any changes for the interior, however, we assume the British market model will feature the same upgrades as the Italian version which include seats upholstered in black leather and fabric or, optionally, red leather, and silver trim."The paint finish is the most striking feature of this new limited edition," says Elena Bernardelli, marketing director, Fiat Group Automobiles UK and Ireland. "It has previously been a characteristic of new supercars, and gives the Fiat 500 a stunning new image. I am sure the BlackJack will be a huge hit with Fiat 500 fans."The 500 BlackJack will be offered in the UK with two engine options, a 1.2-liter petrol priced at £12,165 OTR, and a 1.4-liter petrol starting at £13,565 OTR.
