2012 Fiat 500 Abarth Hatchback 2-door 1.4l on 2040-cars

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Fiat 500 Abarth appears in its fastest form yet

Fiat ended the Abarth-trained 500's career in the United States, but the fun-sized hot hatch is still around in Europe. It just spawned a new limited-edition model named 695 EsseEsse that's lighter and quicker than the production car. Offered exclusively as a hatchback, the 695 EsseEsse wears a redesigned hood that weighs 25% less than the standard car's because it's made out of aluminum instead of steel. If you're taking notes for a car-spotting trip to Italy, keep in mind the new-look panel features a pair of domes not found on the standard 695. Out back, the EsseEsse inherits a sizeable spoiler from the 70th Anniversary model whose angle can be manually adjusted from 0 to 60 degrees. When set to 60 degrees, the wing provides up to 93 pounds of additional downforce. Abarth made no major mechanical modifications to the 695, so power comes from a turbocharged, 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine tuned to develop 180 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. It spins the front wheels via a five-speed manual transmission operated with a carbon fiber shift knob, and it exhales through an Akrapovic exhaust system that's lighter than the unit fitted to the standard 695. We're told it sounds better on and off the track, too. Hitting 62 mph from a stop takes 6.7 seconds, and Abarth quotes a top speed of 140 mph when the rear wing is set to 0 degrees. Koni shock absorbers ensure the EsseEsse is just as thrilling on a twisty road as it is in a straight line. Abarth will make 1,390 units of the 695 EsseEsse, and production will be split evenly between Scorpion Black (pictured) and Campovolo Gray. Pricing hasn't been announced yet, but it's of little interest to American enthusiasts because nothing suggests the 500 and its Abarth-tuned derivative will make a comeback in the United States. What's in a name? Rewind to 1964, when the 500 used a rear-mounted air-cooled engine and Abarth operated as a tuner rather than as a sub-brand. It transformed the tiny 500 into a sports car by increasing the two-cylinder's displacement to 690 cubic centimeters (42.1 cubic inches) and fitting it with wider wheel arches, among other modifications. The end result was a 38-horsepower pocket rocket capable of reaching 87 mph, an unbelievable speed at the time.  Abarth named its creation 695 SS, and it wrote out the acronym on the engine cover instead of using the two letters. It's like if Chevrolet had fitted "Impala EssEss" badges to the Impala SS. Production was capped at 1,000 units.

Fiat thinks big with new pickup for global markets

Fiat is thinking small in the United States, it will soon discontinue the 500X and bring the tiny 500e EV to our shores, but its global range will continue to include bigger models. One of its not-so-city-friendly vehicles is a medium-sized body-on-frame truck announced for Brazil. Official details about the pickup are few and far between, we don't even know what it will be called yet, but a preview image released by the company's Italian division reveals familiar styling cues. The grille, the shape of the headlights, and the kink in the beltline remind us of the Peugeot Landtrek, a body-on-frame truck designed jointly with Chinese carmaker Chang'an and sold in some global markets since 2019. Fiat hasn't confirmed that its upcoming truck is Peugeot-based but borrowing the Landtrek's platform would make sense: the two companies both live under the Stellantis umbrella. And, the Landtrek is largely sold in countries that Peugeot has historically been strong in, such as certain African nations, but it's not available in Brazil, where Fiat dominates a pickup segment growing at a surprisingly quick rate. The firm claims that its Strada, a small car-derived model that makes the Ford Maverick look a little big-boned, is the best-selling pickup in Brazil. Additional details about Fiat's next truck will emerge in the coming months. When it lands, it will join the aforementioned Strada and a unibody, Jeep Renegade-derived model called Toro in showrooms. Nothing suggests the pickup will be sold in the United States and it may not turn a wheel in Fiat's home country, where the company hasn't sold a truck since the Mitsubishi L200-derived Fullback retired in 2019. Related Video This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Fiat Truck Future Vehicles

Ford Expedition, F-150 Limited and Cadillac V Series | Autoblog Podcast #583

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski and Assistant Editor Zac Palmer. First, they talk about the cars they've been driving, including the Ford Expedition, Ford F-150 Limited and the Mini Cooper JCW Knights Edition. Then they discuss the news, including Ian Callum stepping down from Jaguar, Cadillac's V cars and the latest in the saga between FCA and Renault. Autoblog Podcast #583 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving: Ford Expedition Ford F-150 Limited Mini Cooper JCW Knights Edition Ian Callum resigns from Jaguar Cadillac V FCA backs down from Renault merger talks Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: