One of the most fun modern cars I have ever driven is the Fiat 500 Abarth. My Pick of the Day is one of these cars, a 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in St. Louis. The car I drove not only looked cool, it also sounded cool, was fast enough to be more than entertaining, and (despite their size) they are quite roomy—even for drivers over six feet tall. In addition, the awesome Italian DNA is there, with Italian design, great chassis engineering, and one of the best exhaust notes ever. If that wasn’t enough, the Fiat 500 Abarth had the best car ad campaign I have seen in decades. The TV commercials were so good I immediately wanted to run out and buy one. I have not done so yet, but the 500 Abarth is on the top of my list.
The dealer describes this 500 Abarth as an original 79k mile car that is in excellent condition. The car is finished in Nero paint with Red Abarth side stripes. The 500 Abarth is also equipped with the Safety and Convenience Packages and factory 17-inch forged aluminum Hyper Black wheels. The exterior of the car looks to be in great shape and in original condition with no add-ons.
The interior is equipped with optional Nero leather, which also looks to be in great shape with no noticeable wear. As a bonus, this is a manual transmission-equipped 500 Abarth, making it all the more fun to drive on a twisty road, thankfully with a great limited-slip differential.
Under the hood is the Abarth-tuned 1.4L 16v MultiAir® Turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine which has 160 horsepower at 5500 rpm, with torque is rated at 170 lb-ft/2500 rpm. These might not sound like astronomical numbers today, but it’s enough to propel the 500 Abarth from 0-60 in 6.8 seconds. That may not sound fast but, from behind the wheel, it feels more like you are driving a supercar. This car has also been modified with a K&N air filter and an ECU tune, which is likely to give it a bit more acceleration. The top speed of the 500 Abarth is only 130 mph, but you honestly do not want to travel any faster in a car as small as this one.
This 2012 Fiat Abarth is from the launch year of a car that I honestly feel is going to get to be more collectible in the future, as they were discontinued a few years ago and good ones are becoming harder to find. It is an alternative to a Mini Cooper S and, to me, offers a lot more fun for the dollar while having all the Italian-designed goodness that makes people swoon over Ferraris, but in a much smaller and affordable package. Don’t just take my word for it—Ben Timmons at Motor Trend said, “I can’t recall the last time I had this much fun with a press car,” and Tony Swan at Car and Driver described the handling stating that the “Abarth attacks corners like a terrier working a roomful of rats.” Yes, the car really is this good, and I think the asking price for this 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth of only $8,960 represents a great value.
The 500 Abarth is to Ferrari what the JCW Mini Cooper is to BMW M cars. A great value for an Italian car that is fun to drive and affordable to buy and keep. It is the definition of a car batting above its average, and my advice is to get one now before everyone else figures this out.
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