By Raphael Orlove, Jalopnik
Fiat is milking a trend Porsche figured out long ago: When it comes to sporty cars with image, people will pay a whole lot more to get a whole lot less.
[partner id="jalopnik"]Abarth unveiled the Fiat Abarth 695 Competizione at Frankfurt auto show. It's a racier version of its tuned Fiat 500 series of cars. This is all part of Abarth's efforts to work its way into the reinvigorated-across-the-pond hardcore hot hatch segment.
“It’s phenomenal, and it’s coming to the U.S., probably in 2012,” Fiat chairman Sergio Marchionne said of the car, according to the New York Times. “It’s perfect for there, and we’ll build it there."
Oh hell yes.
Abarth makes its standard Abarth 500 into a pint-sized road racer with an uprated MultiAir engine with more than 180 horsepower, a paddle-shifted electromechanical transmission with "street" and "track" modes and a few components taken from its predecessor, the 695 Tributo Ferrari.
When you're at your next trackday, be sure to ask a 695 Competizione owner how the roll bar (which replaces the rear seat), 305mm Brembo brakes, valved exhaust and newly calibrated dampers have delicately improved the car's handling and road holding. If the owner can't explain any of that in detail, you have the right to bring the car to the Great Trackday Tribunal, where justice will be levied.
Time will tell if it ends up a nerdcore racer like the ugly/beautiful Megane R26.R or a limited-edition poseur like the Citroën DS3 Racing. But we are happy to see that the exclusive segment of stripped-down, high-speed road and track cars is extending to more affordable fare, like this little Abarth.
So what's it gonna run? Marchionne told the Times, "about 35,000 euros," which comes to $52,000.
You just lost us.
Photos: Peter Orosz/Jalopnik
