Fiat's official tuning brand, Abarth, has dropped the lid on its latest creation based on the 500C ahead of the convertible's world premiere at next week's Geneva Motor Show. Like its tin-topped counterpart, the Abarth 500C benefits from a more powerful turbocharged engine as well as chassis upgrades and a full suite of aero tweaks to reduce drag and improve high-speed stability over the standard Fiat 500C.
Motivation comes from a 1.4-liter turbocharged T-Jet engine delivering 140 horsepower and 206Nm of peak torque at 2,000 rpm. Power is transferred to the front wheels through a standard six-speed automated manual gearbox with paddle shifters.
The Abarth-ized 500C can sprint from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in 8.1 seconds and reach a maximum speed of 205km/h or 127mph, while returning an average fuel consumption in the combined cycle of 6.5lt/100km, or the U.S. equal of 36.2mpg.
The Italian company said that it is also working on a more powerful "Esseesse" model that will be available later this year.
