Auto car sports

If you feel the regular Abarth 500C could benefit from a few more ponies under the hood, Fiat's performance division has the answer in the form of the Esseesse edition. The tuning package bumps output of the standard 1.4-liter turbocharged engine from 140HP and 206Nm to 160HP and 230Nm, respectively. As a result, the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) drops 0.6 seconds to 7.5 seconds, while top speed increases from 205km/h to 209km/h (130mph). The scorpion-branded version of Fiat's 500 rag-top convertible that was shown in Paris featured a two-tone paint job with a white chromatic line separating the two colors, and came fitted with a Record Monza exhaust silencer and unique 17-inch alloys with 5 diamond shaped spokes. _______________________________ GALLERY _______________________________

Fiat's Abarth division is expanding its range with the launch of the esseesse tuning kits for the new Abarth 500C (convertible) and Abarth Punto Evo models at this month's Paris Auto Show . While Abarth is withholding most details on the "esseesse" packages that are designed improve the cars' performance, handling and styling, the Italian company did release info on the power upgrades. With this kit, the scorpion-branded 500 convertible's 1.4-liter turbocharged engine delivers 160HP and a peak torque of 230Nm (170 lb-ft), up from the standard car's 140HP and 206Nm. Acceleration from 0-100 km/h (62mph) drops from 8.1 seconds to 7.5 seconds, while top speed increases from 205km/h to 209km/h (130mph). Output in the tuned Punto Evo "esseesse" is increased from 165HP and 250Nm to 180HP and 270Nm (184 lb-ft) at 3000 rpm. As a result, the 0-100km/h sprint is reduced from 7.9 seconds to 7.5 seconds, and top speed goes up to 216km/h (134mph). The 'e...

One of the perks of being an F1 driver for an automaker is that you get a lot of free stuff, including cars - not because white collar execs love you, but because they want to milk every single ounce of fame out of you. In the case of human billboards Ferrari team drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, aside from those lovely gas station employee-like hats and polos, they also get their pick of cars from the Fiat Group. This time, Alonso and Massa were handed over the keys of two Fiat 500-based Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari special edition models finished in Scuderia red with Racing grey details. The limited special series Abarth model is powered a 1.4-liter force-fed four-cylinder engine tuned to develop 180HP, and comes with a bevy of goodies including carbon fibre parts, body hugging bucket seats from Sabelt, four-pot Brembo discs and unique 17-inch Corsa Grey alloy wheels. On sale in Europe since July, Abarth has already notched up more than 600 orders, more than half of which are...