I see the regular Fiat 500s here all the time and they're TINY.

TINY.

I'd love to borrow one for a day and beat the snot out of it, but as a daily driver they're not much use to me. I guess if I was single i'd think about getting one as a weekend car.

I also have concerns about reliability but I have no facts to back that up.

 

i think it looks like the bastard child of a mini cooper and a vw bug whore, but follow your hearts desire! speaking of reliability, you know what fiat stands for don't you? Fix It Again Tony. lol its just a joke don't eat me.

 

I hate farting cars...doesn't even seem to idle properly...


Can't find a translation from Italian...maybe it is spelled Abarf...

 

Fix It Again Tomorrow.... For 500 days!!!!

 

I'd feel safer in a Carnival ride bumper car than that little egg..

 

the fit isnt at all safer than the fiat...you know that right?

i love the fit dont get me wrong but im dieing for more aftermarket options and they just arent happening. this car(abarth) has a HUGE following and has a million performance options from a million different high quality companies. the fit is fun in the twisty bits but it doesnt look like the fit (ge8 specifically) is gaining any type of ground when it comes to horsepower. a tuning solution for the fit would make me think twice....and lets be honest if the fit came with a two door turbo option how many of you would be in one right now?

the abarth gets unveiled tomorrow so keep a look out.

 

i've seen a few here in NY also, and they are tiny, but I like the style. My wife was seriously considering buying one to replace her 10 year old VW Beetle, however, when we looked into one, we noticed the manufacturer recommends using Premium Unleaded......and that put the kabosh on that...lol....with gas prices being so high in NY already. Premium gas for such a small engine.....If I had to use premium gas on such a small car, I'd rather get a mini-cooper.....

 

Leno liked it. He's a big boy.

I'd absolutely be looking at either the regular 500 or the Abarth if I were looking for a two door stick (the auto's don't perform well).

Fiat's reputation here is derived from when they were imported in the 60s and 70s. The cars were not well designed for Americans' driving habits and roads, but for what they were they were good cars.

I drove Fiats in France for an extended time in the 90s. They were nice cars, that performed well and reliably on Europe's autoroutes, autostrada, autobahns (think fast smooth roads).

Fiat (according to the video I linked) engineered this 500 for the American Market with a different engine (don't know about the Abarth) and suspension. The engine valve tech sounds interesting. It's new (and Detroit engineered).

Abarths are legendary among gear heads. They're like Italian Shelbys (except they are tiny). Here's a better link.

 

To the OP?

You obviously are sold on having one. You want it. So you don't really need anyones permission or forgiveness for abandoning your Honda Fit.

To Me? It doesn't tempt me in the least. I don't need a lot of utility from my vehicle but since it is my only and primary vehicle- I need some. And that appears to be purely a single/two...person vehicle, with little or no cargo space.

It also in my opinion looks from the front, like a gold fish that has been flung out of its tank...

But ignore me, as you should....it probably will be faster...and far more unique, and it sounds to me like your priorities in a vehicle are quite a bit different than mine...

Buy it, drive it...enjoy it...and ask your friend with a Honda for a lift when you have to drop the Abarth off at the shop for unexpected warranty work....

 

Sh*t just got real.

 

I really don't think the OP was asking anything from anyone. Just like you and me, merely posting and sharing his thoughts on this forum.

 

I say go for the car you want. You're Italian and it would be fun to have a car that expresses your heritage. You can always sell it & buy another Fit if it doesn't work out.

If I had seen the 500 before I got my Fit (being 1/2 Italian), I might have had second thoughts, too.

 

Reliability should not be a issue, as Fiat have greatly improved in the last 4/5 years.
cream is the best colour on the outside but look for a dark interior as the cream interior is very light.
The Abarth model looks really great but is expensive.