Men Free Blog

The first official images of the production Fiat 500 Abarth esseesse (SS) have made their way onto the Web and as suspected, it’s as racy as a hot hatch can get.

The esseesse is fitted with a full body kit consisting of a new front fascia, lower side skirts and a redesigned rear bumper housing a diffuser and pair of chrome exhaust tips, while 17-inch (?) wheels and a small spoiler round out the appearance package.

Inside, a set of bolstered buckets keep drivers planted in the bends and expect a revised IP, red trim and Abarth logos emblazoned into the dash. No engine specs have been released yet, but expect the turbocharged 1.4-liter to put around 160 hp through a six-speed manual before it reaches the front wheels through a Q2 Torsen C limited slip differential.

All the details will be revealed next week when we make the trek across the Atlantic to cover the Paris Motor Show. Stay tuned.

You knew it was strictly a matter of time. AutoExpress is reporting that Fiat intends to bring a convertible version of its popular 500 micro-car to Geneva in March. The only vehicle that has the potential of challenging the MINI’s cuteness and flickability will come with a soft-top that will attempt to keep the bulbous rooflines of the coupe model, complete with a glass rear window and doors that are fully framed. But Fiat isn’t stopping there. To challenge the Cooper S, the automaker also plans to unveil the 500 Abarth SS in Geneva, packing a turbo’d 1.4-liter four producing 155 hp. Sales of both models should begin sometime towards the end of the year.

[Source: AutoExpress]
Read