- 10,620
- gtp_jimprower
I'd like to hear the TwinAir uncorked. Being a twin roughly the size of a Ducati mill...
Terminogi, make an exhaust for this thing.
Terminogi, make an exhaust for this thing.
Fiat/Abarth 500
- Thread starter Moglet
- 224 comments
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- 3,131
- GTP_GTPrologue5
- None
That TwinAir engine sounds like someone did it with their mouth, except really good. Seriously, I could make a noise like that.
And it's not a bad thing. That's gotta be a fun little thing to brrrrriinnnggg around town.
And it's not a bad thing. That's gotta be a fun little thing to brrrrriinnnggg around town.
- 27,213
- United Kingdom
As Toronado mentioned, I think they've done their best to make it as smooth as possible - balancer shafts and the like. The 500 already seems like quite an insulated car.
With diesels the ones with least NVH I've driven are the Smart and strangely, the Transit Connect van I had a few weeks ago. The former felt more like a petrol because it's such a tiny engine and revs very freely, and the latter felt like there was a significant amount of metal and insulation between cabin and engine. It almost felt like the engine was in a different vehicle.
- 10,620
- gtp_jimprower
- 38,924
- Application hell
- MP-Omnis
Depends on how gay you are.
- 12,892
- Cambridge
- Moglet85
- Moglet
This is a big issue with the 500, now you mention it. Almost all of the diesel owners of the Fiat Forum have complained about the DPF cycle causing huge losses of power, or giving errors when it hasn't been used enough and clogs up. A lot of them have already put their orders down for the TwinAir.
It really isn't. Road noise at 70mph makes conversations very difficult, you have to shout at each other in the front seats, even with low noise tyres. The stereo can be heard very clearly from the outside of the car, too.
On a related note, something is up with my exhaust. It's absolutely belting out the noise at the minute! I've looked all over and found no problems or holes so I'm guessing it's just wear and tear on the backbox. I'll try and record it on my phone.
- 27,213
- United Kingdom
Admittedly my barometer is off on this sort of thing at the moment. Save for a brief test drive in my next car (Panda 100HP) I've not driven a "normal" car for ages. MX5, convertible Smart, and two different vans in the past year. After any of those, a regular car like the 500 feels quite quiet and refined! Been a while since I've passengered in one though.
. Here where I live we always refer to that car as Fiat 500.
- 27,213
- United Kingdom
Abarth was a tuning company back in the 1960s that tuned Fiats. The company gradually developed a working relationship with Fiat, a bit like Alpina do with BMW.
For a few years back in the 90s Abarth was just a sporty badge stuck onto some fairly unsporty Fiats, but now it's the mark of their most extreme cars, as it should be.
For a few years back in the 90s Abarth was just a sporty badge stuck onto some fairly unsporty Fiats, but now it's the mark of their most extreme cars, as it should be.
- 291
Thanks homeforsummer.
Let me see if I understood. Abarth is like a "personal tuning company" from Fiat then, right? Does it tune cars from other companies, too? Like those tuning companies in GT: Amuse... can't remember another one now.
I could google that, but it's nice to learn from members here and keep the discussion going
.
Let me see if I understood. Abarth is like a "personal tuning company" from Fiat then, right? Does it tune cars from other companies, too? Like those tuning companies in GT: Amuse... can't remember another one now.
I could google that, but it's nice to learn from members here and keep the discussion going
.
- 10,620
- gtp_jimprower
They used to - even did a Porsche one. Now, I think, they're kinda like Fiat's AMG...they've kinda been incorporated into the fold.
- 27,213
- United Kingdom
Pretty much. They're a company in their own right, but wholly owned by Fiat. The Wikipedia page lists their models:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abarth
It's not comprehensive though. I'm fairly sure Abarth did tuning work on the old BTCC Alfa Romeo 155s from the mid nineties, and don't quote me on this but I even seem to remember they had a hand in the Ferrari F1 team at the same time.
They've also had a history of building gorgeous little coupes with Fiat running gear, as well as just tuning Fiats. Generally, apart from the Porsche that Jim mentioned, they've only stuck to Fiat-based products though.
Oh, and as for the 500 TwinAir, I followed one tonight. Picked up my Panda and a guy from the garage led me to a petrol station to give me a tank of fuel. It really shifts - has as much power as my car, but it's amusing watching a fairly feminine sky blue 500 taking off so quickly...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abarth
It's not comprehensive though. I'm fairly sure Abarth did tuning work on the old BTCC Alfa Romeo 155s from the mid nineties, and don't quote me on this but I even seem to remember they had a hand in the Ferrari F1 team at the same time.
They've also had a history of building gorgeous little coupes with Fiat running gear, as well as just tuning Fiats. Generally, apart from the Porsche that Jim mentioned, they've only stuck to Fiat-based products though.
Oh, and as for the 500 TwinAir, I followed one tonight. Picked up my Panda and a guy from the garage led me to a petrol station to give me a tank of fuel. It really shifts - has as much power as my car, but it's amusing watching a fairly feminine sky blue 500 taking off so quickly...
- 12,892
- Cambridge
- Moglet85
- Moglet
I imagine the Panda 100HP is a quieter ride, but not by much. The tyre roar is the main issue at 70mph, the rest of the noise is fine and isn't intrusive at all.
Good choice on the 100HP btw, I was looking at swapping my 500 in for one recently but I'm going to wait and get something else instead.
- 27,213
- United Kingdom
I suspect engine noise will be greater than road noise in the Panda. It's doing 3,000rpm in top gear (6th) at 60mph. Not a motorway car then, but neither was the Mazda.
- 6,584
- Kent, UK
- GTP_Jondot
- 27,213
- United Kingdom
Heh. I was actually thinking how similar it is to the SporK but expected the economy to be better, until I realised how short the gear ratios were...
Since we now have comparable cars too, I challenge you to a drag race at Santa Pod at some stage
Since we now have comparable cars too, I challenge you to a drag race at Santa Pod at some stage
- 10,620
- gtp_jimprower
Get me and my car a C-5 galaxy ticket, and I'll gladly take the challenge.
- 21,286
- GR-MI-USA
- YSSMAN
- YSSMAN
So, it's a little more than the Fiesta, but way less than the MINI. The 500 will probably find a good number of buyers in/around there. If you're really interested, Fiat USA has their configurator up as well.
I'm pretty impressed with the level of standard equipment in the car. A 500 Sport checks every box I'd want, although I see that some of the sticker packs from the UK aren't available. I'm looking forward to seeing the car in person ASAP.
- 27,213
- United Kingdom
I can't figure out whether the 1.4 MultiAir engine you'll be getting is the turbocharged one or not. I'm assuming not since that'll be reserved for the Abarth versions (if you get them), but I'm struggling to find any specifications for it. Interested to see how it compares to the 1.4 FIRE-spec engine in my Panda.
- 21,286
- GR-MI-USA
- YSSMAN
- YSSMAN
I believe the original announcement for the 500 said it was getting the 1.4 Multiar that is turbocharged, so I assume that it is the unit from the Abarth. They said today that we're getting the Abarth in late 2012 or early 2013, but I'm willing to bet that it is the EsseEsse version only.
- 2,568
- we're waiting for the PS4
- fishtailrook1 (?)
I checked out the configurer for the 500. it's not complete, quite yet. the color swatches are still in Italian (i'm surprised it has't been pared down to "ISO standard American Insurance Safe colors" yet). hope they get the graphic graphics set so I can see the stripes. looks like it's gonna sport the same interior colours as Europe, as well.
- 27,213
- United Kingdom
- 12,892
- Cambridge
- Moglet85
- Moglet
Why does the US market get so many nicer colours than us?! Bloody hell Fiat 👎 The greens and browns will suit the car perfectly, yet the UK market is stuck with shades of white, grey, black, blue and red. On the upside, we get a LOT more wheel choices than the US configurator is showing so far.
I like the optional kit (the heated seats are a neat touch), though the ambient lighting is a tad on the pointless side but I guess some people will like it.
EDIT: Can anyone enlighten me on why you would need an engine block heater? Is it due to the weather dropping to lower temperatures?
I like the optional kit (the heated seats are a neat touch), though the ambient lighting is a tad on the pointless side but I guess some people will like it.
EDIT: Can anyone enlighten me on why you would need an engine block heater? Is it due to the weather dropping to lower temperatures?
