GTP Cool Wall: 2008+ Fiat 500 Abarth (US Spec)
- Thread starter White & Nerdy
- 58 comments
- 2,836 views
- 3,202
- Murcie LP710
The "in" term for these now is "baby" hot hatches. Like the Fiesta ST, 208 GTi, Corsa VXR etc. Superminis that are significantly more powerful than standard but are a size smaller than the traditional hot hatch.
At least that's the term they use here anyway...
- 6,146
- Germany
- 5,551
- Controls set for heart of sun
- GTP_RogerTheHors
The most important thing to remember about the 500 is that any young man who goes to pick up his female date driving one will almost certainly have them squealing about how cute it is right from the off, which is a fairly good way for them to improve their chances of the rest of the date going well.
Last time I checked, wasn't this the traditional way to measure coolness?
Cute = cool.
Last time I checked, wasn't this the traditional way to measure coolness?
Cute = cool.
- 17,879
- Florida
- GranTurismo0517
- RandomCarGuy17
Based on a few things I thought over and what people said; I'm changing my opinion to it being cool.
- 3,190
- Devon
- julessy98
- Jahhaj6
Ok, I was wrong, I'm sorry. Thanks Famine for clearing it up though 👍
- 12,389
- Betelgeuse
- Beeblebrox_237
- 27,213
- United Kingdom
That makes sense, though obviously that still renders them hot hatches. There's pretty much always been two levels of hot hatchery, though over the past decade the game has moved so far on that even the baby ones now are as potent as the proper ones from back then.
Case in point, the 208 GTI, Fiesta ST, Clio RS etc all have 200hp. The first hot hatch to cross that (if I recall correctly) was the EP Civic Type R back in 2001, which at the time was considered pretty ridiculous.
Now, even stuff like that 500 Abarth has more power than the mid-90s top-level hatches like the Clio Williams. It's pretty crazy when you think of it. I like to think of the category as being fairly wide - I'd happily describe the Twingo Renaultsport as a hot hatch (having driven one, it's hard to argue that it isn't) and that "only" has 130 horsepower.
- 8,216
- Drayton Bassett, North Warwickshire
- Duffers999
- Clark Duffy
It's pretty broad nowadays, can range from stuff like Twingos and Swift Sports all the way up to way overpriced and overpowered stuff like RS3s and A45 AMGs that cost almost as much as sports saloons like RS4s and C63s.
- 5,230
- Buckeye Nation
I've seen 4 of these so far. Each and every time they were driven by either :
A) College girl(s)
B) A Mother reliving her youth as a teen
C) High School girl
See a pattern here ? Not that this is detrimental to the coolness of the car, but why are there only women driving these things ? Where are the guys at on this car ? Is it or is it not guy car as well ?
In my book, it is still a cool ride. I think it would be a blast to cruise around in one of these things. They look cool, have decent power for what it is (turbo adds to this), it's just an overall sharp looking, moderately powerful economy ride.
A) College girl(s)
B) A Mother reliving her youth as a teen
C) High School girl
See a pattern here ? Not that this is detrimental to the coolness of the car, but why are there only women driving these things ? Where are the guys at on this car ? Is it or is it not guy car as well ?
In my book, it is still a cool ride. I think it would be a blast to cruise around in one of these things. They look cool, have decent power for what it is (turbo adds to this), it's just an overall sharp looking, moderately powerful economy ride.
- 2,936
- STL
- disinfected
- disinfected
- 27,387
- Toronto
- NewAesthetic
- SlipZtrEm
It's crazy to think about the power levels, yeah. An E46 M3 was a big deal a dozen years ago, now you can get a 335iS that'll match the horses and demolish the torque rating. A Camry 10 years ago made 70hp less than it does now, something like a 35% gain.
I think you're right about the Civic; I'd never count the old Lancia Delta as a real hot hatch, so it doesn't qualify, though there's the contentious issue of the Audi S3 (and possibly its stablemate, the Seat Leon Cupra, depending on when the 210ps version was released). I know hot hatches typically need to be driving only two wheels, not four, but if that's the case, then the new MB A-Class wouldn't be considered one either.
Anywho, voted cool. Too bad the car doesn't technically exist, since it definitely didn't make it over (and therefore into US-spec) until much later than 2008.
- 5,303
- Riverside, Ca
- GTP_Leonidae_MFT
I gave it cool. They're quite common in here, and you can hear the turbo quite clearly over that lovely snarly sound.
- 2,936
- STL
- disinfected
- disinfected
Anyways, solid cool. Actually thinking about buying one, but not sold on the leg room just yet. It isn't bad, but it isn't great either.
- 4,209
- Wasilla, AK
- 4,487
- YorkshireLand
- SVTlover
Small, Italian and quick. Cool.
- 23,972
- It/It
- GTP_TheCracker
A regular 500 would be cool. The Abarth stuff detracts IMO.
- 4,209
- Wasilla, AK
And doesn't look as stupid.
- 21,286
- GR-MI-USA
- YSSMAN
- YSSMAN
It gets a 'cool' on the exhaust note alone from me. It's a great sounding little runabout that'll carve up corners, and all-in-all, the price isn't half bad either... Competitive in class, if a bit more expensive than the competition.
- 5,303
- Riverside, Ca
- GTP_Leonidae_MFT
No music, no words, just the car.
- 6,041
- Puget Sound
- Crash852
In and of itself may be a sporty/hot version of a little car, but it still has the image that it's driven by women. Cool if a girl drives it, uncool if a guy drives it.
It's like the New Beetle Turbo. It may be turbo, it may even be pretty fun, but it's still not cool because of its image.
Uncool.
It's like the New Beetle Turbo. It may be turbo, it may even be pretty fun, but it's still not cool because of its image.
Uncool.
