Saw this elsewhere & wondered if it's the first step in Abarth being recognised for what it is, a model within the Fiat range, and therefore you can buy & service your Abarth at any Fist dealer.
I mean you can buy and service your M Division BMW at any dealer, or an AMG at a Mercedes dealer, a Renaultsport product at a Renault dealer or Quattro GMBH at any Audi dealer. All of the above brands are listed as separate from the parent company but they don't make you go to specific places to make them feel different, they are halo products sold side by side to normal products, why is Abarth different or has the near 13% drop in Eutopean sales and the resignation of the head of Fiat marketing brought things to a head?
"In what represents a small but significant change of direction for the reborn Abarth brand, in a fortnight's time at the Frankfurt IAA, Fiat will launch a 500 TwinAir version that comes with an optional Scorpion-branded styling pack.
Since its high-visibility relaunch by the now-departed Fiat brand boss Luca De Meo, Abarth has rigorously pursued a standalone positioning, with separate facilities to the Fiat network rump. This strategy never made for a viable business case and Abarth is too niche to contribute to Fiat's bottom line, while at the same its separation loses the showroom 'halo' effect which is the primary function of any limited production high performance model. This new "Pack" is, significantly, the first time since the revival that Abarth components will have been used on any Fiat product while retaining the Fiat badging, in this case the Abarth components are being added to the distinctively positioned "TwinAir" line.
Available both for the saloon and convertible versions, the dedicated new TwinAir trim level combines the revolutionary two-cylinder engine with a distinct look. Already today one 500 out of three sold in Europe is equipped with the TwinAir engine.
On the outside, harking back to the look of the Fiat "competition" series of the 1970s, the 500 TwinAir offers high impact details such as special burnished "anthracite" trim, a "piano black" (optional) roof and matt black wheels as standard. inside, there is a "Total Black" environment with sports seats and burnished dashboard fascia. It comes with "Blue&Me - TomTom 2", the latest development of the Blue&Me infotainment system that not only manages telephone, navigation, media player and all information required for driving by means of a colour touchscreen, but "Live" technology as well, which updates - in real time - maps, traffic conditions, local searches and weather directly on the device.
Now to add a more sporty and dynamic feel to the 500 TwinAir, range Fiat has created the new "Pack by Abarth". The customisation kit, developed in close collaboration with Abarth, is characterised by the "Total Black" 16" special alloy wheels with Abarth hub caps, side skirts, rear spoiler, racing graphics on the bonnet and a sporty pedal unit. The new "Pack by Abarth" will be available from October as an option combined with the Pasodoble Red and Crossover Black exterior colours."
I mean you can buy and service your M Division BMW at any dealer, or an AMG at a Mercedes dealer, a Renaultsport product at a Renault dealer or Quattro GMBH at any Audi dealer. All of the above brands are listed as separate from the parent company but they don't make you go to specific places to make them feel different, they are halo products sold side by side to normal products, why is Abarth different or has the near 13% drop in Eutopean sales and the resignation of the head of Fiat marketing brought things to a head?
"In what represents a small but significant change of direction for the reborn Abarth brand, in a fortnight's time at the Frankfurt IAA, Fiat will launch a 500 TwinAir version that comes with an optional Scorpion-branded styling pack.
Since its high-visibility relaunch by the now-departed Fiat brand boss Luca De Meo, Abarth has rigorously pursued a standalone positioning, with separate facilities to the Fiat network rump. This strategy never made for a viable business case and Abarth is too niche to contribute to Fiat's bottom line, while at the same its separation loses the showroom 'halo' effect which is the primary function of any limited production high performance model. This new "Pack" is, significantly, the first time since the revival that Abarth components will have been used on any Fiat product while retaining the Fiat badging, in this case the Abarth components are being added to the distinctively positioned "TwinAir" line.
Available both for the saloon and convertible versions, the dedicated new TwinAir trim level combines the revolutionary two-cylinder engine with a distinct look. Already today one 500 out of three sold in Europe is equipped with the TwinAir engine.
On the outside, harking back to the look of the Fiat "competition" series of the 1970s, the 500 TwinAir offers high impact details such as special burnished "anthracite" trim, a "piano black" (optional) roof and matt black wheels as standard. inside, there is a "Total Black" environment with sports seats and burnished dashboard fascia. It comes with "Blue&Me - TomTom 2", the latest development of the Blue&Me infotainment system that not only manages telephone, navigation, media player and all information required for driving by means of a colour touchscreen, but "Live" technology as well, which updates - in real time - maps, traffic conditions, local searches and weather directly on the device.
Now to add a more sporty and dynamic feel to the 500 TwinAir, range Fiat has created the new "Pack by Abarth". The customisation kit, developed in close collaboration with Abarth, is characterised by the "Total Black" 16" special alloy wheels with Abarth hub caps, side skirts, rear spoiler, racing graphics on the bonnet and a sporty pedal unit. The new "Pack by Abarth" will be available from October as an option combined with the Pasodoble Red and Crossover Black exterior colours."