Got a pretty good deal. Went for sky blue with tan roof, tabbaco leather seats and ivory steering wheel. Got chrome mirrors and bonnet strip plus side protection strips with 500 badges and carpet mats thrown in on the deal. Plus a couple of other perks.
Sounds very nice. When do you expect delivery?
As I've been discussing in this thread I'd abandoned the new 500 in favour of a Mazda 2 Genki S but several things have rather taken the shine off the little Mazda so I'm hoping the new 'entry-level' Abarth might be the answer. I know it still won't equal the Japanese car for equipment or price but I'm hoping it'll make up for it with sheer exhilaration and 'standoutiveness' - time will tell.
Hoping for July - August! Go for the fiat it's got a soul!
Yes, I am concerned about hard riding, comfort and noise but now I know what to look for. You're also correct about by soft spot for soft tops...
That's kind of my issue with the new base 500, it's more like a 500S with a turbo and stripe - I kind of view it as a base car from which to build. If the seat's don't appeal you could probably find an S owner to swap them with (possibly even the dealer might do this - assuming they still have an S in stock). Given the choice between $22k for my TA or $27k for a junior Abarth, I'd have likely gone for the Abarth, but after three years I'd only get $10k for my TA so it's too much to pay for what I'd get in return.
Well, that's exactly why I call the hatch model a five-door car. Maybe this helps you to keep a clear conscience.The Genki is pretty much dead in the water. If all else fails I might reconsider it because it makes economical sense but I really don't want to spoil my lifelong record of never owning a four-door.
Well, that's exactly why I call the hatch model a five-door car. Maybe this helps you to keep a clear conscience.
To be honest, I'm quite interested in the Mazda 2 (hatch model) as successor of my 500S.
So - at the same price as the 500 years ago - looks like the Abarth has finally arrived as the realistic option for a cool little hatch that replaces 'style chic' with 'performance shriek'. I especially like the compromise on the wheels and what they say about the suspension - if you get chance for a test-drive, I'd love to know whether it cures some of the 500's bouncing and pitching around (of course, our 500 pre-dates the 2010 suspension improvements) - without crashing over the kind of ridges and holes we have on our roads (I know Australian roads are similar to ours) and it would be nice to learn whether tyre roar has been reduced at all.
I don't ask for much, do I well, I'm not worried about performance, as the non-turbo 1.4 seems peppy enough for our needs, anything above that will be a bonus and I don't expect 3L-V6 levels of torque...
-Alex
Took a new Abarth 140 for a brief spin today and generally quite impressed. Ride and comfort are close to those of my TA and I felt right at home almost immediately - just a little more hard-edged and noisy. Steering felt more precise and the clutch take-up was perfect. Didn't get a chance to try it on rougher surfaces but it felt pretty settled and I should think it'd be similar to the 500 with 16" wheels - I could certainly live with it. Those used to hot hatches may be underwhelmed by 140hp but coming from my 85hp TA that's about a 60% increase and, along with a 40% increase in torque, really made itself felt - I could get into a lot of trouble in this car...
I still maintain it's just a turbo-charged Sport but it's probably easier to live with on a daily basis than one of the more full-on Abarths. I was a bit disappointed with the exhaust note while driving but it sounded great from outside the car, with the top down in a cabriolet I should think it'd be fun.
I'd want to remove the Abarth decal from the side and replace it with something more striking but I've no idea what just yet.
Once again I can't get my first choice of colour combinations and I'm put off by the totally black interior so the choice of a new car is far from decided. Maybe I should just wait for the Series 4 Abarth as described elsewhere on this forum. It'll probably filter down to us in a couple of centuries...
It is a shame you cannot get exactly what you want right now i went from a twin air 105 and the torque difference was unreal especially on hilly areas or for a quick overtake on a motorway etc, the A500`s do hold there value really well as does mine ,i hope you manage to find one in a specification you like soon .