The lovely( I want one) Biposto to be the Gumball Rally Official car 2014. Will be in Regent St June 9th
www.fiatgroupautomobilespress.com/press/article/116133

Here is some pictures and videos


Love the Abarth 695, can't belive its the Gumball 3000 official car.





from the article:
The fastest street-legal Abarth model ever made, the Fiat 695 Biposto, is named the official car of the 16th Gumball3000 Rally, with Fiat Abarth being the event’s official automotive partner.

6 pictures, videos, and full article

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Wow, I love the stance of that car. What a pocket rocket. A 595 would do me fine though. Maybe one day...

Stunning.

How is the rear suspension setup on those things? Better be independent setup

Nope, it's not independent

I watched a Gumball video earlier, there are a lot of Abarths entering this year it seems. I guess they wont need to stop as often for fuel stops!

Well the 500 has a tiny tank in comparison so I'm not so sure

But some of those super cars probably do 15 to 20 MPG, maybe less.

And the 500 will easily do 30 or less and it has a small tank

Was browsing (drooling) the Abarth website last night, prices are pretty eye-watering for those little beasties....... wouldn't say no to the Maserati tribute version though.

Would you pay that for your Panda with a turbocharged engine, better brakes and suspension?

Oh and some nice seats and a better interior....

I like it but the colour combination reminds me of the Gilera DNA scooter my son used to own.

306maxi said:

Oh and some nice seats and a better interior....

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Just Better!

Don't forget the sound. That's worth a few quid. Hear it below.

Here is a vid - blog on the Gumball with a new 595 in the new rather nice red.

PercyCravers said:

But some of those super cars probably do 15 to 20 MPG, maybe less.

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Most old school supercars are rated under 15MPG on the highway. The car of choice would be a Porsche 918, 800hp and 75MPG, and it still has a huge fuel tank.

306maxi said:

Would you pay that for your Panda with a turbocharged engine, better brakes and suspension?

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Not when you could buy a very nice actual Maserati for the same money.

UFI said:

Most old school supercars are rated under 15MPG on the highway. The car of choice would be a Porsche 918, 800hp and 75MPG, and it still has a huge fuel tank.

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It won't be getting 75MPG on the highway that's for sure. Won't be different to any other super car with a 600+ horsepower engine, so probably <15mpg as you say.

edit: just looked it up and US EPA claims it'll do 26 UK MPG combined when only using the combustion engine. Surprisingly high, but certainly no 75 ;-) EPA results also are generally accurate or pessimistic.

Maybe he or she meant the hybrid? I see there is a hybrid of the large Porsche 4x4 that allegedly gets over 90 MPG.

Yeah, this is regarding the 918 which is a plug in hybrid.

The "90MPG" or "75mpg" figures you read are on a short circuit/test whereby the battery powers the car most of the time and a little internal combustion is used so you get these really high results.

In reality if you are driving on the motorway for hours at a time the battery is depleted almost immediately (within the first 10miles for sure, in the Porsche example) and then you are just running as an internal combustion vehicle, which with a race-oriented V8 as in the 918 will not get you the best fuel consumption

The 90MPG is probably the Panamera S e-hybrid. Basically it is designed for a future where internal combustion cars are no longer allowed in crowded city centres, so your execs etc can bomb down the motorway achieving <30mpg and get to the city centre, hit a button and drive on battery power so they can navigate the "zero emissions zone".