Once I have a years no claims I am looking at getting an abarth 500 and due to considerably lower insurance I was looking at the automatic.

Although I am not so sure whether they still have a crappy semi-auto like the normal 500.

Does anyone have an idea?

They do the version with paddle shift and no clutch, but I'm not sure how this fits in if you have an auto only licence as its technically a semi-automatic

AndyRKett said:

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Nah, Manual license I just wondered if it was semi-auto or not as the US market has a proper 6 speed slushbox.

Haven't had good experiences with a semi-auto although after watching some on youtube the gear changes aren't too bad on the abarth!

AndyRKett said:

They do the version with paddle shift and no clutch, but I'm not sure how this fits in if you have an auto only licence as its technically a semi-automatic

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This came up just last week in a similar thread.

If the car hasn't got a clutch pedal, then it's classed as an automatic for driver licencing purposes.

Pathaleon said:

Once I have a years no claims I am looking at getting an abarth 500 and due to considerably lower insurance I was looking at the automatic.

Although I am not so sure whether they still have a crappy semi-auto like the normal 500.

Does anyone have an idea?

Click to expand...

Yep, it isn't an automatic. You'll need to drive it as a manual, more so than a Dualogic because the more-powerful engine won't give smooth changes in 'auto' mode. Practice driving a Alfa 147/156 GTA Selespeed first and you'll have some idea If you can drive a manual then you should get on OK.

-Alex

alexGS said:

Yep, it isn't an automatic. You'll need to drive it as a manual, more so than a Dualogic because the more-powerful engine won't give smooth changes in 'auto' mode. Practice driving a Alfa 147/156 GTA Selespeed first and you'll have some idea If you can drive a manual then you should get on OK.

-Alex

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Absolutely no problem driving a manual I love it but insurance tells me an auto is more suited for me to have an abarth at 18 years old!

Its difference between 6k and just under 2k.

Pathaleon said:

Absolutely no problem driving a manual I love it but insurance tells me an auto is more suited for me to have an abarth at 18 years old!

Its difference between 6k and just under 2k.

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That just seems so bizarre. But then, I've never paid more than $500 annual premium (about £230) even when I was 18, as our non-compulsory insurance in NZ is very different to that in the UK. It's based on the car's value, rather than performance or cost-to-repair or theft risk or whatever, and most 18-year-olds in NZ drive cheap old cars.

Seems like you've found a handy loophole in the rules; you might as well get used to the MTA (Manual Transmission Automated)

-Alex