Cento Cavalli
New member
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2007
- Messages
- 6
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- 2
A full second faster to 60mph and only 2mph less top speed?But not all good news as slower than the 100HP:
Auto Express can exclusively reveal the car will be powered by a tuned version of Fiat’s 875cc two-cylinder turbo TwinAir engine. It’s expected to offer at least 110bhp – enough for 0-62mph in 8.5 seconds.
And a slower top speed of 110mhp but you get back 60mph (prob at 50/60mph).
Like it!
Like it!
But, Fiat can't have it usurping the 500 Abarth.
Like the idea of a Panda Mk 3 with 160bhp - that'd be a real Abarth. Not so sure that Fiat will be determined to protect the 500 Abarth. I've remarked on here before that I see the 500 as a passing fad - if you go retro (and I don't want to rekindle that debate in itself) you have a real problem when the model runs out of steam - do you go more retro and produce a 500 with suicide doors like the first 500 Nuova had, or go even more retro and produce a Topolino lookalike? or become gimmicky and produce Dolce e Gabbani limited editions? - or do you wait for the cutesy look to become tired? In each case you see sales falling away. By the time a Panda Abarth would be likely to appear - say spring/summer 2013 - I reckon the 500 Abarth will have shot its bolt and a Panda Abarth, with a hefty premium, bringing the price tag close to the 500's, will give Fiat more return than the 500.
I love the concept, but in marketing terms (as TDQ says above) it makes zero sense. Would have to be A LOT cheaper than the 500, and the article suggests £15k. The Panda simply doesn't have the 500's "appeal" and this seems to be quite a chunk of cash for something with a 110bhp engine.
The article is BS. All Autoexpress articles are.