Abarth is Back!

Fiat is blowing new life into the legendary Abarth brand. This revival has been initiated with two hot versions of the Grande Punto. The first to hit the road is the Grande Punto Abarth 1.4 Turbo – the Fiat name being totally dropped for this exclusive pocket rocket.

The Abarth 1.4 Turbo is fitted with Fiat’s 1.4-litre engine with an IHI fixed geometry turbocharger boosting power to 155 bhp at 5500 rpm. This is mated to a six-speed gearbox, with the car reaching a top speed of 130 mph and 0-60 mph in 8.2 seconds. The engine has a maximum torque of 206 Nm at 5000 rpm, which can be pushed to 230 Nm at 3000 rpm in “sport” mode.

The Abarth differs externally from the Fiat Grande Punto with, amongst other things, a wider track by six millimetres, 17-inch alloy wheels and red striping incorporating the Abarth logo. Other additions include a larger front bumper with generous air intakes to feed the tuned engine. The car also has a lower ground clearance than the standard Fiat Grande Punto.

The real Abarth Grande Punto spectacle will arrive early next year, when the esseesse (Super Sport) kit becomes available. This kit will boost the 155 bhp engine to 180 bhp, and will only be installed at official Abarth service centres. The car can be converted at the time of sale, up to one year after purchase, or after 12,500 miles on the road.

With the esseesse kit the Grande Punto has almost twice the power of the basic Fiat model. In 180 bhp tune the Abarth Grande Punto can achieve a maximum speed of 134 mph, accelerating from 0-60 mph in just 7.7 seconds. This highly tuned version will also be fitted with 18-inch wheels, front and rear suspension lowered by a further 20 mm and will also receive a bespoke braking system with perforated discs and performance pads. There will also be a specific graphic scheme with the esseesse logo and a chequered flag.

Both of these storming hot hatches bearing the scorpion logo are expected to arrive in the UK next year.