NF500 / chequered flag

CarScoop have done it again, and released details (and over 40 high res images) of the forthcoming limited edition Opening Edition Fiat 500 Abarth.

The strictly limited (100 examples) 500 Abarth Opening Edition is fitted with a revised version of the stock 1.4-liter turbo engine that produces 160Hp at 5750 rpm and a maximum torque of 230 Nm at 3000 rpm. Combined with a 5-speed gearbox the Opening Edition can go from 0 to 100km/h (62mph) in just 7.4 sec and on to a top speed of 211 km/h (131mph). That compares very favourably to the standard 500 Abarth’s 7.9 sec & 205 km/h.

Other mechanical upgrades include the adoption of front and rear perforated disc brakes, high performance front brake pads, a special ‘powered by BMC’ air filter, special low springs and 17″ alloys painted white or titanium complete with 205/40 R16 ZR 17 Pirelli Pzero Nero tires.

Buyers can choose between two colours (Campovolo grey or pearlised White) while there’s also the option of special stickers including a red chequered flag on the roof (exclusive to the Campovolo Grey shade) that pays homage to the numerous sporting victories of the Abarth brand. Finally, just to make it a tad more special, Fiat delivers the car with a cover bearing a period Abarth 595 design.

Official full details will likely follow very soon, so keep ‘em peeled.

Customisation. It’s worked wonders for the MINI, and Fiat appear to be pinning their hopes on it doing the same for the new Fiat 500.

The array of options, packages, colours and trim levels available for the Fiat 500 is indeed impressive, Fiat claim they make for more than 500,000 possible combinations. With production expected to be around 120,000 baby Fiats per year, it could be several years before any two identical cars are produced. That’s the theory of course, however as we’ve seen with the MINI before, the reality can be a little different, with many owners opting for popular, and value for money packages and strong, familiar colour combinations.

Designed by the Fiat Style Centre and developed in parallel with the 500 project, the Customisation range of the new car offers all customers, even the most demanding, an opportunity to choose between over 100 items that adapt perfectly to the car’s characteristics, underlining its qualities and the friendly impression it imparts at first glance. They are accessories designed to increase comfort on board, to make free time more enjoyable, and to improve quality of life.

With the dedicated Fiat 500 Customisation programme, the new cinquecento is clearly stating intentions as a stylish Italian car, lavishly equipped and good value for money.

If you fancy jazzing up your new 500, Fiat offer 19 original decals: from the ‘chequered flag’ for the roof alone, to the tricolour or monochrome 500 stripe that streaks over the length of the car, a quirky barcode design and a badge with the Italian flag above the direction indicator. It’s also possible to match your exterior livery with the door trims. Motorists who like a bit of sparkle and bling can order chrome-plated wing mirrors, bonnet trims and the nudge bar on the front bumper. However, the untamed racer in you can opt to add sideskirts and a front and rear air dam.

Once you’re finished making the exterior of the new Fiat 500 your own, you can move inside, and find plenty more option boxes you may want to tick there too. According to Fiat, in side the new 500 innovation and practicality merge in an ideal environment, with references to obvious and specific elements of the past reinterpreted in a modern key. For example, you can forget your Magic Trees and cheap overpowering interior smellys the 500 can be purchased with an innovative ‘fragrance diffuser’, a new system developed by Fiat that offers a choice of three fragrances. The device is positioned inside the glass-holder and supplied by a 12V socket; it is turned on by a button and the intensity of fragrance can be adjusted. The colour of the cover can also be chosen to match the car interior. The fragrances are on sale through the Fiat sales network.

The Fiat 500 debuts with a new ignition key, with a changeable protective cover. Like some mobile phones, the cover can be replaced very rapidly in “snap-on” fashion, so that the key matches the bodywork, or simply to reflect your mood. There are several other accessories with an original design available for the Fiat 500, from the elegant soft plastic ivory or black jacket-hanger that fits on the head-restraint. Or the cell phone holder and iPod player, USB port and 12V socket, which guarantee calm journeys with no crossed wires. And the car covering tarpaulins decorated with a picture of the Fiat 500 of the Sixties, an original way of recalling the new car’s forebear.

It is also possible to order aluminium pedals or a plate with the 500 logo for the kick panels, and three different types of leather upholstery for the matching gear lever knob and steering wheel. Plus accessories for leisure time, such as the elegant luggage rack that fits on the rear window to carry skis and snowboards in total safety, with an extra touch of styling and originality.

The long list of accessories that customise the Fiat 500 concludes with a practical unit that fits into the loading bay, where you can store items of all shapes and sizes.

You can see view several photographs of the new Fiat 500, and many of the available options at the NF500 Flickr Group, and you can build your own virtual Fiat 500 on the official Fiat 500 website.