Fiat 500 Abarth road carKEY POINTS:
Fiat's performance car division Abarth has released the first details of the 147kW Fiat 500 it will campaign on race tracks across Europe in 2009.
The latest version of Fiat's award-winning small car is the Assetto Corse, which takes the baton from its forerunner, the 595, that notched up numerous victories from 1963 and led to the coining of the description small but deadly.
A street-legal version of the 500 Abarth will also be launched.
The Assetto Corse gets the full racing treatment: wide track, white 17 special ultralight racing wheels, low ride, sports racing mirrors and a spot for a number on the sides.
In pastel grey with red Abarth side stripes, the 500 Abarth Assetto Corse comes with a bold front end housing a badge bearing the Abarth scorpion logo and, below this, wide bumpers complete with an aerodynamic spoiler as well as screen-printed grilles.
In addition to the classic bonnet clips, the bonnet has two carbon air intakes.
The back of the car features a white-winged spoiler and a twin exhaust pipe.
Driving the front wheels is a turbocharged 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine delivering 147kW at 6500rpm and 300Nm of torque at 3000rpm.
The gearbox is a six-speeder and brakes are by Brembo.
The Abarth identity also includes a thunderbolt logo on the side representing the brand's racing image and a red band and four white chequers on the roof, just as on the winning Abarth 850TC version of the 1960s.
Inside, the 500 Abarth Assetto Corse has a lightweight roll-bar approved for racing. The car weighs about 180kg less than the road version.
Fiat says the anatomical seats, the racing steering wheel and the carbon door panels make the 500 Abarth Assetto Corse a real baby sports car with a character all of its own .
Abarth has provided a race suit for the driver - it contains overalls, helmets, gloves and shoes, all branded with the Assetto Corse logo produced for the limited edition of the car.
