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Abarth reviewed by a 500e owner

9K views 37 replies 14 participants last post by  DaveN007 
#1 · (Edited)
MODERATOR...PLEASE EDIT MY TYPO IN THREAD TITLE. "A" SHOULD BE "AN". THANKS.

So I have an Abarth as a loaner for the next few weeks. I was excited to pick up the car.

(Disclaimer: My most recent sports car was a Porsche Cayman R, which is about as high a standard as you can set for a sports car with the only exception being that it could "only" deliver 0-60 in around 4.5 seconds.)

My first impression of the Abarth is that it is like a little yapping dog. The exhaust noise is awesome until it becomes a bit embarrassing considering how little "go" you get for the "show". Shifter is awful in terms of the length of throw. Ride is unnecessarily bumpy for the level of grip you get in exchange for discomfort. Brakes are not good.

Second impression quickly followed...

You can row (like a boat oar, unfortunately) through the gears and the sound and ride tells you you are going 120mph...and better slow the heck down...then you look at the speedo and you are doing 50...in a 55 zone. There is actually something cool about that. You get to pretend that you are going fast while being safe and legal. That is pretty cool.

You can't do that in a modern Porsche. 3rd gear and you are headed for jail.

Then I remembered that the car is around $20k. That is amazing. Was my Porsche worth 4 times as much? I guess that depends how much your wristwatch costs.

Compared to the 500e, I think the 500e offers more "usable performance". You guys and gals know how awesome that instant, silent torque is. For the kind of driving I do with this car, the 500e is a better choice. The beauty of EV power is that you can move quickly without attracting negative attention. The Abarth moves slowly and attracts negative attention. Like a Harley. I would not choose the Abarth to go on a long highway trip, so range doesn't matter.

I will add thoughts as time goes by.

There is plenty of time for me to fall in love with the Abarth. :D

Today will be fun. My brother knows I have the 500e, so I will play a fun practical joke on him today. Abarth "plugged in" in garage.
 
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#2 ·
Nice quick review! I've grown to love my Abarth. But in third gear in the Abarth you can still hit over 100mph..and depending on where you are driving you go to jail lol. I have a tune and an intake, so I forget how slow the stock Abarth is. It makes about 205hp and 245tq
 
#7 ·
Sport button makes it a little more fun but modded it becomes a different car. I enjoy my Abarth SO MUCH more than the Vette. Much of what you said is the why... I love the noise and the quick but not actually fast aspect. Like an angry dog trying to break free with all the growling and such...it's just fun. If you had an intake and were hearing the turbo more than stock it'd be even better by the way. The Vette is a little older but it'll still hit 60MPH from 0 in under 5 seconds but it does it in such a different way than the Abarth (not only in the speed aspect). Overall I won't disagree with anything you said although I do not have a Porsche to compare it to so for me it is actually fun and all mentioned is a big part of the fun factor it offers. :cool:

(Titled edited as requested)
 
#8 ·
It is growing on me. I totally get where is fits. In my stable, the 500e is a better fit. But the Ah-bart is a sweet little ride.

BTW...I must have been giddy with excitement about the car.

"Abarth reviewed by a 500e owner" is obviously correct. I must have been think "An e owner" or something. LOL.

I have a passion for cars. And grammar. Usually.
 
#19 ·
Interesting to read the initial reaction. Fun to read the evolving impression.

Like the 500e (color combos), the 500 ABARTH is a drama queen. But one shouldn't sleep on the substance beneath the style. It reads as though that is the you're learning. Thanks for sharing this.
 
#26 ·
No, they lent me the 911 while the Cayenne (SUV) is in the shop. My garage queen 911 is the dark blue 991 C2S Cabrio with the duck tail you see tucked away in the back of that shot. It has 50 hp more than the loaner.

Besides, if you want to impress the ladies, provided they're <25 y.o., the 500E has more street cred, lol. Swear! I was over at a buddy's house over Thanksgiving and his cute 18 y.o. vegan niece was fawning over it.
 
#28 ·
Living with the Abarth....

I have a few sticky notes to myself on the dashboard:

THERE IS NO SIXTH GEAR. STOP TRYING. IT JUST MAKES REVERSE GET MAD.

THIS CAR REQUIRES PETROL

DON'T FORGET SPORT MODE

I have come to appreciate what the car is and is not. If I were to own one, I would get a short shift kit. Not sure about tuning for more horsepower. That would depend upon the "hassle factor" associated with CEL's and emissions.
 
#31 ·
I got my 500e back today, so here are my final thoughts...

For me, the 500e is the "Perfect 500". I have no desire for an Abarth.

This is so subjective, I am not sure that my impressions are meaningful.

I'm just glad to have the e back home.

My final thought is just how amazingly diverse the 500 lineup actually is.
 
#35 ·
Funny you mention that. I mentioned that comment to my friend who had a loaner Abarth and he replied, "I never said that."

LOL.

80-85 is the speed of traffic in the #1 and 2 lanes while super-commuting to and from the Bay Area in the hours before and after traffic grinds to a halt, so if your car is buzzy and darty and tiresome at that speed, you have a problem.

Abarth is comfortable at 65 in 5th with cruise on. 500e is same but because of kWh consumption at higher speeds.
 
#38 ·
That is funny. I never thought I'd be the guy evangelizing EVs, but I understand their limitations and the crazy government boondoggle that makes them too good to pass up. My total cost of ownership could be negative at the end of 24 months. I could literally end up driving the car for free and pocketing nearly $1000 if it keeps going the way it is going right now. I should blog about it just to piss people off.
 
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