Category Archives: Fiat

Centro Stile Fiat, Fiat

1996 Fiat Barchetta

A clean Fiat Barchetta is a car for - to be trite - living in the moment. No track-use mods to plan for, no insane maintenance tasks to put off for a later date, no got-to-have-it upgrades that you car is missing; just you and your 5-speed roadster with an attention to design that would make it difficult to ask for more.

From the shape, to the cool 90s details like the body color on the door panels, to the headlight and taillight designs, to the white gauges - everything on the Barchetta is designed with an attention to detail that is rare in cars today. The price for all of this is a FWD layout, which is fine for the intended us of the Barchetta, but won't win anyone over on the track, we suspect.

Continue reading 1996 Fiat Barchetta →
Abarth, Fiat

2013 Fiat 500 Abarth

We're following up the Fiat 500e from last week with something that announces its internal combustion engine power like no other car on the road: the Fiat 500 Abarth. We've been working from home lately and that has us missing our old winter routine of starting up the Abarth on a cold, dark morning. First it barks to life, and after 10 seconds or so of intense growling, it settles into a more neighborly rumble. As we consider the possibility of replacing ours with a 500e, our mind keeps coming back to that wonderful sound.

The appeal of the 500 Abarth is difficult to explain to those who ask how we like ours. The handling is nothing special compared to something like a Fiesta ST or a GTI. The turbocharged engine is boosted in the old style, where there isn't a well of torque to mine for power at low engine speeds. So it doesn't really stand out on any performance merits. But to us, the sum of all of its attributes makes it one of the most fun cars to drive around town. There is something about moving our 6'2" self down the road in an Italian shark cage that is endlessly entertaining. It just works for us, and doesn't leave us wanting for a different commuter.

Continue reading 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth →
Fiat

2017 Fiat 500e eSport

Believe it or not, we have been working in the EV industry since getting out of the gasoline powertrain world in 2018. We prefer a nuanced approach to EV adoption, where increasing the number of electric vehicles on the road sees more thought than simply converting the current fleet over to electric. The current trend seems to be to create electric vehicles that can meet the driving range of typical gasoline-powered automobiles, and it just leads to massive curb weights and underutilized batteries.

To us, a good application of electrified powertrains is in commuter cars for people with commutes under 30 miles or so. Stuff like eGolfs and the 500e. For many people, it's pretty feasible to do those 60 miles per day and then charge the vehicle using AC power in the garage once home for the day. Small packs like the 24kWh pack in the 500e don't take long to charge, eliminating the necessity of DC charging, which takes a toll on battery longevity. We would expect a 500e to charge in around 8-9 hours on a 120V outlet, meaning you could plug it in at work to get your full range back, or you could just plug in once home for the evening. Sure, it would charge at 6.6kW (30amp 240V service) if you installed a level 2 charger at your house, making for a 3-4 hour charge, but we wouldn't even bother for a pack this small.

Continue reading 2017 Fiat 500e eSport →
Fiat, Pininfarina, Reader Classifieds

SOLD: 1981 Fiat Spider Turbo

Reader Classified

Reminder: please send your cars in when you list them and we will feature them here on the site!

As the seller notes, this Fiat Spider Turbo is one of about 700 produced for the US market. With about 120bhp, the turbo matches the output of the European market model. We think the turbo adds some character and unique appeal to the Spider model. There is something about an early 80s turbocharged sports car that is tough to resist.

Continue reading SOLD: 1981 Fiat Spider Turbo →
Centro Stile Fiat, Fiat

1970 Fiat 850 Coupé

When browsing for Fiats online, every so often an 850 Spider will show up among the sea of 124 Spiders and X1/9s. An 850 Coupé, though, is a rare sight in the classifieds. We can't even claim to have ever seen one on the road ourselves. Around 340,000 Coupés were manufactured, though the majority of the 140,000 850s the made it to US shores were Spiders.

The OHV 4-cylinder engine was water-cooled like in its Fiat 600 predecessor, with the radiator mounted along with the fuel tank and engine in the rear engine compartment. The 903cc engine here produced 58bhp and was tasked with moving only ~1,600lb down the road.

Continue reading 1970 Fiat 850 Coupé →
Abarth, Fiat, Zagato

1959 Fiat 750 Abarth Zagato Double Bubble

"Many a racer felt the sting of being passed and finishing behind a car emblazoned with the Abarth scorpion," is how RM Sothebys describes the results of the 1957 Mille Miglia, where an Abarth Zagato Coupe took first place in the 750cc class. There is something wonderful about surprising people in a tiny car. We haven't run our Abarth in the Mille Miglia, but we do love dropping tailgating SUVs from sight anytime the road gets twisty.

This example has some upgrades over a standard Abarth Zagato coupe. Inside you will find a fire suppression system, racing belts, and a roll bar, while under the hood resides a 903cc engine from an 850. With the lightweight aluminum bodywork, even a modest power increase should make for a noticeable improvement in acceleration.

Continue reading 1959 Fiat 750 Abarth Zagato Double Bubble →
Abarth, Ferrari, Fiat, Uncategorized

Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari

Forbidden Fruit Fridays

Ferraris can be tough to pull off. Ferrari tributes? The Fiero conversions are beyond reproach. But, how do we feel when things get closer to home? Last week, we saw an Alfa Romeo Milano Verde with a "Friends of Ferrari" plaque on the dashboard, and it just seemed excessive. Today's Abarth 695 Tribute Ferrari? It's a lot if you own a Ferrari, and it's a lot if you don't.

Continue reading Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari →
Bertone, Fiat, Gandini

1980 Fiat X1/9

We've ventured back into the Volkswagen 8V engine world recently. Making good power for cheap is very possible - if you're willing to sacrifice originality. Making good power on original style equipment is also possible - if you're willing to sacrifice unreasonable wads of cash.

The X1/9 and its 8V engine present a similar problem: do you keep it original and patiently tolerate the crossover SUVs tailgating you from very stoplight? Do you resort to an expensive, peaky engine build? What about a cheaper force-induction build? When you're done with either, you should be able to keep up with the 1.0L Ford fiestas at least. This isn't to say that a stock X1/9 wouldn't be enjoyable, but the environment on roads today does really require some urgent acceleration.

Continue reading 1980 Fiat X1/9 →
Bertone, Fiat

1967 Fiat Dino Coupe

The Titanic ship wreck lies 2.5 miles below the sea some 370 miles off the coast of Newfoundland. Even with modern ship recovery equipment, it strikes us as highly improbable that any party would find the financial justification to recover that rusty hunk of iron from the ocean floor.

Some of us are ok with the ship's current location; for those who yearn to see it restored and on display, might we suggest this 1967 Fiat Dino? The body appears presentable at first glance, but once your eyes make their way along the rockers and the base of the windshield, the extensive rust lurking beneath the panels becomes apparent. It will take an optimist to make a financial case for this Dino Coupe.

Continue reading 1967 Fiat Dino Coupe →
Centro Stile Fiat, Fiat

1993 Fiat 126P

Yesterday we saw a diminutive Chevy Spark packed to the gills with five passengers and some merchandise from their shopping trip. In Michigan, where a Jeep Grand Cherokee is seen as reasonable transportation for a single adult, it's uncommon to see a sub-compact used to haul so many passengers.

And yet, it's not the Spark that is being misused - it's the Jeep, once reserved for Forest Service or similar duty, that is being used outside of its intended use. A car like today's Fiat 126P might come across as a city car, or fun hatchback to whip around in, but it was designed and utilized as a family car for millions in Europe. It's incredible how perspectives can change.

Continue reading 1993 Fiat 126P →