Abarth has been modifying baby Fiats for many years. In their day they were the fore-runners of today’s pocket rockets.
Abarth has now done it again, with a modified (new) Fiat 500 called the 695 Biposto. It, however, does not come cheaply, with price around that of a Porsche Cayenne.
The track background is exemplified by this new car as can be seen in the options that are offered. It has two seats. It has no sound system or air-conditioning, but you can nominate a $15,000 race-track sourced Bacci Romano gearbox kit that adds dog-rings, allowing rapid upshifts using the long gearshift mechanism, an all-aluminium affair with a standard ‘H’ configuration.
The ultimate pocket rocket?
The dog-ring gearbox allows for quick clutch gearshifts without using the copper-racing clutch. Fiat says around three quarters of Biposto’s sold will be fitted with the optional dog gearbox.
Also included in the option pack is a mechanical limited slip diff and carbon-fiber tunnel and handbrake cover.
Now comes other expensive add-ons. The $9000 option pack; the 124 Speciale option pack adds $5000 worth of aluminium bonnet and lightweight metal caps for coolant, oil and fuel.
The car weighs 997 kg, with 140 kW and 250 Nm coming from the 1.4 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, enough to produce a zero to 100 kph time of 5.9 seconds and a 230 km/h top speed.
The power is all put to ground using a clever front diff, backed by a Torque Transfer Control system that uses brake intervention rather than cutting power to maintain stability without loss of performance.
Old Abarth Fiat.
A rear roof spoiler, front splitter, flared wheel arches and the bulging alloys distinguish the Biposto from its common or garden Fiat 500 siblings, but there’s scope for more.
For the serious racer there’s a Track Kit that adds a data logger system, and Sabelt carbon-fiber racing seats with four-point racing harnesses; plus front fixed windows made from polycarbonate, complete with sliding panels (add $7000).
Wheels are 18 inch alloy wheels (made by OZ and weighing just 7 kg each) with 215/35 tyres are standard, as is adjustable suspension, a rear titanium roll bar by Poggipolini (where the rear seat passengers would normally sit), a race-bred intercooler, an active titanium exhaust from super bike exhaust specialist Akrapovic and Brembo cross-drilled four-wheel disc brakes with four-pot calipers on the front.
If you want to stand out from the phony ponies, forget the MINI (which should be called MAXI) and visit your local Fiat agent – and that’s where it gets a little difficult!
