Fiat takes to Punto with super Abarth

FIAT upped the performance ante of its pretty light car contender with the unveiling of the Abarth Punto SuperSport at Geneva last week.

But as previously reported in GoAuto, Fiat’s policy of only selling high-performance Abarth cars through a dedicated Abarth sales network means Australia is not in the running to receive any Abarth vehicle in the foreseeable future.

The SuperSport is an evolution of the Abarth Punto that debuted at the Frankfurt motor show in 2007. It boasts a 215km/h top speed and 0-100km/h standing-start time of 7.5 seconds from a turbocharged 1.4-litre 16-valve petrol engine delivering 132kW of power and 270Nm of torque.

These figures compare to the 110kW and 206Nm output (or 230Nm when the Sport mode button is pressed, which also alters the electric steering assistance).

The company’s Abarth performance arm has fitted a variable backpressure dual-mode exhaust to mimic the Punto S2000 rally vehicle’s sound.

A lower stance, shorter suspension springs and low-profile 215/40 R18 tyres ensconcing a new 18-inch alloy wheel design help drop the Abarth Punto’s roll centre 20mm, while cross-drilled four-wheel disc brakes wearing high-performance pads take care of stopping.

Fiat has fitted Sabelt Abarth Racing leather seats – said to be lightweight and track-approved – while a “Blue&Me MAP” satellite navigator with telemetry capabilities developed with Magneti Marelli records and stores data relating to a host of driving scenarios that include performance times and other track-related items.

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