It's bright red, sounds great and, crucially, comes from Italy. It isn't a Ferrari, though. Meet the CarAdvice Abarth 595, a pocket rocket with character to burn. This is a Cars We Own diary for our own Abarth 595...
The facelifted Fiat 500X has been spied in Europe this week, giving us a preview of what to expect from the updated Italian SUV. Despite heavy camouflage at the front and rear, we can see the revised bumper and lighting treatments at both ends. There's a new C-shaped LED daytime-running light signature a-la the 500 hatchback at the front, revised head- and tail-light units, and re-shaped fog-lights when compared to the current model...
Abarth has unveiled a special-edition hardtop version of the 124 Spider, ahead of a full reveal in Geneva next week. Unlike the Mazda MX-5/Miata-aping soft-top on regular 124 Spiders, the GT packs a removable carbon-fibre hardtop and a number of lightweight touches around its exterior. Abarth says the roof, which weighs just 16kg, helps improve the "compactness" and torsional rigidity of the car...
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will end production of its diesel vehicles by 2022, telling the Financial Times a lack of demand and high costs are behind the decision. According to the report, people "familiar with the [diesel] strategy" say the company will announce decision as part of a four-year plan, set to be fully revealed on June 1...
Fiat has announced local pricing and specification information for the refreshed 500X SUV, which kicks off at $24,990 before on-road costs. On the outside, changes between the outgoing 500X and its face-lifted replacement are hard to spot: there are two new colours (Donatello Bronze and Alpi Matte Green) for buyers and, er, that's it...
When CarAdvice offered me one of their cars for a week, I gladly took on the Abarth 595. Although I’m a fan of compact cars, the Fiat (and Abarth) range is something I’ve overlooked. I think it’s because I had a Fiat Freemont hire car once, and really struggled to find anything I liked about it. I wasn’t expecting amazing things from the little 595 then...
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has joined the crowd of manufacturers giving old cars a new lease on life, launching the Reloaded by Creators program. Unlike some other manufacturers, FCA won't be building old cars from scratch. Instead, the company will buy "carefully selected" used vehicles and treat them to an exacting restoration...
Fiat has recalled the 2.3-litre diesel Ducato van over concerns the intercooler sleeve could come loose from the throttle body. The manufacturer says if the condition occurs, the engine warning light will illuminate and drivers will experience a loss of power. Should the vehicle unexpectedly lose power when in use, it could increase the risk of an accident...
The Abarth 595 is a very small car. I am a very tall man. I’m also new here at CarAdvice. You can probably see where this is going. The team in Melbourne threw me the keys to our littlest, reddest hatchback and, through fits of laughter, told me to have fun. We've already taken a detailed look at how we specced the Abarth, but here’s a quick rundown of the highlights...
The Fiat 500 60th Anniversary special-edition has arrived in Australia, priced from $28,990 before on-road costs. Following the recently-released 500 Anniversario, the 500 60th Anniversary celebrates the 60th birthday of the 1957 'Nuova' Fiat 500. Differing from the Anniversario, however, is the fact that this latest edition is available solely as a cabriolet...
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has entered talks with diesel owners and the US Department of Justice, as the parties near settlement over cars fitted with emissions defeat devices. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) filed a lawsuit against FCA in May this year, arguing the company used a 'defeat device' in 104,000 Ram 1500 pickup trucks and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs fitted with the 3...
CarAdvice's own 2017 Abarth 595 (pre-facelift) takes on a replica of the legendary 1970 Abarth 695!
Euro NCAP has released its latest safety scores this week for a number of models, including updated ratings for ageing vehicles still sold as new cars. Several all-new cars got full five-star ratings, including the Hyundai Kona, Kia Stinger, BMW 6 Series GT and Jaguar F-Pace, while re-testing of some recently-facelifted versions of older models revealed some sub-par results - including a zero-star score...
When it came time for us to add another car to the CarAdvice collection, we realised there was a giant hole – it was one that had to be filled by an Italian car. Ferrari or Lamborghini weren’t the most practical options, so last year we welcomed a red (pre-facelift) 2017 Abarth 595 to our family – a Fiat 500 with extra horsepower and badging, which is something that’s needed for us car people to get around the city swiftly...
Fiat Chrysler is discussing with Hyundai regarding hydrogen fuel-cell technologies and vehicle transmissions. Fiat Chrysler CEO, Sergio Marchionne, spilt the beans to Bloomberg while speaking to media at the launch of Alfa Romeo's return to Formula One. Marchionne highlighted the "potential of a technical partnership with Hyundai" to develop transmissions and hydrogen technology...
The 2018 Fiat 500 Anniversario Special Edition is now on sale in Australia, celebrating the iconic Italian nameplate's 60th anniversary. Designed to commemorate the beginning of production for the legendary Fiat 500 in Turin, Italy, some 60 years ago, the car is a retro limited-edition variant of the current 'Series 4' 500 hatchback to Australia...
The 2018 Abarth 595 features some important upgrades over the model it replaces. Still not the most sensible option in the segment, it is an undeniable enthusiast's car, with retro appeal, a willing engine, and go-kart fun factor.
The 2016-17 Fiat Ducato van has been recalled this week over concerns the exhaust recirculation system could break and cause a loss of drivability. According to the manufacturer, affected vehicles may be fitted with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) pipe that breaks due to "potential non-conformity"...
Fiat Chrysler CEO, Sergio Marchionne, is still sceptical about the economic viability of Tesla, and the short-term profitability of production electric vehicles. Speaking at an event in New York, Marchionne said he was “unconvinced” as to whether Elon Musk would be able to bring Tesla to profit with his current model...
The upgraded 2018 Fiat 500X has been revealed for the US market, with an Australian launch confirmed for sometime in the first quarter of next year. As is often the case with Fiat's 500-badged models, the retro styling of the 500X shows only subtle changes for the new model year. Indeed, tweaks on the outside are limited to new colours: Donatello Bronze (bottom) and Alpi Matte Green (top)...
