500
WRR Broadcast Guide: May 12th – May 19th, 2015
This week, the IndyCar series heads to Indiana for Indianapolis 500 qualifying sessions, V8 Supercars gear up for the Perth SuperSprint, and you’ll get a second chance to catch the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge action from Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on Fox Sports 1.
Comparison: 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth vs. 2012 Mini Cooper S Coupe vs. 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo
A few years ago, we put together a comparison pitting four of our favorite hot hatches against one another. Now, in 2012, we have a new generation of fast, turbocharged hatchbacks that deserve a close look. One brand, the winner from the last test—Mini—is represented here again, this time in the Mini Cooper S Coupe. Also in the race is the new Fiat 500 Abarth, which has garnered a lot of attention from the media and the public. Finally, we threw in the Hyundai Veloster Turbo, which we think is both an interesting and exciting candidate, even if it hasn’t had much time to make a name for itself.
First Look: 2013 Fiat 500 Turbo
Slotting in neatly between the standard Fiat 500—or Cinquecento for the full-blooded Italians in the audience—and the “Look at me!” go-fast 500 Abarth is this, the new 2013 Fiat 500 Turbo. The Turbo arrives sporting the same 1.4-liter four-cylinder turbocharged MultiAir engine that is found under the hood of the Abarth.
Car Audio Test: 2012 Fiat 500 Sport Hatchback
Testing Notes: As Bose systems go, this is one of the better ones, though a glance at our ratings will perhaps convey that this is faint praise indeed. That’s because this system still takes the life out of music by sanding off the nuances and details. In addition, the spatial presentation is disconcerting with sounds coming from the dash and shifted away from the driver. Unfortunately, one’s listening pleasure is further reduced because the Fiat 500 is far from the quietest car on the road and the single DIN head unit offers but a minimalist user interface. Still, this leaves this stereo in the “not bad” category much more than in the “outright offensive” zone.
Quick Drive: 2012 Fiat 500 Sport 6AT
For starters, the automatic gearbox isn’t a bad one, shifting appropriately up and down on its own most of the time, and quick-but-not-jarring when used via the “Auto Stick” lever. Considering that the five-speed manual isn’t a terrific gearbox as far as these things go, the “loss” in terms of enthusiastic driving for the auto isn’t as great as it might be.
Driven: 2012 Fiat 500C
We liked the hardtop Fiat 500 when we drove it a few months back. We aren’t the only ones, as the new Cinquecento has been subject of rave reviews across the internet and newsstands. So with the 500 Convertible, Fiat is aiming to keep the brand’s positive buzz going by creating the first true competitor to the Mini Cooper in the four-seat drop-top market.
Ask It: Fiat 500 Sport
The day has finally arrived, where we welcome the 2012 Fiat 500 into our test fleet. Our tester, a Mocha Latte (no joke) Sport, is fitted with Fiat’s 1.4-liter MultiAir I-4. Shifting duties are handled by a six-speed automatic, with a do-it-yourself manual mode.
Detroit 2011: Fiat 500
The long march to bring Fiat’s effervescent 500 from Europe to the shores of the US is nearly complete. Fiat showed us the North American version of the Cinquecento a few months ago at the LA show (read the full details, including press release, here), and now has brought the city car to Detroit for our viewing pleasure.
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