Review: Abarth 500 Esseesse (2011-14)

Overview

Released in March 2011, the Abarth 500 Esseesse was a light, three-door hatchback. Although based on the Fiat 500 , the 500 Esseesse was powered by a more powerful 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine which was mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The Abarth 500 Esseesse was also fitted with a Torque Transfer Control (TTC) system which used a differential locking mechanism to control torque to the front wheels and minimise understeer.

Dimensions and suspension

The Abarth 500 Esseesse was 3657 mm long, 1627 mm wide, 1485 mm tall and had a 2300 mm long wheelbase. Furthermore, the 500 Esseesse had MacPherson strut front suspension and torsion beam rear suspension (both with coil springs, gas-filled dampers and anti-roll bars).

History of Abarth

Abarth was founded in Turin in 1949 as an Italian racing car maker but was acquired by Fiat in 1971. In 2007, Fiat revived the Abarth brand for its performance models – the Abarth 500 Esseesse was the first Abarth model to be sold in Australia.

Safety equipment

Standard safety equipment for the Abarth 500 Esseesse included dual front airbags, driver’s knee airbag, front-side airbags, full-length curtain airbags, ABS, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control, front seatbelt pretensioners and load limiters, and anti-submarining front seats.

Brakes

The Abarth 500 Esseesse had 284 mm by 22 mm cross-drilled and ventilated front discs and 240 mm by 11 mm ventilated rear discs.

Euro NCAP crash testing

In Euro NCAP crash testing , a Fiat 500 fitted with a 1.2-litre engine received a five star adult occupant protection rating with a score of 34.91 out of 37. In the offset crash test, there was a slight risk of serious chest and leg injury for the front occupants. In the side impact test, there was a slight risk of serious chest injury for the driver. 

Features

Standard features for the Abarth 500 Esseesse included 17-inch alloy wheels with 205/40 ZR17 Pirelli P-Zero tyres, a six speaker stereo with CD player, MP3-compatiblity and auxiliary stereo inputs (MP3/USB/iPod), climate control air conditioning, Bluetooth connectivity, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearshift, remote central locking, power windows, a tilt adjustable steering wheel, height adjustable driver’s seat, tyre pressure sensors, tinted windows, a trip computer and an immobiliser.

Related links

• Press Kit: Abarth 500 Esseesse (March 2011)