Abarth is ushering in a completely new era by debuting the fully electric New Abarth 500e to enrich its model range and entering into Brazil with the successful launch of the New Abarth Pulse for an updated line-up that is more Abarth than ever.
The New Abarth 500e is the most responsive and exciting Abarth in urban driving and the fastest and most enjoyable in suburban driving. In short, it is more Abarth than ever. The electric architecture performs better than petrol thanks to an improved weight distribution, better torque, and a wider wheelbase.
Electric is the perfect technology to improve driving pleasure and ensure more sprint, greater balance, more stability, and better road holding. In a nutshell, for Abarth, electrification means being more fun and more competitive. If you look at it from another angle, electrification not only means looking for greener solutions, but is also synonymous with pure, distilled, and hardcore fun.
Olivier Francois, FIAT & Abarth Chief Executive Officer and Global Chief Marketing Officer of Stellantis, commented, “Today we are celebrating a milestone in Abarth’s history: we are simultaneously presenting the first electric Abarth in Europe, based on the Fiat 500 electric, and also launching the brand in Brazil with the introduction of the New Abarth Pulse. The New Abarth 500e is one of the most exciting launches in the history of the brand: a great new addition to the Abarth line-up. I like to think of it as family, so our fanbase will be involved in every step of our electrification journey.” Francois continued: “You may ask ‘why electric?’. Well, basically, performance made us do it: in fact, every change made in the Abarth is about getting the best driving performance. That’s exactly how our founder, Carlo Abarth, always went at it. So, from that point of view, let’s say that nothing has changed: better acceleration, better handling, more fun. And then there’s Abarth’s legendary signature: its sound. All that will be feeding our gear shift to a more global presence: the New Abarth Pulse in Brazil is phase 1, then we’ll see phase 2 when the New Abarth 500e reaches markets beyond Europe, including Japan and Brazil. Put all that together and you get what we call more Abarth than ever!”
There is only one reason to make an electric Abarth: the search for the highest performance. This goal has been pursued by Abarth for over 73 years of sharp, adrenaline-fueled, and competitive experience. Abarth has been always synonymous with performance, competition, thrill, and an attitude that has been electrifying people since 1949. Today the Scorpion renews the challenge with a revolutionary model that takes performance to unprecedent levels, in line with the essence of Carlo Abarth’s life and his mantra: “Go faster than yesterday. Win more”..
Driving Modes: Turismo, Scorpion Street and Scorpion Track
Three exclusive driving modes are available, which focus on performance – Turismo, Scorpion Street and Scorpion Track – giving customers total freedom to fully enhance the sporty set-up and unleash the power of their Abarth in every challenge on the road.
The Turismo mode allows for smoother acceleration and lower power (max power 100kW instead of 113kW, torque 220Nm instead of 235Nm) for an efficient yet exciting driving experience.
The Scorpion Street mode offers top performance while maximising the regenerative braking.
Plus, on Turismo or Scorpion Street Mode – thanks to the one-pedal driving feature – all you need is one pedal to experience the ultimate performance. The car decelerates every time you lift your foot and recovers kinetic energy, which then gets converted into electricity to recharge the battery. A faster and even sportier driving experience!
Finally, the Scorpion Track mode is designed for those who are looking for top performance.
Recharging speed
To minimise its charging time, the New Abarth 500e is equipped with the 85-kW fast-charging system to charge the car’s battery very quickly and guarantee never-ending fun. For example, all it takes is less than five minutes to build up a sufficient energy reserve for daily mileage requirements (up to 25 miles), which is less than the time it takes to choose your next destination. When in a hurry, the fast charge reaches up to 80% of the range in only 35 minutes.
Abarth keeps roaring: the immersive sound experience of the New Abarth 500e
For Abarth, sound has always been important. Beyond a simple technical feature, it has become a creative tool to express a distinctive and playful style. Furthermore, Abarth sound has always been synonymous with hardcore fun and excitement – a key and distinctive factor specifically designed to offer all the deep emotions that every Abarthist seeks when driving an Abarth. In addition to its high performance and bold style, the New Abarth 500e is the only small car which provides an immersive sound experience for those who want to drive electric without giving up on the famous and unmistakable Abarth roar, which has accompanied generations of passionate drivers and always been synonymous with power and performance.
In line with this philosophy, each time the car is turned on or off, the Key On-Off system reproduces a guitar inside the cabin – a sound that immediately gives users those sensations that can be experienced on board any Abarth. Even the AVAS (Acoustic Vehicle Alert System) gets a specific “jingle”, transforming a cold homologation and normative constraint into a sound recognisable by Scorpion fans. It is a “sound” that sets the New Abarth 500e apart from other electric cars. Plus, the first time you exceed 12mph, a “strumming guitar” reflects the transgressive and unconventional soul which is inherent in the genre and in the Scorpion‘s cars.
Finally, the New Abarth 500e is the first and only city car that can be equipped with the Sound Generator, for those who don’t want to give up on Abarth’s signature – the unmistakable Abarth “roar”. The Sound Generator accompanies the engine performance, faithfully reproducing the sound of an Abarth petrol engine. Designed to offer all the emotions that every Abarthist seeks when driving an Abarth, perfectly combining performance and sound, this innovative sound system gives a true Abarth driving experience.
The Sound Generator is offered as an alternative to the standard sound experience and comes with an AVAS which recalls the sound of a petrol engine – different from the standardized rustle with the guitar strum. Furthermore, when the New Abarth 500e is equipped with the Sound Generator, the key on-off system still reproduces a guitar inside the cabin each time the car is turned on or off. The Sound Generator can be turned on/off at the customer’s pleasure when the car is stationary.
The New Abarth 500e: new elements for a distinctive and bold sporty style
New design elements give the New Abarth 500e a unique yet bold style, taking inspiration from the past but also adding an even greater thrill to the whole driving experience. To give a clear picture of the new challenges and ambitions the brand is facing, Abarth has played with its logo, while staying true to the claim: “New era, same roots, same DNA.” The new modernised and electrified Scorpion signature logo makes its debut on the New Abarth 500e and projects the brand into a new era. And it’s not “just a signature”; it’s the union of performance and innovation, fun and sustainability. It is placed higher up and, together with the headlights and the grille, gives the car a look that tells you that nuts-and-bolts mean business. The New Abarth 500e stands out for its distinctive, high-performing, and bold sporty style and is dedicated to those who never give up on turning a drive into a fun experience.
Several distinctive elements on the exterior make the New Abarth 500e unique and eye-catching, such as the new dedicated front sporty bumper, the elusive and sporty lines of the lateral skirt, the cool white front DAM, the rear diffuser inserts, dedicated alloy wheels and the new Titanium Grey mirror caps. The sporty character of the New Abarth 500e is also enhanced by full LED front lighting with a new Abarth signature, front and rear disk brakes, new front and rear Abarth lettering in dark titanium Grey, a new lateral electrified Scorpion signature logo, and a black capote with an integrated sporty spoiler for the cabrio. The hatchback version is also equipped with rear privacy glass.
Style and sportiness find their fullest expression aboard the New Abarth 500e, as can be seen in several details: from the dark ambience of the pillars and headliner to the new Poison Blue strap for front seat folding. The alternation of fine materials and more sporty design elements creates a unique and exclusive combination in this market segment.
A brand-new buying experience
Acceleration and rapid response also characterize the new Abarth business model, as every part of the experience must allow customers to feel the electric sensations of Abarth.
The customer experience of the New Abarth 500e will be paperless, online, and intuitive, which is in line with the brand’s strategy of simplicity and customer satisfaction. Customers will get a taste of the checkered flag right from the first click. All it takes is just a few minutes to make your choice and pre-book your car.
The new online buying experience will kick off on November 22, with the New Abarth 500e Scorpionissima Limited Edition. An exclusive one-month pre-booking phase will be dedicated to the Abarth community members only, as a special reward for their engagement in the co-creation of the New 500 through the web-based “Performance creators” project.
*Article Source http://www.abarthpress.co.uk/
