2012 Fiat 500 Abarth [w/video]
 

<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/sports/" rel="tag">Performance</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/euro/" rel="tag">Europe</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/hatchbacks/" rel="tag">Hatchback</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/quick-spin/" rel="tag">Quick Spin</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/fiat/" rel="tag">Fiat</a></p><em><big>Not Exactly Like America's Abarth - Ours Will Be Better</big></em><br />
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<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-fiat-500-abarth-quick-spin/"><img border="1" hspace="4" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/05/2012-fiat-500-abarth-qs.jpg" vspace="4" /></a><br />
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2012 Fiat 500 Abarth - Click above for high-res image gallery</div>
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Covering the automotive business is rife with surprises. Case in point: On a recent trip to the stunning Algarve region of Portugal to test Continental Tire's new ContiEcoContact 5 (verdict: they're very good), we had the chance to sample a bit of forbidden fruit.<br />
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In the process of learning about the German company's doughnut-making capabilities (which included a journeyman's seminar on velocity-excited short- and long-chain polymers, the CEC5's three-percent fuel economy bump and improved wet-braking capabilities), one test car fitted with Continental's new rubber was a EU-spec 2011 Fiat 500 Abarth.<br />
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Knowing that the factory-fettled <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/500">500</a> is headed our way in two year's time, we snagged the keys to see if Italy's hottest hatch was ready to bring the pain to the John Cooper Works-infused offerings from <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/mini/">Mini</a>. <a href="/2011/05/11/2012-fiat-500-abarth-quick-spin-review/#continued"><em>Continue reading...</em></a><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/11/2012-fiat-500-abarth-quick-spin-review/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>2012 Fiat 500 Abarth [w/video]</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;backgr ound:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/11/2012-fiat-500-abarth-quick-spin-review/">2012 Fiat 500 Abarth [w/video]</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblo g</a> on Wed, 11 May 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/11/2012-fiat-500-abarth-quick-spin-review/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19934575/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/11/2012-fiat-500-abarth-quick-spin-review/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>

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