22 September 2009 - 11:00
Hamann’s 261bhp 500 Abarth
We spotted this cute little 500 Abarth on Hamann's show stand in Frankfurt last week, and now the German tuner has given us a load more details on the tuned-up, camouflaged Cinq.
They call it the Largo (which sounds like a primary school insult for the wheezing lad who can't do cross-country and, in fact, turns out to be almost exactly that - Largo is the Italian for ‘wide') and despite its GI Jane visuals, it should be scary-fast.
It puts out a daft 261bhp from a tuned-up version of Fiat's 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine, which is 100bhp more than the top-spec ‘Esseesse' Abarth 500. That's a ridiculous amount of power for something with the approximate dimensions of a bar of soap.
Hamann hasn't released any performance figures, but when you consider that the Esseesse Abarth 500 will hit 60mph in 7.4 seconds, we reckon you could be looking at a Cinq that'll outsprint a Focus RS. If, that is, it can get that power onto the road without spearing merrily into a tree/wall/ocean.
To which end, Hamann has dropped the 500 on its springs by 6cm, and given it a wider track with bigger wheels and a new rear diffuser. You'll have spotted that delicate little bodykit, too.
As you'll know, we're generally somewhat sceptical of the efforts of Germany's finest tuners, but we can't help feeling all warm and fuzzy about this loony little 500. It's like a big-eyed teddy bear... armed with a flick knife. Anyone else feeling the love?
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This will be EVIL to drive, oversteer, understeer, torquesteer, it will have the lot.
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I saw this car last week at the IAA and really loved it. I would just take off the "camouflage" and buy it in black. I'd keep the wheels though.
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I like the styling of the ferrari one more...what I don't like is how the big brand companies can't go "crazy" and give the car a big amount of horsepower...They should somehow work together..let hamann do the engine and ferrari the rest...
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oh my.. i didn't realize it was possible to make something so cute, so ugly.. Fiat make it look.. chick (good) Abarth rough it up a touch and make it look fun (good) Ferrari get to it and make it look beautiful (good), then Hamann give it a stupid paint job and a very ugly body kit (bad). rear diffuser looks mean though...
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wow i recon it looks great!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that would be insane to have that much power in such a small car want one now!!!!!!!!!!
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i want it now
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The car is just too light to put this much power on the road through the front wheels.At a full throttle start the wheels just gonna spin and the car wont go anywhere. But with some warmed up slic tyres it can become a gokart.
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Maybe they´ve ruined the looks of the car, but these cars are about driving experience adn while you´re driving you are not looking at the exterior.
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I just hope the ferrari version can keep up in terms of performance because their creation looks better. P.S. the 500 rocks!!!
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imagine ur at the lights, some cock pulls up next to you in the focus rs. the lights go amber urrm i mean green (as if we would go thruogh an amber right guys? [deafening silence]any way the lights go green), you both put ur foot dow and the focus becomes nothing more than a speck in ur rear view mirror. uve von a drag race, in a fiat 500. i want one!
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Gergo's first comment: 'The car is just too light to put this much power on the road through the front wheels'. OK, so how well has the focus RS done then?
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Finally a tuning job that is remotely good looking.
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Well that's a half-hearted bodykit. All they've done is stick more holes an an Abarth version. And then make it invisible in forests that are shaped like giant computer mice and look like a design student's desktop bg. But 261bhp in a very short-wheelbase FF? My goodness me!! That's quite a different job to what the Ford RS has to do, and no easier.
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It's too light, it's too pointless, it will have too much understeer, and oversteer, it has a silly racing paintjob, it wont be able to put the power down properly and it has a ridiculous body kit. Want one. Now
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And what would 200bhp do to a bar of soap..?
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Crazy! With the original looks and this power, it would be a monster, and I would love it. :)
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There's a car there? Sorry, I can't see it............ *rollseyes*
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I actually love this car! every time I see a more tuned up version of this car I cant help but love it more so, its great how even when its made to be as fast and be as menacing as possible it still manages to be cute and fluffy is the word im goin for here :)
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I like that. A lot. Actually I'd want one with boost control so that mundane driving can be done at 200Bhp. Maybe the return of the over-boost button (and subsequently a pound coin and some sticky tape to hold it on). Marvellous. Ferrari one looked nicer though.
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I bet it goes straight when you turn the wheel, but corner lively when you want to accelerate in a straight line.
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TheTallOne´s comment. The focus rs is much heavier and it helps the grip at sraight line acceleration.
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There's a little typo on your webpage title. "Fait"
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in a drag race this would be hard to beat. it should trash civics and give evos a good challenge
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That is just staggering :) Something that small with 261 bhp.
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Gergo commented on this article
22 September 2009
The ferrari version is better
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