Abarth 500e Turismo duo revealed

ABARTH continues to roll out new and exciting 500e (electric) variants, with the flagship Turismo hatchback and cabriolet now joining the recently launched 500e.

Offering “new design elements and sporty details”, the Abarth 500e Turismo range is characterised by a model-specific grille panel with dark titanium lettering on a model-specific bumper, Scorpion signature logo on the side panels, a bespoke set of 18-inch alloy wheels, white diffusers front and rear, and grey wing mirror caps.

Inside, the 500e Turismo features dark-themed Alacantara décor and embossed upholstery with double stitching on the seats and steering wheel, which is wrapped in leather. In front of the driver are two 10.25-inch screens for instrumentation and infotainment, along with a 7.0-inch TFT screen for dedicated Abarth (sport) pages.

A “full set” of convenience and safety features are to be offered as standard, including heated front seats, a wireless device charging pad, reversing camera and blind-spot warning.

The 500e range offers its own range of sounds that corroborate with start-up and shut down, and in conjunction with the vehicle’s AVAS system that is said to “reflect the transgressive and unconventional soul inherent to the genre”… whatever that means.

Further, the signature “roar” of the Abarth Sound Generator is said to “faithfully reproduce the sound of an Abarth petrol engine”.

Staying on the sound front, we also note that the range-topping Cinquecento offers as standard a JBL Premium audio system Abarth says offers “a vibrant and powerful 360-degree sound experience”. The seven-speaker system includes two tweeters, two mid-woofers and two full-range speakers as well as a boot-mounted sub-woofer and eight-channel 320-watt amplifier.

Like the derivative model, the Turismo is said to offer “great handling and driving dynamics” and is equipped with a 42kWh battery and 114kW/235Nm e-motor driving the front wheels. Abarth quotes a 0-100km/h time of approximately seven seconds, meaning the vehicle is slower than the petrol-powered 595 and 695 models it serves to replace.

Driving range is listed at up to 265km, while the battery supports fast charging at up to 85kW DC for an 80 per cent charge time of 35 minutes.

To quickly and easily charge the car at home, Abarth will offer a plug-and-play wallbox solution with Bluetooth MyEasyWallbox app that allows owners to set up and monitor the 500’s charging parameters.

Three driver-selectable modes are available – Turismo, Scorpion Street and Scorpion Track – the latter switching off the vehicle’s one-pedal drive mode for “top performance”. Colour choices include Antidote White, Venom Black, Adrenalin Red, Acid Green and Poison Blue.

The Abarth 500e duo will sit above their Fiat cousins in the local range, with pricing expected to top that of the derivative 500e. Locally, the compact all-electric hatch will be available from $52,500 drive-away, more than double that of the outgoing petrol-powered 500 Lounge (from $23,100 plus on-road costs).

The regular 500e is powered by an 87kW/220Nm electric motor driving the front wheels and is said to offer a driving range of 320km (13.0kWh/100km) based on the European WLTP standard. It can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 9.5 seconds.

The third generation of Fiat’s modern take on the iconic city-sized hatch will be all electric upon launch. It is 60mm longer (to 3632mm) and 60mm wider (to 1683mm without mirrors) than before with a 20mm longer wheelbase and broader wheel track at either end. Boot space ranges from 185 to 550 litres.

The new platform has enabled Fiat to offer more technology with its 500e, including Level 2 autonomous driving capabilities, adaptive cruiser control, lane-keep assist, speed limit recognition, blind-spot monitoring, 360-degree camera technology and driver attention monitoring.

Launch of the Fiat 500e Australia is due towards the middle of this year.