TURIN (ITALPRESS) The most powerful Abarth ever will be an electric. With 280 horsepower and a power output of 207 kW, the scorpion company presents to the public the 600e, a sporty B-Suv declined in two versions: Turismo and the Scorpionissima in a limited edition of 1949 examples, a tribute to the year Abarth was born. Orders start Oct. 29 and prices range from 43,000 euros for the Turismo version to 49,000 euros for the Scorpionissima. “The Abarth 600e,” says Gaetano Thorel, Head of Fiat & Abarth Enlarged Europe, “is proof that you can make sporty, fun, dynamic cars by having an electric motor as a power source. Those who drive it will understand it immediately because you don’t remember you are on an electric but you just have the pleasure of driving a car attached to the ground that gives a great adrenaline rush as in the Abarth style. It was developed like a thermal and the only difference is the electric motor. So in addition to having fun it is also environmentally friendly and will have no problems with traffic, taxes, parking. In sports cars the costs associated with development are the same between thermal and electric. This car dispels another myth: it puts itself, in fact, in the same price range as a thermal sports car that has the same performance.”
The Abarth 600e is a car with a pure sporting spirit so much so that its electric motor has been tested on the Formula E test bench. Power is also ensured by torque that reaches 345 Nm, and the limited top speed settles at 200 km per hour with a range of up to 334 km in the WLTP combined cycle, depending on tire equipment. The Scorpionissima provides 0 to 100 km per hour acceleration in 5.85 seconds while the Turismo in about 6.24 seconds. To ensure smoother handling and greater traction in corners, the new Abarth 600e is equipped with a Torsen limited-slip differential from JTEKT that offers additional torque on the outer wheel, improving the car’s handling due to the locking effect of the setup. To ensure a driving experience devoted to the racing spirit, suspension stiffness was increased and the chassis reinforced with a rear anti-roll bar that changes the balance and increases overall rear stiffness. Ventilated brakes, developed with Alcon, provide better fade resistance and heat dissipation with 380 mm diameter and 32 mm thickness and a four-piston monoblock caliper. The tires are Michelin Pilot Sport EV tires developed to provide excellent grip. Also crucial is the cooling system to prevent overheating of the battery: a specific calibration ensures effective cooling especially in sportier modes.
To help the driver, the Abarth 600e is equipped with three driving modes: from the smoothest to the most aggressive track mode. “With the 600e,” comments Francesco Morosini, FIAT Serial Life & Abarth Manager, “we wanted to return to the pure essence of Abarth that rests on three pillars: style, performance and racing content. We did this by partnering with the motorsport division of Stellantis where the same people who develop Formula E, Le Mans Series and Rally cars work. Thanks to them we brought back to this car all the racing know-how, in terms of set up, tuning, tuning and also all the technical components. For example, the differential with which the Abarth 600e is equipped allows it to close corners in a unique way without ever suffering from understeer.” The design of the Abarth 600e has been made more aggressive and sporty but also more functional for racing features by improving aerodynamics with new bumpers and spoiler. The Turismo version will be available in Acid Green, Antidote White, Shock Orange, and Venom Black.
The Scorpionissima, on the other hand, will be able to be painted in either Verde Acid or Viola Hypnotic. “On the Abarth 600e,” said Donato Pacella, FIAT & Abarth Exterior Design Manager, “we changed the bumpers and put a specific spoiler, and above all, it is the first Abarth in history to mount a 20-inch rim. The logo has stripes that represent the electrification of the brand.” The sports steering wheel has leather and Alcantara inserts, the Sabelt racing seats in the Scorpionissima feature Scorpionflage, an exclusive pattern created by the shape of the scorpion while those in the Turismo are made of fabric and feature a striped pattern. Infotainment runs through a 10.25-inch display while the digital instrument screen behind the steering wheel is 7 inches. Finally, the Scorpionissima also features the Sound Generator system, which can be operated from the display and reproduces the classic sound of Abarth gasoline engines. The sound is louder in sporty driving conditions and fades beyond 80 km per hour, continuing to decrease as speed is increased adapting to driving conditions.
photo: xb4/Italpress
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