FIAT made a great job of reinventing its 500 city car for the electric era. But when it comes to the sporty Abarth version, with no terrier-like turbocharged four-cylinder engine under the bonnet, the question of how to mimic the regular 500e's success is a tricky one.
Noise - or rather, the lack of it - is a major part of this, so Abarth decided to tap into the model's playful nature and just fake it. As a result, the hot 500e features a sound generator with one speaker inside and one out to try to replicate the sometimes flatulent sounds of a petrol-powered Abarth.
After turning the car on, the initial response is surprise - not at the sound itself, rather its quite unruly volume. Straight away, you can tell Abarth is not taking itself too seriously, a positive point despite the potential for teeth-grinding embarrassment, depending on the driver's circumstances. The good news is that this playful side is backed up with bespoke tuning, applied to both the powertrain and the chassis, in order to give the hot EV more charisma.
Esta historia es de la edición July 19, 2023 de Auto Express.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición July 19, 2023 de Auto Express.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
PEUGEOT E-2008 GT
Our Peugeot EV and classic BMW may be the perfect two-car garage
SHOW 'N' TELL
Our 2024 Performance Car of the Year, Hyundai's Ioniq 5 N EV, takes on the revamped Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
F1 EXHIBITION IS GO GO GO
Former F1 World Champion Damon Hill shows us around a celebration of the greatest sport on Earth
BYD Dolphin Active
Lower power means a more affordable price, but the new entry-level Dolphin is left wanting in other areas
Mercedes-AMG CLE Coupé
FIRST DRIVE We get behind the wheel of new CLE that aims to offer both comfort and a scincillating driving experience
Volkswagen Golf GTI
Ergonomic improvements are a welcome enhancement to VW's iconic hot hatch, but there's still no manual version
Toyota Prius
FIRST UK DRIVE Toyota's hybrid pioneer finally returns to these shores in fifth-generation guise and exclusively as a plug-in hybrid
INSURANCE SCAMS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM
INSURANCE FRAUD BUREAU EXPERT GIVES US THE LOWDOWN ON THE LATEST SWINDLES
Honda's updated HR-V sports sharp new look
Brand's best-selling model in Europe has also received some interior revisions and extra safety kit
Audi sets £70k start price for new A6 EV
ORDER books for the new Audi A6 e-tron are open now, with prices from just under £70,000 and deliveries starting next February.