MOTORS: No sting in tail of new Abarth sound system
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Performance cars don’t have to just get off the mark quickly and handle well through the bends. For the full experience, they have to sound good too, and the Italian sporty brand Abarth understand that only too well.
That’s why their latest model, the first-ever electric hot hatch, the Abarth 500e, is one of the best-sounding sporty numbers on the market and it’s down to more than 6000 hours of work by acoustic engineers.
They spent two years recording a current Abarth petrol engine throughout different phases and then processed them to extract the distinctive frequencies which were enriched with additional sounds to produce the best effect for the driver. They range from a static burble to the roar of a petrol Abarth under hard acceleration.
But it doesn’t come from the exhaust, because there isn’t one. Instead the note – which encapsulates the brand’s ethos of passion, adrenaline and exhileration – flows from a sound generator with a water and mud-proof woofer speaker under the boot.
It’s a superb effect and really adds to the experience but if it all becomes too much, it can be switched off, although not while on the move which may be a problem should you encounter nervous horses on a rural road.
The fearless founder of the company, Carlo Abarth would have loved the idea.
He spent his life in the pursuit of speed from the moment he first took to the road. At the age of 11, he wrapped a leather belt around the wooden wheels of his scooter so he could go faster than the older children in his neighbourhood.
The latest creation is built in the same Mirafiori factory in Turin which was the base of the Abarth company after World War II and it displays the traditional scorpion logo – Carlo’s star sign.
It comes in two versions, the standard hatchback and the top-of-the-range Turismo which as a convertible is the featured test car.
It has been designed as an EV from the ground up with a completely different chassis from the sister Fiat 500 version and has a wider track with a longer wheelbase for better handling.
The battery spans the centre and rear of the floor pan, finishing flush with the rear axle which optimises the car’s weight distribution.
Prices start at £34,195, the same as the top-of-the-range Fiat 500e and is aimed at what they call premium customers who will appreciate the EV characteristics which focus on acceleration rather than top speed to make it faster than the petrol version.
It looks great too, especially in the dramatic new colours of Poison Blue and Acid Green with quirky styling details like small clear indicator winglets and LED headlights with eyebrow-like panels above.
The Turismo has 18-inch diamond-cut titanium grey alloy wheels and in the cockpit you’ll find an Alcantara and leather steering wheel, embossed dashboard fascia and sports seats with integrated headrest and an acid green scorpion lasered onto the fabric. All versions have a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with all-new performance pages to monitor the drive, along with a 7-inch driver cluster display.
There are three driving modes, from relaxed and efficient Turismo, while Scorpion Street releases the electric drivetrain’s full performance. Scorpion Track is designed for those looking for maximum performance and they certainly get that by the bucketload.
The Abarth 500e’s battery is optimised for 85kW DC fast-charging which should give a range of 25 miles in just five minutes, while a fast charge to 80 per cent takes only 35 minutes. A domestic 13-amp socket would take just over 15 hours.
Abarth has a strong following in the UK and incredibly more Abarths are sold here than at home in Italy.
I predict the enthusiasts will love the new addition to the range – and how good it sounds.
Abarth 500e Convertible Turismo
PRICE: £41,195 (£41,795 as tested)
ENGINE: 42kWh battery with 113.7 kW electric motor
POWER: 152 hp
TORQUE: 235 Nm
TOP SPEED: 96mph
0-62mph: 7 secs
CHARGING TIME: 7.5 hours (7.4 kW AC) 30 mins (150 kW DC)
