We're following up the Fiat 500e from last week with something that announces its internal combustion engine power like no other car on the road: the Fiat 500 Abarth. We've been working from home lately and that has us missing our old winter routine of starting up the Abarth on a cold, dark morning. First it barks to life, and after 10 seconds or so of intense growling, it settles into a more neighborly rumble. As we consider the possibility of replacing ours with a 500e, our mind keeps coming back to that wonderful sound.
The appeal of the 500 Abarth is difficult to explain to those who ask how we like ours. The handling is nothing special compared to something like a Fiesta ST or a GTI. The turbocharged engine is boosted in the old style, where there isn't a well of torque to mine for power at low engine speeds. So it doesn't really stand out on any performance merits. But to us, the sum of all of its attributes makes it one of the most fun cars to drive around town. There is something about moving our 6'2" self down the road in an Italian shark cage that is endlessly entertaining. It just works for us, and doesn't leave us wanting for a different commuter.
Year: 2013
Model: Fiat 500 Abarth
Engine: 1.4L turbocharged 4-cyl
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 191,286
Price: $5,895
Location: Addison, IL
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth
United Auto Exchange 445 W. Factory Rd Addison, IL 60101 Sales: 630-701-6572
Clearly somebody felt the same about this example. 200,000 miles is not something we see too often on modern cars. This example would have been driven an average of ~24k miles per year to hit that total. We see absolutely no records of service in the listing, but we can tell that the interior and exterior were cared for reasonably well.
We'll admit that we featured this car mostly for the novelty of a clown car traveling so far in such a short span of time. At the current price of around $6,000, an example with half the mileage could be found with some patience, so there isn't a real financial incentive to move on this car. This feature is mostly a nod to the individual who has traveled so far in such a tiny automobile.
-Graham