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02 Oct 2014

Abarth at the 2014 Paris International Motor Show Performance is a state of mind

• Abarth 2014: sales up by 23% with respect to 2013 in Europe, Middle East and Africa • Abarth 695 biposto: the entire 2014 production of 'the smallest supercar' has been allocated • The Abarth 500 range: 595 possible customisation combinations

Abarth at the 2014 Paris International Motor Show Performance is a state of mind
  • Abarth 2014: sales up by 23% with respect to 2013 in Europe, Middle East and Africa
  • Abarth 695 biposto: the entire 2014 production of 'the smallest supercar' has been allocated
  • The Abarth 500 range: 595 possible customisation combinations
  • Formula 4: celebrating the Italian F4 Championship Powered by Abarth with the début of the F4 single-seater in a motor show

 

Abarth is returning to the Paris Motor Show to show the product range to the general public and to celebrate last year's excellent sales results. Sales are up by 23% in the EMEA Region with respect to 2013.

In particular, the Abarth stand will be welcoming the public and exhibiting the brand's true essence which can be summed up in the claim 'performance is a state of mind'. The exhibition area is designed as a tour to reveal the exclusive values and products of Abarth. The tour starts with the concept of pure performance expressed to the full with the 695 biposto - 190 HP, 997 kg and the best weight/power ratio in its category (5.2 kg/HP) - and the 1.4 turbo T-Jet 160 HP single-seater, which is the symbol of the Italian F4 Championship Powered by Abarth. 

Then comes the 'Customisation Area', where performance and customisation meet to create over 595 possible combinations. A 595 Competizione will be showcased here to represent the sportiest, 'racing purist' spirit of the brand. The tour ends with the 595C Turismo in the 'Empowerment Area' with an invitation to discover the meaning of 'everyday performance' in the 'Collector's Garage': the new official merchandising collections and interesting Abarth racing memorabilia will be on show.

For Abarth 2014 is the beginning of a new era. The launch of the Abarth '695 biposto' (the 'fastest street-legal Abarth ever'), the renewed range, the involvement as main sponsor and official supplier of engines for the ACI-Sport F4 Italian National Championship and the début of the Abarth 695 Assetto Corse Evoluzione, which has joined the 500 Assetto Corse and the 695 Assetto Corse for the racing season all contributed to this year's positive results.

In line with its identity as Global Brand, Abarth is consolidating and expanding its worldwide presence by opening twenty-seven new showrooms in 2014 (+15% with respect to end of 2013). More are expected to open by the end of the year.

The objectives were reached with the key support of the official network of dealers and preparation shops: with over 4,600 sold to date, Abarth 500 sales are up by 23% with respect to the same period of last year in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Region.

Particularly remarkable were the results on international level, particularly in Asia, the UK and Germany: sales trends are increasingly more concentrated outside Italy (74%) and outside Europe (24%), with a 9% growth with respect to the last year.

The 'special series' were also very successful: production has been completed and the 595 50th Anniversary cars have been allocated to dealers, one fourth of which in Japan and Australia.

The results of the Abarth 695 biposto, the most recent addition to the range, are equally important. Introduced at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show and available for order since June with a price tag starting from 39,000 euro (price for Italy), the supercar from Abarth will be celebrating its first prodigious success in Paris: the  orders received to date, exceeded already the production capacity of the last year. The first cars will be delivered by the end of 2014.

Tested on the field in many major supercar events across Europe, the Abarth two-seater packed with street-legal racing spirit will be taking its load of adrenaline-fuelled excitement to the Paris Motor Show.

After having debuted as 'official car' at Gumball3000 and featured in the Goodwood 'Festival of Speed', the 695 biposto was admired by over 120,000 motor enthusiasts at the seventh edition of 'Le Mans Classic' and at Lignières Historique, and has proven to be able to stand up to the other supercars.

The performance of the 'fastest street-legal Abarth ever' is outstanding also as a result of its weight of only 997 kilograms which makes it a rightful member of the exclusive triple digit club.  Most supercars weigh more than a ton and only a handful (like the Alfa Romeo 4C, for example) have a weight in the three-digit range. The Abarth 695 biposto is one of these. Weighing less than 1000 kilograms means more dynamic performance, better handling and improved road feel.

Available for orders since June, the performance of the new Abarth 500 is excellent also in terms of sales. This is thanks to a wide range of versions, by combining three trim levels ('Custom', 'Turismo' and 'Competizione'), two different gearbox technologies (manual or electrically actuated with shift paddles) and a standard digital TFT instrument panel with colour display, content that is increasingly widespread among supercars with a sports vocation.- Furthermore, the 2014 range includes three single-colour and two double-colour paintworks and new 'Heritage' designed rims totalling six different combinations.

The listed price of the Abarth 500 Model Year 2014 is from 18,600 euro (price for Italy) for the Custom trim level.

The 595 Competizione and 595C Turismo are good representatives of the brand's typical tune-up concept. The power of the engine of the 595 Competizione was boosted to 160 HP and the ride was beefed up by fitting 17" wheels and an oversized Brembo braking system. The Record Monza exhaust and the sporty Abarth Corse by Sabelt seats are standard. The 595 Turismo stands out for its luxurious leather interiors, instead.

A selection of kits and accessories made with Mopar - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' reference brand for services, customer care, spare parts and accessories - will be showcased in Paris. These complement the range and focus on satisfying Abarth's celebrated custom attitude. More in detail, a full range of tune-up kits and accessories are available for all Abarth models for drivers who want the highest customisation level: five engine kits, three braking system and suspension kits, style kits and an increasing number of great accessories further confirm Abarth's vocation. The kits and accessories are also available from the official Abarth e-commerce website (www.abarthstore.com).

With its range, the Abarth 500 can satisfy the demands of a very wide customer base spanning from drivers seeking the typical elegance and exclusivity of a Gran Turismo and die-hard sport car enthusiasts to 'black tie racer' (Sundays on the race track, Mondays in the office) and women who are attracted by the car's combination of distinction and performance.

For the first time in a motor show, the Italian F4 Championship Powered by Abarth single-seater will be displayed in Paris to celebrate the success of the first edition of the Championship. In agreement with its best motor sport talent scouting tradition, Abarth was main sponsor of the new FIA (the International Automobile Federation) championship created to allow young drivers (aged from 15 to 18) to show their worth in single-seater race cars powered by 1.4 turbo T-Jet 160 HP engines this year. 

The winner of the international championship (with twenty-two drivers from ten different countries) was named already two races before the end: the young Canadian Lance Stroll (Prema Power Team) won the first Formula 4 title on September 15 on the Vallelunga racing track in Italy with two races to go.

Not even sixteen, Stroll started reaping international results in 2010 in karts in the USA and won the WSK Euroseries European title in 2013, ranking sixth in the world. Ten wins on fifteen races means that the title is mathematically his to keep.

The performance of the basic 1.4 T-Jet on the F4 single-seaters is limited to a still respectful top power of 160 HP at 5500 rpm and a top torque of 240 Nm at 3500 rpm. It is the same engine which has been equipping the Abarth 500 Assetto Corse, the 695 Assetto Corse and, as from this year, the Abarth 695 Assetto Corse Evoluzione for the past six editions delivering a power of 215 HP and is a further confirmation of its versatile, robustness and reliability.

Single-make trophies still attract plenty of interest as demonstrated by the number of enrolments (already 23 in 2014) and the inclusion in the WTCC (World Touring Car Championship) and ETCC calendars, with which the Trofeo Abarth Europa has shared four events: Le Castellet in France, Salzburgring in Austria, Spa Francorchamps in Belgium and Pergusa in Italy.

Greatly increased was quality and visibility of the events. Highlights of the championship were broadcast on Eurosport1 and Eurosport2 obtaining international coverage for the first time and being watched by viewers in 59 countries with commentary in 20 different languages.

Finally, visitors will be introduced to the products of FGA Capital, a finance company specialising in the automotive sector, by supplying targeted advice and distributing illustrative materials. The company is operative in all the major European markets - in France with FC France and FL Auto - with a sole mission: supporting the sales of all Fiat Chrysler Automobiles brands by offering innovative financial products with high added value services targeted to the dealership network, private customers and companies.

 

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