Production begins this week on the first 2015 Fiat 500 Abarth and Turbo models to be equipped with an automatic transmission
The hot and the shiftless
The Fiat 500 Abarth arrived on our shores in early 2012, with the 500 Turbo appearing later that fall. Both offered varying degrees of sportier suspension tuning as well as throatier exhaust notes.
The 500 Turbo, with a slightly detuned version of the twin-intercooled, 1.4-liter single-turbo MultiAir engine, slotted neatly between the 101-horsepower naturally-aspirated 500 and the 160-horsepower version emblazoned with the scorpion.
In addition to the under hood turbo, both shared something else: neither was available with an automatic transmission. If you wanted a turbo-equipped Cinquecento, the lone transmission offered was a 5-speed manual.
That is, until now.
In an effort to lure manual-averse Americans that might have been turned off by the third pedal, back in April Fiat announced that, beginning with the 2015 model year, both turbo-equipped models would offer the option of an Aisin-sourced, six-speed automatic transmission.
It appears that that time draws nigh, as earlier today Fiat announced that production of the 2015 500 turbo automatic as well as both the 2015 Abarth automatic and Abarth Cabrio automatic had begun at the manufacturer's Toluca Assembly Plant in Toluca, Mexico.
More details
Fiat also released more details on the new automatic:
• Reinforced with more clutch plates
• A more robust heat treatment to allow for higher torque capability
• A sport mode calibration including features such as fuel-cut upshifts, rev-matching downshifts, brake-assist downshifts, corner gear hold and fast-off gear hold as well as a more aggressive pedal map
Coming to a Fiat Studio near you
Both automatic Abarth models as well as the Turbo will arrive at Fiat studios later this summer, possibly as early as July. Pricing has yet to be set, but we expect the automatic to carry a price premium of more than $1250 over comparably equipped manual versions.
