Report: Fiat to Introduce Three Sports Cars for 2010, Including Elise-based Abarth
According to the UK's 4Car, In 2010, Fiat is planning to introduce three new sport cars. The models will be in the form of a Lancia, an Alfa Romeo, and a stand-alone Abarth two-seater.
The Abarth sportster will be mid-engined like the Elise, and it is expected to be ultra lightweight, and share some components with the legendary Lotus. The engine will most likely come from one of Fiat's small turbocharged engines, like the 1.4-liter in the 500 and Grand Punto Abarth. Although some parts may be supplied by Lotus, the chassis itself is evidently going to be bought-in from an external supplier. Final assembly will be at Fiat's Abarth facility in Mirafiori, Italy.
As for the styling of the Lancia-badged model? The automaker’s Fulvia Concept from 2003 may provide clues as to what it may look like. Rumors have also circulated about a coupe-cabriolet model, but the possibility has yet to be confirmed, and rear-drive is a possibility. The same underpinnings are also likely to be employed for a new Alfa coupe, which 4Car is suggesting could be branded Giulia or Giulietta.
+ 4Car: New Models: Fiat to make Abarth 'Elise', Alfa and Lancia sportsters
Comments
Mena
Has anyone ever heard of a mid engined, FWD car? I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say this car will be RWD. And hopefully, it won't look like anything like that car in the picture.
Ducati Minor
Yeah, mid-engine/front-drive doesn't make for a good combo.  The next Alfa, perhaps a new Spider, will need to cut back on weight and make a proper return to rear-drive to be taken seriously. The current Spider is pretty, but overweight and plagued with cowl shake.
Lear
A Corvette in reverse is a mid-engined fwd car.
But I think the Fiat Abarth Sportster and the Lancia Fulvia will be two different cars. One mid/rwd, the other front/?
dieselhead
Ducati! We missed you. And we (I?) need your fascinating and disturbing thoughts over on the forum, if you would be so kind to join us there from time to time.
"Acceleration is simple: torque divided by weight"
- Gordon Murray
Reilly Brennan
Mena,
Technically the Acura Vigor was mid engine FWD, but of course the engine was ahead of the passenger compartment.Â
Mena
Thanks. I wonder how that car handled.
Trinks
No info on potential North American versions?
Hillbilly Hoon
No thanks Mr. Fiat, I still have nightmares about Spyders and X9s.
dick
If the Lancia version is even remotely close to as good as the original Fulvia was, I hope they bring that one here. Drove one for a couple of years and it was sheer delight. Best handling front wheel drive car of its day and also the World Rally Champ for years. Wonderful cars , comfortable to ride in and delightful to drive. Well balanced on power and handling as well and fairly economical as well. If Fiat has the rust problem solved, then bring it on. I had no problems with the car at all in the time I drove it when Lancia built it and if Fiat builds it as well then I would assume no problems at all now.
Also had a Fiat Spyder back in the day and I put almost 100K miles on it with no problems either. You just had to maintain them and change the belts at the right time and they would run with no problems. I could take off from a dead stop in 5th gear in that one and it would pull right away with no judder at all. Another car that handled well and was a pleasure to drive. The only problem I had was when the idiot lady drove out of a side street without looking and even though I even drove onto the median to get away from her she still hit me with the back end of a Buick station wagon right in the middle of the passenger side so had that it bent the frame and the driveshaft as well. Put a big crimp right in the middle of the driveshaft. Her excuse was that she did not see me (in a fire engine red sports car on a sunny day and on a divided highway with 3 lanes each direction).
FPF422
The rust problems on Fiat, Alfa, etc.... was caused by a steel deal the Italians had made with the Soviet Union.... and saddly, the steel they got was of very poor quality.
It's not the case anymore....
ferf1
Beautiful
Anonymous
ugly!!!
El pobrecito de Michoacan
Ay,Ay,Ay Chihuhahuha!
Nosotros aqui,a Michoacan,gustamos mucho los carritos FIAT,Que tieno yo van a compas!y tambien por me amigita (mi gordita).
Hijo de la
(Eres tu)Tu eres hijo de la...todos los cabrones gustan carritos Fiat,Yo gusto Volkswagen!(por la raison que montaje a Puebla,nosotros estado y paye)!
Gusto tambien carritos Sovieticos como ZIL y Zis y tam bien Volga y Moskovich!(Xuy z'nim!Kazak Maksim,Maximovich)
Soy es un perrito de aqui a Puebla (estado de Nuevo Leone).Eres tu Gallina!
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