The Koni FSD technology uses a revolutionary new technique to combine the benefits of firm and comfortable suspension in a single perfect shock absorber: firm for sporty driving on even road surfaces, comfortable for a smooth ride on uneven road surfaces.

This new feature is an integrated part of the hydraulic valving system inside the damper. Consequently, there are no additional cables, sensors, or any other electronic devices needed to operate this system.

How does it work?

Koni FSD damper kit

The split between comfort and handling can be defined in two frequency areas:

• For comfort, with the suspension moving in a high frequency area (± 10 Hz), asking for low damping forces.
• For handling, with the suspension moving in a low frequency area (± 1 Hz), asking for high damping forces.

By changing the damping force level in relation to the frequency of the movement, it is possible to resolve the conflict in terms of comfort and handling ever present in conventional dampers.

In standard shock absorbers, the main damping characteristic is defined by the oil flow going through the piston assembly. Combining it with the FSD technology, Koni added a special valve, which controls an oil flow parallel to the one going through the piston rod. This parallel oil flow is closed by the FSD technology, giving a rise in damping force almost linear to the time that the piston is moving in one direction. Put simply: the FSD system is a hydraulic amplifier that delays the build up of pressure.

The Koni FSD dampers are included in the new esseesse kits for the Abarth 500C and Abarth Punto Evo.

Available now from the Abarthisti Shop

Abarthisti members wishing to buy the shocks separately from the esseesse kits can now buy them from the Abarthisti Shop, and we’ve secured a number of these kits at a special price.

A full set of four shocks normally retails at £672.  However, we’ve negotiated a special deal that allows us to offer the kit for just £549 inc. VAT – a saving of over £120!

These shocks have been specifically designed to work with the OEM springs on both standard and esseesse models.

However, as many people choose to accompany them with the 10mm lower ride-height offered by the esseesse, we’ve also negotiated a special price on kits of four new esseesse springs for the Abarth 500. They are available now from the Abarthisti Shop, priced at £249 inc. VAT.

Update: The Koni FSD kits for the Abarth Grande Punto are now also available.  Kits for Evo are expected to follow soon.

Abarth Punto Evo esseesse

The Abarth Punto Evo esseesse kit allows the 1.4 16v Turbo MultiAir power unit to achieve a maximum power of 180 HP at 5,750 rpm and, in Sport mode, a maximum torque of 270 Nm at 3,000 rpm.  This increases the top speed to 134 mph while 0-62 mph acceleration drops from 7.9 to 7.5 seconds.

The kit includes perforated, ventilated front disc brakes (diameter 305 mm x 28 mm), perforated rear disc brakes (diameter 264 mm x 11 mm), high performance front brake pads, replacement red springs set lower than those on the original car, Abarth esseesse 7” x 18” ET39 alloy wheels painted white or titanium, combined with 215/40 ZR18 tyres, a special “powered by BMC” air filter, an Abarth silencer with twin tail pipes, and esseesse badges for the engine cover and tailgate.

The new addition for these kits comes in the form of front and rear Koni FSD shock absorbers, and you can read more about these elsewhere in the Magazine.

The esseesse kit for the Abarth Punto Evo is due to go on sale from December.  Prices have yet to be announced.

Abarth 500C esseesse

The kit for the Abarth 500C tunes the 1.4 16v Turbo T-Jet power unit to achieve a maximum power of 160 HP at 5,750 rpm and in Sport mode, and a maximum torque of 230 Nm at 3,000 rpm.  Top speed rises to 130 mph  while 0-62 mph acceleration drops from 8.1 to 7.6 seconds.

The kit for the 500C includes perforated, ventilated front disc brakes (diameter 284 mm x 22 mm), perforated rear disc brakes (diameter 240 mm x 11 mm), high performance front brake pads, replacement red springs set lower than those on the original car, Abarth esseesse 7” x 17” ET35 alloy wheels painted white or titanium, combined with 205/40 ZR17 tyres, four tyre pressure monitoring sensors, a special “powered by BMC” air filter and esseesse badges for the engine cover and tailgate.

As with the Abarth Punto Evo esseesse, the 500C esseesse kit also now includes four Koni FSD dampers.

The esseesse kit for the Abarth 500C is due to go on sale from October, with prices yet to be confirmed.

New colours and options for Abarth 500

Accompanying the unveiling of the esseesse kits at the Paris Motor Show was news of a wider choice of colours and options for the tin-top Abarth 500.

Abarth 500 customers will soon have new customisation options due to the addition of new body shades and two-tone liveries, together with new materials and designs for wheels and interiors.

An Abarth 500 in Record Grey, a colour previously only available on the convertible Abarth 500C, was presented at the Paris show, and illustrated not just the arrival of a new colour, but also the availability of the new 17’’ anthracite alloy wheels from the ‘C’.

No word yet on when these options will be available.

“I admit it – I fell for the seduction of the name. The words ‘Abarth’ and ‘convertible’ were like music to my ears. When the chance arose to drive the new Abarth 500C at the Goodwood Moving Motor Show – its first UK appearance – how could I possibly refuse?

As we rolled out of the exhibition centre I felt as if I was in another world. This wasn’t just any convertible. It was an Abarth convertible. We reached the beginning of the test route and was told it was my turn to drive. I could barely contain my excitement!

As we know, the 500C features a robotised manual gearbox as standard; in other words, no gearstick. In its place is a circular panel with four buttons: Auto/Manual, 1st, Neutral and Reverse. Having driven Ferraris and Lamborghinis with an F1-style shift, I had a good idea of the procedure. I planted my foot on the brake pedal and pressed ‘Auto’. There was no creep to speak of, so, with gentle pressure on the accelerator, we approached the start line.

I pressed the A/M button again to engage manual mode, tightened my grip on the wheel, and waited.

The Abarth 500C leaps off the line and disappears up the hill in a sequence of pops and bangs

The flag dropped, and I floored the throttle. The 500C didn’t scrabble for grip thanks to its electronics working overtime. I reached 60mph seemingly in no time, with the host keeping a keen eye on the rev counter while instructing me not to shoot into the red zone. The car had only clocked up about 360 miles, so I could understand his nervousness.

Keeping my eyes on the track, and my foot on the throttle, I flicked the gear-change paddle. There was a slight pause and the needle moved quickly away from the redline. Into the corner and the ‘C’ held its line well, despite its rumoured softer set-up than its hatchback brother.

Down-shifting and up-shifting before and after each bend was great fun, with the bonus of the throttle being blipped automatically to match road speed with revs. While I generally prefer manuals, the MTA gearbox was a revelation.

While 10 minutes up the hill doesn’t allow you to explore the full experience that a real test drive might, it was enough to convince me. I returned home, and placed an order for an Abarth 500C of my own. You can’t beat the uniqueness of open air Abarth motoring.”

- Exoticaholic

The Abarth 500C at the Goodwood Moving Motor Show

“With the sun shining and a pair of tickets for Goodwood in my hand, what more could you possibly ask for? Well, how about a test drive in a convertible?

As an Abarth 500 owner, I was already keen to see the new 500C in the flesh. And I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised.

The roof folds neatly without obstructing the view too much. And, from inside, having acres of blue sky above you, and the sound of the popping and burbling exhaust behind you, is quite a compelling combination. Abarth have even managed to keep buffeting for rear-seat passengers to a minimum, too.

The ‘C’ is the first 500 to be fitted with the new MTA gearbox. Based on the same five-speed unit, it has not just a fully-automatic mode, but also a pair of ‘flappy paddles’ mounted behind the steering wheel.

It seems strange at first to press a button on a panel where the gear stick should be, but once on the move I found the trick was not to lift off the accelerator pedal when changing gear. And boy, was it worth it, with the exhaust popping and banging with every shift.

It would have been interesting to see a Bi-colour car at Goodwood. The tan leather interior of one of the demonstrators didn’t appeal to me, but the rest of the spec – including Xenon headlights and parking sensors – seemed like a good choice.

First impressions, then? A thumbs up from me. I look forward to trying one on the road.”

- NinjaUK

Firstly, the event would play host to the UK debut of the new Abarth Punto Evo and Abarth 500C.

And secondly, this year saw the introduction of the Moving Motor Show, a new concept billed as a replacement for the now defunct British Motor Show and taking place on the Thursday before the Festival of Speed.

The Moving Motor Show provided an opportunity to preview much of what would be available during the festival, with a fine selection of rare and historic metal, the usual smattering of supercars, and enough trade stands to empty your wallet several times over.

The real appeal, though, came from the ‘Moving’ element of the event. Visitors could climb aboard cars from the likes of Alfa Romeo, BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and, of course, Abarth, to experience the vehicles first hand. The cars undertook hundreds of runs on a special evaluation route that included the world famous Goodwood hillclimb, following in the wheel tracks of many celebrated racing drivers, including Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Sir Stirling Moss.

The new Abarth 500C and Abarth Punto Evo were both available to drive at Goodwood

You can read our thoughts on the test drive experience elsewhere in the Abarthisti Magazine.

The Abarth presence at the show generated much interest, and I fielded questions from new-to-the-brand converts and returning-to-the-fold old-timers in almost equal measure.

As with any new concept, there were lessons to be learnt. While the ‘moving’ element of the show added a welcome USP over events such as those at ExCeL in London, it wasn’t perfect. The central roadway through the Moving Motor Show pavilion quickly became saturated with visitors, making it difficult for test drivers to get in or out.

The biggest lesson, however, came around lunchtime. The driver of the Honda Civic Type-R Mugen blacked out soon after starting the engine, leaving the car to roll into two Jaguars (one of which was reportedly the oldest E-Type in existence) and into the pavilion wall. Four bystanders were injured in the incident, although thankfully not seriously, and the pavilion was closed for several hours while an investigation took place.

Honda Civic Type-R Mugen crashes through the pavilion at Goodwood (Photo: Domc)

Two hours later, with the investigation concluded and the damage cleared, the pavilion re-opened. This time, however, under better organisation, with marshals at both ends preventing pedestrian access to the central roadway.

That incident aside, the event proved extremely popular, with Goodwood reporting nearly 30,000 visitors for Thursday’s event alone.

It’s a format that deserves to be repeated next year.

Our sincere thanks to Abarth UK for providing so many Abarthisti with free tickets.

The 500C’s raison d’être is, of course, it’s folding fabric roof. The electrically-operated roof slides along guides in the car’s sides and features an electrically-heated glass rear window and high-level brake light built into the spoiler.

The Abarth 500C's rear spoiler

The top is available in a choice of two colours – black or titanium grey – to match a pair of new two-tone colour schemes created specifically for the 500C – black with race white, and two contrasting grey tones.

There’s also a new design for the 17” diamond-finished ‘petal’ alloy wheels.

Powered by the same 1.4-litre 135 hp engine as the standard Abarth 500, the extra weight of the convertible modifications do blunt performance slightly, with the 0-62mph dash finished off in 8.1 seconds versus 7.9 for the hard-top car.

Top speed remains the same at 127 mph.

There’s no mention of the inclusion of Start&Stop technology, as had been suggested, although there is a new transmission.

Dubbed “Abarth Competizione” and fitted as standard, the new unit is an automated manual (MTA) version of the existing C510 transmission. While the official Abarth press materials referred to this unit as having six speeds, we believe it features only five ratios and is shared with the impending Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari.

"Abarth Competizione" MTA transmission selector

Two modes of operation are included: fully automatic, where the unit decides upon the most appropriate gear for the conditions, and a manual mode for maximum performance, with gear changes activated via steering wheel-mounted paddles.

The gear lever has been replaced by a new panel with buttons for 1st, neutral, reverse and auto/manual mode selection.

A dedicated ‘SS’ kit for the 500C is currently in development.

The 500C carries the same safety features as the Abarth 500, plus a few new ones. For the first time, the 500C benefits from a driver knee airbag, taking the total airbag count to seven. Plus, there’s Hydraulic Brake Assistance (HBA) which provides additional braking force in emergency situations.

Prices have yet to be announced, but the Fiat 500C’s £3,000 uplift over the standard Fiat 500 would seem to indicate a £16,500 starting price for an Abarth 500C.

Abarth 500 Launch

Of course 2009 was dominated by the launch of the Abarth 500. After a long and painful wait, prices were announced in late January and the official launch held over the weekend of 7th-8th February. While a number of ‘launch edition’ cars were made available (Bossa Nova White, red stripes, red leather, 17-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels, etc), there was still an anxious time ahead for those preferring to spec their own cars.

Abarth Grande Punto “SuperSport”

Abarth Grande Punto 'SuperSport'

Late February saw the reveal of the Abarth Grande Punto “SuperSport”. Powered by the familiar 1.4-litre turbocharged engine but with the esseesse kit fitted from the factory, the SuperSport showcased the new Sabelt racing seats, variable back-pressure exhaust system, and Blue&Me Map satellite navigation with telemetry for the first time. After a mysteriously long gestation period, the car finally went on sale elsewhere in Europe in September – we’re still waiting for news on whether the car will ever make an appearance on our shores.

Abarth Corse by Sabelt Seats

Having made their debut on the SuperSport, the “Abarth Corse by Sabelt” seats were launched as an accessory in May for both Abarth 500 and Grande Punto, although it took a while for the somewhat alarming prices (£2,250 for leather, £1,760 for fabric) to finally show themselves.

Abarth Grande Punto Revisions

August saw a number of small revisions to the Abarth Grande Punto – the front centre armrest and tyre pressure monitoring system became available, while the previously standard Interscope hi-fi upgrade became an option. Emissions were reduced (from 162 to 159 g/km), while prices rose to £13,800, with many options also seeing increases.

Xenon Headlights for Abarth 500, Blue&Me Update

Record Monza Abarth 500 Exhaust

Xenon headlights appeared as a £500 option on the Abarth 500 at the same time, and a Blue&Me software update was released, together with a new adaptor, to improve iPod and iPhone compatibility.

Record Monza Abarth 500 Exhaust

The variable back-pressure exhaust system first shown on the SuperSport was finally released in September for the Abarth 500, now dubbed the “Record Monza” system and priced at £873.85. We’re still waiting for the elusive Punto version to arrive.

As a special Christmas bonus, we’ve negotiated a reduced price of £799.99 for Abarthisti members until the end of the year. Orders can be placed through the Abarthisti Shop.

Abarth 695 “Tributo Ferrari”

Abarth 695 'Tributo Ferrari'

September also saw the arrival of the Abarth 695 “Tributo Ferrari”. Based on a standard Abarth 500 but featuring many of the engine improvements used in the Assetto Corse race cars, the 695 pumps out over 180 bhp through a new MTA (automated manual) transmission. Externally, the car is finished in Scuderia Red with carbon fibre door mirrors, unique 17-inch alloy wheels and four-piston Brembo brakes. Inside, there are Sabelt racing seats, Jaeger instruments, non-slip aluminium foot wells, carbon fibre dash board, unique pedals and steering wheel, and a special identification plaque. While prices haven’t been announced, it is expected to be coming to the UK by special order during late 2010, with some dealers accepting deposits now.

Abarth 500 R3T Rally Car

Completing the announcements for a busy September was news of the Abarth 500 R3T rally car. Featuring a sequential six-speed gearbox, a self-locking differential, special half-shafts, and 180 bhp from its 1.4-litre turbocharged engine, the car will compete in the R3T group of a new promotional rally trophy launching in 2010.

Abarthisti Events

Abarth Hillclimb Challenge

It’s been a busy year for the Abarthisti, too. Our February event at the Gaydon Heritage Motor Centre was the one and only time the AGPs outnumbered the 500s. The Auto Italia events at Brooklands (May), Stanford Hall (June) and Gaydon (September) were all well attended and demonstrated our strong link with Abarth UK with combined display areas.

Our member-organised Driving Days made it out into Wales, Scotland, the Yorkshire Dales and anywhere else where there’s an abundance of curves and a sparsity of traffic.

The Abarth Hillclimb Challenge, which saw the Abarth Grande Punto compete in six events across the country from April to September, proved popular with many, and even managed to claim a class win at Goodwood with Autocar Magazine’s Matt Rigby at the wheel.

The Abarth 500 Trophy Europe nipped across the water to Brands Hatch in July, and we were ready with fistfuls of free tickets, reserved parking, paddock access and, for lucky forum member JKDesign80, a ride around the Brands Hatch circuit in an Assetto Corse driven by ex-BTCC driver and double 500 Trophy race-winner Adam Jones.

The launch of the British version of the series, the Trofeo Abarth 500 GB, took place at Silverstone in October, and we were exclusively invited not just to witness the unveiling of the championship and enjoy a little Italian hospitality, but also the chance to hit the track in our own cars. Tyres were tortured, and brakes were punished, but everything stood up well.

And next year?

Trofeo Abarth 500 GB

Abarthisti supports the Trofeo Abarth 500 GB

We’re most looking forward to following the Abarthisti-sponsored Assetto Corse’s progress in the Trofeo Abarth 500 GB throughout 2010, and we anticipate that our involvement will lead to unprecedented access to the Trofeo series for all Abarthisti members, including ticket give-aways, pit-lane access, the chance to meet drivers and engineers, and more.

Duxford 31/1/2010

Our Duxford event on 31st January kicks off the calendar for the year, and we have several irons in the fire for interesting events during the rest of 2010, including track days, motorsport events, and social get-togethers.

2010 Abarth 500C

It’ll be a busy year for Abarth, too, with the launch of the convertible Abarth 500C currently pencilled-in for June 2010. The rag-top version will closely match the specification of the standard Abarth 500, but with the addition of Xenon headlights, rear parking sensors, and Start&Stop as standard.

Pricing hasn’t been confirmed, but using the Fiat 500C as a guide suggests a starting price around £17,000.

2010 Abarth Grande Punto face-lift

The new and nervously-awaited Abarth Grande Punto will show its face in July 2010. Rumours suggest its design will move further away from the Fiat Punto Evo on which it’s based. Power will come from the new 1.4-litre 170 bhp MultiAir engine with Start&Stop technology and, while it won’t be available from launch, it will be the first car to offer the new C635 MTA automated six-speed manual transmission as an option. Assetto handling kits will be available from launch, but the esseesse kit will follow later.

There’s no official word on pricing yet. However, the 135 bhp Fiat Punto Evo Sporting will be priced at £15,295 when it arrives in January; clearly the 170 bhp Abarth version will be higher still.

The last piece of news is that the Abarth hillclimb challenge, using the Abarth Grande Punto, will likely make a repeat appearance for 2010, with an anticipated eight events across the country.

Phew!

All that remains now is to thank you for supporting us through 2009, to wish you and your family the very best for the festive period, and to hope the New Year brings you good health, good luck, a full tank of Super Unleaded and a fresh set of tyres.