Abarth 'fuoriserie' op de 83ste autosalon van Genève

• Abarth 'fuoriserie' programme
• Abarth Punto Supersport
• Abarth Sporting Activities 2013
• 'Make it your race 2013'
• Fuoriserie and Punto Supersport technical specifications

Custom Attitude is the concept underpinning Abarth 'fuoriserie', the programme devoted to customers who want the exclusivity typical of custom cars together with top performance levels.  Abarth "fuoriserie" arose as a natural development of the world of Specialties, with which it shares the engine tuning of the standard 180 HP unit; it represents the greatest level of customisation combined with the exclusivity of a car built and dedicated to each individual customer.

Specially crafted by a highly specialised team of Abarth designers, engineers and mechanics, each "fuoriserie" is a faithful reflection of the concepts at the heart of Abarth DNA: inspiration, passion and attention to detail, uniqueness, historical heritage, quest for efficiency, performance, spirit and high-tech appeal.

A genuine lovemark able to tell great stories through past values, present success and future challenges, Abarth sets its customers at the centre of its 'fuoriserie' programme, involving them personally in the creative process.

Each "fuoriserie" vehicle is potentially different from all the others. Custom attitude is the possibility of choice: car liveries like tattoos on your skin, indelible and personal, unique feelings, accessories inspired by the Abarth brand, with an eye for innovation, technology and the latest trends.

Customers develop from simple fans of the brand (likers) or buyers (users) to players (makers) in the process of creating and developing their car.

In the wake of the 'Olio Fiat' livery launched in Paris, the Geneva Motor Show will host the debut of four examples of customised cars that push the boundaries of the concept of ownership and exclusivity. The New Heritage collection associated with the spirit of motorsport and the history of Abarth will feature the Abarth 695 'Record' and the Abarth 695 'Scorpione', with customisations that update the liveries of historical models, namely the Abarth 750 Record Bertone and the A112 or 124 Abarth.

The line-up at the Swiss show will also include the Abarth 695 'Hype' and Abarth 695 'Black Diamond' belonging to the New Wave collection, where the focus is on the latest trends and a quest for innovative materials and technologies.  The former is aimed at younger customers interested in cutting-edge trends, while the latter satisfies those seeking refinement and style.

Custom Attitude - an approach that Abarth has always followed in its product range - achieves an initial level of satisfaction with the Abarth 500 Custom: a conceptual blank sheet to be moulded in accordance with your personality. The range of personalisation options has now been extended through performance tuning kits, brake systems, exhaust systems and an extensive array of accessories, new colours and materials for exteriors and interiors.

The two customisations Abarth 595 'turismo' and 'Abarth 595 'competizione' are genuine Abarth cars with a 160 HP tuned engine as standard. In particular, those who identify themselves by values such as style, refinement, comfort and the most exclusive sportiness with a preference for the world of 'Gran Turismo', the Abarth 595 'turismo' offers special tuning for the engine, geometry and brake system in addition to a high level of interior and exterior detail. In the Abarth 595 'competizione', the tuning also affects the exhaust system, with the "Record Monza" exhaust and 'Abarth Corse by Sabelt®' sports seats as standard for those who see themselves as out-and-out race lovers, inspired by the no-holds-barred world of racing.

The 'all inclusive' customisation level is represented by the 695 Edizione Maserati, a distillate of sportiness, class and performance produced by Abarth and Maserati.

The Punto has also changed: the Punto Supersport takes to the street with a brand-new look. Custom Attitude is the common thread running through the entire Abarth range: customers can now choose a hand-crafted painted and polished roof and bonnet livery. From today, the also comes as standard.

Abarth is also increasing its power on the track: the classic races for the European, Italian and Swedish Trophies will see the addition of new challenges on the Benelux and Portuguese circuits. An international racing platform on tracks that have made motoring history, such as Monza, Nürburgring, Estoril and SPA. More than 5,000 kilometres of breathtaking bends, almost 1,800 minutes of throttling and overtaking to thrill an ever-growing number of drivers and fans As they do every year, these races will give everyone the opportunity to compete at accessible prices and showcase their talent with a view to becoming future stars of motorsport.

Race lovers who dream of the track can take part in the second edition of Make It Your race, a unique talent show for aspiring drivers: this race in stages starts with online selection and involves local events before allowing the very best to battle it out in a final race at Monza together with professional drivers. The entire exciting process will unfold in the same way as a talent show and be broadcast by international TV channels.

Make It Your race is not only for drivers: based on the principle of 'Everyday challenge', through an online platform that puts its users to the test every day, Abarth offers an official role in 'team Abarth' to anyone who wishes to take part: designers, bloggers, photographers, amateur videomakers, mechanics or aspiring paddock girls. More than 10,000 have already signed up for pre-registration, available from December on www.makeityourrace.it. The Geneva Motor Show period will see the official opening of registrations for participation in the most exciting challenge of 2013, online and directly at the stand.

Lastly, visitors will be introduced to the products of FGA Capital, a finance company specialising in the automotive sector, through illustrative materials and dedicated media at the stand. The finance company is operative in all the major European markets, and in Switzerland with Fidis Finance, with a sole mission: to support the sales of all Fiat Group Automobiles brand vehicles by offering innovative financial products with high added value services targeted to the dealership network, private customers and companies.

Success on and off the track

Within a complex scenario, Abarth has succeeded in achieving the goals set for 2012, hitting its target of 8000 on-road cars and nearly 4000 tuning kits sold in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asian areas. The result achieved due to a tight-knitted team that works by sharing actions and goals and an extraordinary network of dealers and official tuning shops, a phenomenon that is unique in its field and which, after branching out into new markets such as Finland and South Africa in 2011, forged further ahead into other new markets such as Morocco and Ukraine during the first half of 2012. In the United States too, marketing began of the Abarth 500 and Abarth 500c in the wake of their launch at the Los Angeles Motor Show, with excellent results in terms of sales and customer appreciation.

Abarth Specialties were also a big hit: after the Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari - all 1695 cars produced have now been sold since the launch in 2008 - special cars continue to be an important element for the company due to the outstanding results achieved by the Abarth 695 Edizione Maserati, officially launched at the start of the 2012 Mille Miglia. Only 499 examples were made of this limited edition car. To date, it is already being driven by 300 customers, one third of which are in Japan.

This is a success story for a brand that has seen continual growth since its relaunch in 2007: 50,000 cars sold between the Abarth Punto and Abarth 500 saloon and convertible models.

Almost one third of the cars sold have been tuned with performance kits.

These results are also reflected in the significant growth in the online Abarth community: with a Global Page that has attracted more than 530,000 fans on Facebook and one of the most numerous automotive brand communities in Europe.

An active community that grows day by day, fuelling itself, creating new and original content and contributing to brand development.

The 9000 videos loaded (out of 30,000 total registrations) by the aspiring Make It Your Race 2012 drivers are a shining example of this involvement and attachment to the brand.

Abarth 'fuoriserie' programme

The Abarth 'fuoriserie' concept represents the ultimate level of customisation combined with the exclusivity of a car built for and dedicated to every single customer, satisfying their desires and aspirations. Through direct communication with Abarth, 'fuoriserie' customers are able to develop their car, forging a solid link with a brand that continues even once the car has been paid for through customer care that is always available and attentive to every need.

Customisation and exclusivity start with performance (only Abarth 'fuoriserie' cars have 180 HP engine tuning and feature the exclusive 695 branding) and continue with the numbers (limited editions with very few examples) plus a focus on innovation, technology and trends, which also applies to the choice of materials.

Abarth 'fuoriserie' cars also offer other distinctive features and technical specifications: to start with, the 1.4 Turbo T-Jet 16v engine boosted to 180 HP and teamed with the electrically-operated manual Abarth Competizione gearbox with steering wheel controls, which enhances the performance of the engine with reduced gearshift times as well as guaranteeing an experience of superior driving comfort at the wheel.

To improve the performance and the acceleration in particular, the 'fuoriserie' car is fitted with high-performance tyres on 17'' alloys. The ride and braking system have also been strengthened to cope with the extra power: Brembo ® 305 mm brake discs that can be dismantled with fixed four-piston caliper and special Köni® shock absorbers with FSD technology that guarantee performance in total safety. The variable back-pressure dual mode exhaust is designed to improve engine performance and deliver an inspiring engine sound over 3,000 rpm.

'Fuoriserie' cars are equipped with Xenon headlights with dipped and main beam functions for improved light emission and excellent efficiency under all weather conditions. These devices deliver three times the light intensity and duration of standard halogen lamp headlights.

The interiors are customised with specific materials and trim levels, made by involving superior Italian and international partners that share values such as craftsmanship and high quality with the brand: carbon finishes, dedicated personalisation plates and cutting-edge technology, as evidenced by a JBL® sound system (created by Harman® specially for Abarth) with 9 speakers and 8 channel amplifier for 400 watts of overall power.

Exclusivity and attention to detail are guaranteed by handcrafting assembly and finishing processes: for example, each livery is hand-painted and polished, without the use of stickers.

For those who want a 'bespoke' car, Abarth has developed two specific collections belonging to the 'fuoriserie' programme and applicable to both saloon and convertible models: 'New Heritage' and 'New Wave'. The former collection is inspired by cars of the past, victories and races, while the latter focuses on trends and innovations with the emphasis on materials and new technologies, a tribute to contemporary Abarth aficionados and their 'custom attitude'.

In detail, the 'New Heritage' is inspired by the cars that have written the brand's history, reinterpreting their motifs with new materials and new finishes. From the Fiat 750 Record and 124 Sanremo all the way to the X19 prototype: these are the record-breaking cars, the Abarth world rally champions, those driven by the greatest sports drivers that are being reinterpreted in a modern guise with a range of materials and finishes ranging from carbon fibre to sports fabrics, from leather to Alcantara®, and from glossy to matte liveries.

The New Wave collection was developed by observing and listening to trends emerging from the community of Abarth aficionados. Sportiness interpreted with a contemporary twist, not necessarily linked to the racing world, enhanced by the use of materials from research in the automotive field and in all the most technical sports.

Regardless of the collection and livery chosen, customers will have additional customisation options to create their own personal 'fuoriserie'. The exclusivity and uniqueness are reinforced by documentation issued with the car and a plate inside the car showing a serial number and the owner's name.

The stand at the Geneva Motor Show will display two models for each collection: Abarth 695 'Record' and Abarth 695 'Scorpione' for the New Heritage collection, while the Abarth 695 'Hype' and Abarth 695 'Black Diamond' will represent the New Wave collection.

All the customisations on show will be available on the Abarth 500 and Abarth 500c with the 695 branding. In the future, the 'Abarth fuoriserie' programme may be rolled out to the entire Abarth universe.

Abarth 695 'Record'

This customisation is inspired by the record-breaking cars that have written the history of Abarth racing, including the Abarth 750 Record Bertone. This car, created in 1956 after years of aerodynamic research, beat no fewer than 10 world records on the Monza racetrack, including the '72 hour' record, when it travelled 10,125.26 km.

Externally, the 695 features Matte Competizione Grey bodywork. This is complemented by a roof featuring the distinctive Abarth chequerboard, typical of the world of motorsport, recreated through a special manual polishing process. Matte black 695 design rims and red Brembo® brake calipers underscore the sporty nature of the car.

The interiors show attention to detail and sportiness through the selection of 'Abarth Corsa by Sabelt®' in black leather with Alcantara® inserts and top stitching, both red with glossy carbon shell and cushion base. The same material also reappears in other details inside the passenger compartment such as the dashboard, gear panel and kick plate. The red finish also features on the parcel rack and head restraint. The pedals and sills are in aluminium to emphasise the racing soul of this car. 695 'fuoriserie' branding further customises the car on seats, steering wheel and kick plates.

Abarth 695 'Scorpione'

The two-tone livery that characterises the Abarth 695 'Scorpione' is based on the historical Autobianchi A112 Abarth, a sporty-looking car destined for private drivers, and the 124 Abarth, a racing car with a successful past: victories in the 1970 international manufacturers championship and the 1975 world Rally championship (it was the top Fiat car for six seasons, from 1972 to 1975).

The 695 on show in Geneva boasts a glossy black livery with matte bonnet traversed by a band produced using a polishing treatment. The same band has also been applied to the roof by means of a special handcrafting process. The livery, shown in this case on a cabrio model, will also be available on saloon models.

The door mirrors and pillar trim are in glossy carbon, demonstrating great attention to material quality in all detailing. Magnesium-coloured 695 design rims and red Brembo® brake calipers add extra toughness to the car.

The interiors also reflect the exclusivity, customisation and crafting that characterise the 'Abarth fuoriserie' programme.

Black leather Sabelt® seats with the central part in grey perforated Alcantara® are embroidered with the 695 and 'fuoriserie' logos in red. Red, a colour evoking the world of motorsport, reappears in all the internal trim: the seat wheel bearing the Abarth Scorpion logo, the embroidered leather-trimmed parcel rack, the handbrake lever with its double fell stitching and leather inserts on the steering wheel. Matte carbon elements are also evident on the dashboard, seat squab, sill and gear panel, while aluminium pedals and kick plate give the interiors an even more sporty look.

Abarth 695 'Hype'

This car is inspired by the most recent trends in terms of colours and details and is aimed in particular at young drivers who wish to stand out without having to give up on performance. Outside, it features a two-tone livery with the lower part in Matte Record Grey and the upper part in Matte Green. A yellow liner divides and joins the two souls of the car, reflecting the colour of the calipers and hubcaps. The 'esseesse' design rims are in matte titanium painted with a special finish reminiscent of the metal. The same treatment is reserved for the upper bumper grille, the extractor and all chromework on the car. The exterior customisation continues with an Abarth scorpion 'tattoo' on the roof achieved by a 'ton sur ton' manual polishing technique.

The attention to trends, colours and customisations is also evident in the interiors with 'Abarth Corsa by Sabelt®' in black leather with Alcantara® military green inserts embroidered with the '695' and 'fuoriserie' logos in yellow with glossy carbon shell and cushion base. The same material also reappears in other details inside the passenger compartment: dashboard, gear panel and kick plate. Yellow top stitching is also evident on the steering wheel, with black ears and viewfinder.

Abarth 695 'Black Diamond'

For customers who seek style and quality in addition to performance, Abarth proudly presents its 'Black Diamond' customisation at the Geneva Motor Show, with a nod to its female audience.

The exterior features a two-tone livery in Record Grey and Scorpione Black, both matte, and a chrome liner that runs horizontally to emphasise the car's glamorous soul together with chrome-plated mirror fairings and magnesium-coloured 695 design rims.

Red Brembo® brake calipers and hubcaps reinforce the car's sporty spirit. A chequered flag on the roof in grey achieved using a gloss-matte paint effect is another reference to the Abarth spirit.

The style of this car is also reflected by the interior with seats upholstered entirely in sand beige leather, with containment strips featuring single-layer padding, sporty but elegant and comfortable at the same time, and stylish details such as the 'fuoriserie' wording heat-printed on the head restraint. The parcel rack is also in leather with a silver embroidered logo. The dashboard and gear plate are distinguished by a special matte-finish carbon trim, as are the pedals, sill and kick plates. The black leather steering wheel is enhanced by beige leather inserts and a tricoloured viewfinder.

Abarth Punto Supersport

'Custom attitude' has also been applied to the Punto: the new Punto Supersport expands on and strengthens the car's bubbly personality by combining the sportiness and adrenaline typical of the Abarth brand with a particular characterisation of design, style and handcrafting.

The car is now offered with the engine boosted to 180 HP as standard and new optional gloss-matte paintwork on the roof plus bonnet embellished by a car-coloured passing band that makes it look even more refined and appealing.

This distinctive styling is matched by a spirited, high-performing personality. The credit goes to a 1.4 engine with MultiAir technology that has been upgraded as standard to 180 HP (132 kW) at 5750 rpm to ensure a top speed of 216 km/h and acceleration of 0-100 km/h in just 7.5 seconds.

The new design is complemented by 17'' diamond alloys with 5 'claws' plus matte black interior paintwork and Brembo® brake calipers to underscore the car's sporting nature still further. Self-ventilating front and solid rear brake discs guarantee maximum braking performance.

The interior of the new Punto Supersport is packed with exclusive details in addition to a comprehensive and wide-ranging equipment list. Standard items include an automatic climate control system, Blue&Me system with controls on the steering wheel, sporting front seats in cloth and leather steering wheel. The customisation is complemented by stainless steel pedals and kick plate, needle-punched mats with electro-welded graphics and a chrome effect plate on the climate control system console.

More demanding fans can further customise their Punto Supersport with the range of high-performance accessories and the numerous kits that Abarth offers for this car, such as the Abarth Köni® suspension kit with FSD technology and the Abarth Brembo® brake system kit

Abarth Sporting Activities 2013

Abarth is bucking the market trend by stepping up its presence on the track with an international programme, adding the Abarth 500 Benelux and Portugal Trophies to an already packed schedule.

Every year the races attract a growing number of drivers - many of whom are very young - who are able to make their presence felt to become the motorsport stars of the future with accessible participation and management costs.

This 'democratisation' of racing, of which Abarth is an ardent proponent, is demonstrated by national and international editions of the Abarth Trophy competition, dedicated to the Abarth 500 and 695 Assetto Corsa, small yet spirited and extremely competitive cars.

This strategy is further confirmed by the Abarth ACI/CSAI Formula, which during its first two seasons saw the mass participation of Italian and foreign drivers, all very young, who had the chance to make their début in the world of Motorsport at low costs with cars marked by technical excellence.

Abarth 500 trophies

The track Trophies in 2013 will celebrate their fifth season with the Abarth 500 Assetto Corse, which has proven to be top-performing and spectacular over these last few years, joined by the new Abarth 695 Assetto Corse. There are to be five Abarth Trophies during 2013: the classic races for the European, Italian and Swedish Trophies will see the addition of new challenges on the Benelux and Portuguese.

An international racing platform on tracks that have made motoring history, such as Monza, Nürburgring, Estoril and SPA. More than 5,000 kilometres of breathtaking bends, almost 1,800 minutes of accelerating and overtaking, starring the Abarth 695 Assetto Corse and the Abarth 500 Assetto Corse. Thanks to their low running costs, these cars have so far enabled a whole array of drivers to make their racing débuts and drive in the limelight.

The Italy Abarth Trophy involves five races, scheduled to take place on the tracks in Franciacorta (19th May), A1 Ring in Austria (16th June), Mugello (14th July), Varano de' Melegari (6th October) and Monza, where the season ends on 20th October.

Three of the ACI/CSAI Italian Trophy races - the A1 Ring in Austria, Varano and Monza - are also valid for the Abarth Europe Trophy, which is completed with the races in Dijon (12th May), Nürburgring (2nd June) and Spa-Francorchamps (8th September).

The Abarth Sweden Trophy will take place according to the usual sports format and will stop at the main Scandinavian tracks with a leg at the prestigious German Nurburgring circuit.

In Benelux and Portugal, the drivers will challenge one another over the most important and famous circuits.

Registration costs for the Abarth Italy Trophy are 5,000 euros with the Abarth 500 Assetto Corse and 6,000 euros with the Abarth 695 Assetto Corse, and the fee covers the hospitality and the paddock tent for the teams, as well as the spare parts service on the racetracks.

Registration costs for the Abarth Europe Trophy are 7,000 euros with the Abarth 500 Assetto Corse and 8,000 euros with the 695 Assetto Corse. Racers registered for the Abarth Italy Trophy register free for the Abarth Europe Trophy.

Every event includes two 25-minute races plus one lap and the relevant 40-minute qualifier round.

In keeping with the spirit of the platform, the final and race prizes include: 30,000 euros for the overall winner of the Abarth Europe Trophy, an Abarth 695 Assetto Corse for the racer who comes in first with the Abarth 500 Assetto Corse. In the Abarth Italy Trophy, the overall winner wins an Abarth 595 Competizione road version while the racer who comes in first with the Abarth 500 Assetto Corse wins an Abarth 500 road version.

The community of fans and enthusiasts can find out all about the talent on the track and follow and comment on all the races on the facebook.com/abarthofficial page and on the official blog teamabarth.tumblr.com

ACI/CSAI Abarth Formula

During the first three racing seasons, the Formula ACI/CSAI Abarth, the single-seater fitted with a turbocharged 1400 cc Abarth engine tuned by FPT, met with great success with the large-scale participation of Italian and foreign drivers, all very young, attracted by the low running costs and top-quality cars. The Italian Formula ACI-CSAI Abarth 2013 championship will include 6 races: Vallelunga, Adria, Mugello, Imola, Misano and Monza.

The 2013 Abarth Trophy calendars

 Abarth Europe Trophy

12th May         Dijon (France)

2nd June          Nürburgring (Germany)

16th June         A1 Ring Zeltweg (Austria)

8th September            Spa Francorchamps (Belgium)

6th October    Varano (Italy)

20th October  Monza (Italy)

ACI/CSAI Abarth Italia National Trophy

19th May         Franciacorta

16th June         A1 Ring Zeltweg (Austria)

14th July          Mugello

16th October  Varano

20th October  Monza

Abarth Trophy Sweden

5th May           Karlskoga

1st June           Mantorp Park

28th July         Kinnkulle Ring

18th August    Anderstorp

7th September      Ring Knutstorp    

29th September Mantorp Park

Abarth Trophy Benelux

17th March      Zolder (Belgium)

2nd June          Nürburgring (Germany)

16th June         Zandvoort (the Netherlands)

21st July           Colmar (Luxembourg)

8th September            Spa Francorchamps (Belgium)

13th October  Zolder (Belgium)

Abarth Trophy Portugal

24th March      Braga

26th May         Estoril

30th June         Porto

21st July           Portimao

1st September             Portimao

13th October  Estoril

ACI/CSAI Abarth Formula - Alboreto Trophy

28 April           Vallelunga (Italy)

9 June              Adria (Italy)

14 July             Mugello (Italy)

1 September    Imola (Italy)

22 September              Misano (Italy)

20th October  Monza (Italy)

'Make it your race 2013'

The first talent show that allows all the aspiring drivers to get out on the track with the professionals returns with a new edition to repeat the success of last year. Broadcast in 8 different countries (including Italy on SkySport2, France on AB Moteur and Men's Up TV, Germany on Sport1, Switzerland on MTV and Belgium on RTL and Life TV) this edition achieved over 900,000 contacts. A far-reaching success, stemming from the web and the social networks: over 2,200,000 pages were visited, with more than 860,000 individual contacts. An involved and active community: 9,000 candidate videos were uploaded, the engagement rate on Facebook increased by 90% during the selection period and the official YouTube channel grew by 400%.

The 2013 edition of "Make It Your Race 2013" is launched with new contents and involves new Countries as well: Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg. This is the second edition of a "pan-European" project which involves Abarth and its entire world, consisting of people, of emotions, of engines and of challenges. The race involves several legs that start off on the Internet and reach the racetrack, incorporating local events and driving courses. It will allow aspiring racing drivers to compete against professionals. All the emotions, the joys and the disappointments of the participants, who undergo non-stop testing and challenges, will be filmed and will give rise to the second edition of the only talent show dedicated to the racing world.

'Make It Your Race' is scouting for talent with a racing soul, people who are not afraid to try anything, who are capable of giving every activity their all, who live every day like a challenge. "Everyday challenge" is in fact the concept behind the spirit of "Make It Your Race", which this year more than ever aims at being a far-reaching platform that will test its users every single day. Not just those who dream of racing on the track, but all those who have a competitive spirit and who love to take a challenge head on. Using a new on-line gamification platform, launched during the Geneva Motor Show 2013, the large Abarth community will be involved in trials, both virtual and real, to test their racing personality and their ability to surpass their limits. For almost six months, through numerous contests, users will be able to participate and try to make their dream of playing an official role in the "Abarth team" come true.

The best racing drivers will be competing in an official Trophy race on the Monza racetrack, where the best aspiring car designer will have the opportunity to create the official liveries of the finalist cars of MIYR13, and where the most popular blogger will get the chance to be the voice of MIYR for his/her country. Visit the www.makeityourrace.it website to discover all the contests to take part in "team Abarth". Over 10,000 pre-registration applications have already been filed since December.

The Geneva Motor Show period will see the official opening of registrations for participation in the most exciting challenge of 2013, online and directly at the stand.