The Italian Automotive update on Forza Horizon 5 welcomes back Fiat, Lancia, Abarth, and Alfa Romeo in the game with a total of 16 playable cars. The first half is available on the autoshow while the latter half was prize cars attainable throughout the entire season. All in the name of rediscovering Italian nostalgia, of course.
Focusing on the prize cars, let's check out the hauls of the season...
At the Wet Season Playlist of the Italian Automotive update, I got the keys to the Alfa Romeo 155 Q4 and the Lancia Delta S4. The first one is a potent contender to the DTM while the latter is Lancia's biggest WRC success story since the Fulvia, the Stratos, and the 037.
At the Storm Season Playlist, I got the keys to the Alfa Romeo 4C, a lightweight rear-wheel-drive Alfa Romeo sportscar made by Alfistas for Alfistas, as well as the Abarth 695, the most hardcore version of the Abarth 500 hatchback.
At the Dry Season Playlist, the Abarth 131 Rally and the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione became part of my FH5 fleet. The former is a 3-box saloon car homologated for rally racing and follows the footsteps of the legendary Lancia Stratos for obvious reasons while the latter is Alfa Romeo's first V8-powered supercar which was built in the same factory as the Maserati GranTurismo.
Lastly, in the Hot Season Playlist, the Lancia 037 and the Abarth 124 Spider are under my caring hands in the game. The 037 is Lancia's Audi Quattro killer while the Abarth 124 Spider is the Italian Mazda ND Roadster that does what its Japanese equivalent doesn't.
Having got my hands on the eight prize cars of the Italian Automotive update, it's time to showcase their Italian flair by giving them challenges at the Horizon Badlands and see if these unlimited amounts of torture can bring out the Roman gladiator within them. Roll the tapes.
Guess those torture tests really brought them the Roman gladiator within but hey, this is Italian automotive at its core.
Abarth welcomes the age of electrification with the all-new electrified 500, which is basically an FA1 Fiat 500 on steroids. A rather unwelcoming but welcoming way to introduce speedo boys to the new age of Abarth.
2024 Abarth 500e
2024 Abarth 500e
With prices starting at 37,950 Euros plus additional costs, the Abarth 500e welcomes speedo boys to the dark side of electrification as this electrified hot hatch completely vandalized the EV rulebook in the name of performance and freedom that will keep them addicted for more.
Beginning with the styling, the Abarth 500e looks pretty much the same as the normal Fiat 500e, in normal and cabrio versions, but it's been given Abarth credentials such as the show-off ABARTH lettering at the front, unique bumpers, and wild-looking 17-inch wheels, not to mention the new scorpion badging on the sides that signals Abarth's new generation.
Inside, the new Abarth 500e works pretty much the same as the normal Fiat 500e as well but the sat-nav is packed with performance pages with the odd-looking Drag function that checks acceleration and braking times. It even comes with an Abarth sport steering wheel, sports seats, and a rather flashy feature called Abarth Sound Generator that generates faux engine noises inside and out. Yes, the sound part is flashy indeed because why would they want to put noise in a noiseless EV car? Bad idea but speedo boys don't care about bad ideas anyway. They'll rather ignore such flashy stuff like this.
While the faux engine sound gimmick is deemed flashy by most speedo boys, is the performance worth redeeming in this electrified Abarth? With a 42kWh battery pack installed, the Abarth 500e's electric drivetrain pumps out 155ps of power output and 235Nm of torque, making it capable of a 0-100kph time of seven seconds and has a top speed of 155kph. The driving range is around 265km on one full charge and when plugged at a public charging station, it will take 35 minutes to get to 80% battery capacity, the size of one episode watched and three hail marys.
Although heavier than the old 500-based Abarth hot hatches, the Abarth 500e still behaves like a hot hatch because the dynamics are so out-of-character for an electric city car of this magnitude, and with the Scorpion Track in place, you can really drive this thing harder and louder for longer on the track.
While driving on a comfort-oriented Turismo mode or sport-oriented Scorpion Street, the Abarth 500e features one-pedal driving, an idea stolen from today's Nissan Leaf. When you lift your foot off the pedal, it slows down and recovers kinetic energy to recharge the batteries, eliminating the need for applying brakes. Of course, you'll need one in case you want to make a full stop.
As expected the Abarth 500e features Level 2 autonomous driving in the form of intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control and Intelligent Speed Assist, among many others.
Although one of the most controversial vehicles ever made this year, the Abarth 500e is one of the must-haves this year. Despite its show-off faux engine sound that is a real turn-off for speedo boys behind the wheel, the electrified performance is what made Abarth adapt to this new normal, and like it or not, the world's experiencing burning jealousy, wishing they want to drive one. Come on, Abarth. We're waiting.
Let's get to know about the legendary cars that are hard to get in Gran Turismo 7's Legend Cars not only because of their extreme rarity that appears once in a blue moon but also their outrageous price tag that takes almost forever to save one. Today, let's get to know about the Abarth 1500 Biposto Bertone B.A.T. 1, the Gran Turismo Trophy winner from the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
Created by the collaboration between Carlo Abarth and Franco Scaglione, the Abarth 1500 Biposto was displayed at the 1952 Turin Motor Show and was the first of the B.A.T. series designed by Bertone in the 1950s. Underneath its futuristic styling lies a 1.5L Abarth-tuned engine producing up to 73HP of power. A little-known fact is that someone from the United Kingdom managed to unearth the hidden Abarth 1500 Biposto, restored it, and then showcased it at the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance where it won the Gran Turismo Trophy award.
The Abarth 1500 Biposto will have a quick lap around the Goodwood Motor Circuit but how fast will it go? VTR, start!
It did it in 1:55.705. Kind of slow for a vintage Italian sports coupe but it managed to finish a lap surely. Well, almost surely. Slowly but almost surely.
What other hard-to-get legendary cars should I drive next? Stay tuned for more.
This is the original Fiat 124 Spider in play and upon driving this classic Italian roadster in the world of Forza, it made you realize that driving one of these is like a step back in time to the classic motoring from the last century. The golden years of motoring, if you may, and even emerged from the time the fuel crisis stopped them from driving Ferraris on the open road and made the switch to smaller but fun-to-drive cars that catered to the essentials a true car enthusiast should live.
There's so much to love about the classic Fiat 124 Spider in every tangible way but for those who demand to drive the more modern version, here's the one you've been waiting for...
Here it is, ladies and gentlemen, your new Fiat 124 Spider, as emerged from Forza Motorsport 7's Samsung QLED TV Car Pack. Before I take a spin around this so-called by-product of the Axis Powers, as you say it, let's investigate the 21st century 124 Spider.
At the 2015 LA Auto Show, Fiat revived the 124 name as the newest open-top rear-wheel drive sportscar on the road, and while this is basically a Fiat, the shocking moment is that it was based on the Mazda Roadster (MX-5) ND and they're built at the same plant in Hiroshima, Japan.
Even though it features the same components as the fourth-generation MX-5, the Fiat 124 Spider differs from it because of the 1.4L MultiAir engine, shocks, and added length and cargo capacity compared to the MX-5.
The high-performance variant, the Abarth 124 Spider, was introduced at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show and it was powered by an Abarth-tuned 1.4L MultiAir engine producing 170PS of power and 250Nm of torque while mated with a 6-speed manual gearbox. It does 0-100kph in 6.8 seconds and onwards to 232kph, faster than even the top-spec MX-5.
Even though it was just an MX-5 underneath, the Abarth 124 Spider I'm driving is no MX-5 indeed because thanks to its Italian engineering lurking around the Japanese-made Italian sportscar, there's a big reason why a 124 is better than the MX-5 in so many ways and in this Abarth version, it really explains a lot. It still drives like whatever lightweight open-top roadster should but because the power and dynamics are what set these two cars apart, the 124 is a tour de force unlike the MX-5 even though it's the byproduct of the Axis Powers if you call it. It has some character, it has some stance, it has some personality, and the bark that its donor car couldn't possess, and looks like Japan should be worrying about why an Italian MX-5 is better than the original MX-5. Could it be a conspiracy why a different version is better than the original even though they were made from the same assembly line? It's too early to tell but in the meantime...
I'm at the Top Gear Test Track on a rainy day to see if the modern 124, in Abarth guise, really is the true successor to the original 124, the one Jeremy Clarkson drove on his final day as a Top Gear presenter before he became the host of The Grand Tour alongside Richard Hammond and James May. Wait a minute, this Abarth 124 did feature in The Grand Tour with Hammond behind the wheel but anyway...
Looking back five decades, the Fiat 124 Spider is an all-time classic that likes to live up to the examples of the greatest lightweight sportscars in history, and in today's time, the MX-5-based 124 continues the tradition despite having spaghetti and sushi served on the silver platter. Some say that the normal 124 Spider wasn't as good as the MX-5 but thanks to the Abarth variant, it really did and it can outrun even a top-spec Mazda MX-5 with the SKYACTIV-G 2.0L on it. I'm starting to love this new open-top Fiat even more and speaking of which, who wants to see a quick lap with these beauties?
After a wet lap around the Top Gear track with the past and present 124 Spiders, here are the results...
Old 124 - 1:48.092 (wet)
New 124 - 1:38.683 (wet)
Five decades and looks like the 124 did evolve into something special, which isn't bad for an Axis Powers team-up that made us upset, very very upset why the Rome-Tokyo-Berlin Axis made its way through the motoring industry because of BMW, Toyota, Fiat, and Mazda. Looks like the car companies from the Allied Forces need to step up against the motoring Axis Powers. If the fat man who controls our lives once said the Germans are evil, why not the Italians and the Japanese?
Still, I am glad to drive the new 124 Spider in the game, even though it's long overdue just like the Alfa Romeo Giulia that I drove a couple of moments ago but I'm not done yet because later on, I will find out if the Italian version of the Japan's favorite roadster is better than the original. This should be interesting so watch for it.
The Abarth lineup is currently filled with beefed-up versions of the 500 and it's time for a change. Perhaps a Fiat 124 Spider-based model should come to the mix and enjoyment couldn't come any hairier than this with the first-ever, open-top, rear-wheel drive Abarth based on the new Fiat 124 Spider.
2017 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth
The 124 Spider Abarth is the high-performance version of the Fiat 124 Spider, which is based on the fourth-generation Mazda Roadster, and judging by its performance, it will make not just owners of the normal 124 Spider but also owners of the latest Mazda Roadster the remorse they will regret having an lightweight open-top roadster that delivers a potential track-day talent some may call it "accessible".
Just how accessible is the 124 Spider Abarth? Well, with looks inspired from the 1972 Abarth 124 Spider, you can tell that this car has heritage from the legendary breed that became a talk-of-a-town when it battled fiercely though rally stages and numerous race feats, but that's just the half of the story. Under the hood lies a smaller, yet powerful 1.4L four-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 170HP of power and 250Nm of torque. With this output, it will go from zero to 100kph in 6.8 seconds and onwards to 232km/h, which is very quick for a nippy little open-top sportscar with some shouty exterior design fit for the fashionable car enthusiasts. It also makes a not-so-bad noise from its exhaust as well.
Apart from the engine, the dynamics is what makes the 124 Spider Abarth very accessible, thanks to its perfect weight distribution and lightweight design, making it a new gold standard in the roadster segment. With a class-leading power-to-weight ratio, and weighing less than a Ford Fiesta, not to mention some track-honed handling, the 124 Spider Abarth can be as swift as swinging a wrecking ball with all the strength and force you can wield at and make some lava holes but living in a day-to-day basis can be somewhat challenging, that is when parallel parking on reverse is like climbing up a mountain.
Although not what you call a daily driver's car, the new 124 Spider Abarth, with its 40,000 Euro price tag, may sound expensive to own but it's a start for buyers looking for high-performance open-top rear-wheel drive roadster who believe that owning an Alfa 4C Spider or a Lotus Elise can be a costly experience. Nevertheless, the 124 Spider Abarth will make anyone's decision making a hard one choosing between a car inspired from and a car originated from. The Fiat 124-Mazda Roadster decision-making experience couldn't get even more complicating.
This is Abarth's equivalent of a Porsche 911 GT3 RS, getting rid of stuff not needed for track duty and made it one of the most potent track weapons that will upset the big guys. Say hello to the 695 Biposto, part of the T10 Summer Car Pack.
Before we talk about this ultimate Abarth ever made, let's have a quick perspective about this tiny monster. "Born on the track, to live the road." The 695 Biposto from Fiat's Abarth performance brand draws inspiration from the track-focused 500 Abarth Assetto Corse, therefore giving its knack of being "the smallest supercar" from the Abarth 500 lineage.
As the most potent 500 Abarth ever made, the 695 Biposto weighs around 997kg (courtesy of its lightweight materials as well as extensive use of carbon fiber equipment), powered by a turbocharged 1.4L petrol engine producing 186HP of power, can get through 0-100kph in 5.9 seconds, and has a weight-to-power ratio of 5.2kg/hp. For the first time in a road-legal car, the 695 Biposto arms with a dog-ring gearbox with light flywheel and copper racing clutch.
The 695 Biposto also offers with a Track Kit, made for racing purposes only, complete with a digital data logger, Sabelt racing seat belts, Sabelt carbon shell racing seats, and a personalized racing helmet.
As a hot hatch equivalent of the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, the 695 Biposto is a non-nonsense track weapon that shows that even when focused on its handling capabilities, this hot hatchback loves to toy around even the biggest of sportscars when it gets round the corner. For such size, you may never know what tricks this car can play on its unsuspecting victims and this sneaky stinger likes to shake things up like a stealth kill on its unsuspecting predators from behind. Driving in the real world, the 695 wasn't made for this job due to lack of aircon and radio but for track use, especially when it comes with the Track Kit, the 695 is an enjoyable car that you drive as much as you want until you're not in a mood for a lightweight hot hatchback that values its handling more than anything else, especially its power. Not bad for a car that was proclaimed as the "smallest supercar" in the world.
Okay, if Abarth calls the 695 the smallest supercar in the world, let's put their theory to the test because I'm driving this car round the Brands Hatch GP Circuit and see if the 695 lives up to Abarth's promise by comparing it against the hot hatch powerhouses from Germany. I've picked the VW Golf R and the Mercedes A45 AMG as the basis for this challenge and see if the 695's handling capabilities trump against both of the power-hungry hatches.
Without further ado, let the experiment begin!
And now the results:
1:54.413 - Golf R
1:52.344 - A45
1:58.039 - 695
Well, so much for the smallest supercar. Although being a track-capable vermin, it still wasn't good enough to outsmart the most powerful ones but if I disregard the lap times and if I consider handling as a strong focal point, I have high doubts that the 695 Biposto is a clear winner. Those four-wheel drive Germans were great to drive but with all that struggle I felt when I get them round the corner, there is no way that the 695 Biposto is a good old-fashioned masterpiece and I acknowledge the Italians for bringing such a fine specimen like this.
As I had much fun driving the 695 Biposto, I wanna find out what's next in store for this car as well as the Abarth lineage.
So, the Fiat 500 Abarth. An Italian pocket rocket that combines the word "cute" and "cool" in terms of design and performance. Here in USA, it has some bonkers advertisement due to the Seduction commercial as seen on US televisions or also the House Arrest ad starring Charlie Sheen. It lapped the Top Gear Test Track in 1:35.5, knocking down the likes of the Lotus Elise and the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish. Later on, Richard Hammond brought this in (in 500C Abarth Esseesse guise) for the Top Gear hot hatch challenge where the presenters and their chose hot hatch were put in to the test from the maze-like streets of Lucca to the racetrack in Monte Carlo. Well, you got that idea but I'm very glad that this seductive Italian hot hatchback returned on Forza 4. I would never forget the first time I met one.
Players who have one may sometimes try to make mock-ups of the Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari or even the Fiat 500C Abarth, the one Richard Hammond drove it on the Top Gear hot hatch challenge. Despite mock-ups, they do look real and I love it.
Still, this is more fun to drive than the Renaultsport Twingo Cup!
VH1 featured their "What's What" edition of the North American commercial for the Fiat Abarth 500! Well, whatever, because this is a "What's What" edition of this ad made by VH1, it tells about what's what about this commercial. Weird but it's just like the "What's What" edition of Disney Channel original movies we've watched. Hey! What gives?!
The Fiat Abarth 500 has arrived in the USA, courtesy of Chrysler, and this latest US Commercial for the Abarth 500 seems to be somewhat...HOT.
This ad's getting a bit naughty, and also the new Abarth 500. Speaking of which, what's the song on the 2012 Abarth 500 commercial? Okay, here's the answer: Smokescreen by Willis
.jpg "2024 Abarth 500e")
