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7 performance cars for less than $30,000, part one: Fiat 500 Abarth vs. Mini Cooper S coupe
7 performance cars for less than $30,000, part one: Fiat 500 Abarth vs. Mini Cooper S coupe
6/13/2012
The Fiat 500 Abarth takes on the Mini Cooper S coupe
While the idea of having a Ferrari 458 Italia or a McLaren MP4-12C
in the garage would thrill any car guy or gal, the reality is that a
$200,000-plus supercar isn't affordable for most people. Even
performance players such as the BMW M3, the Cadillac CTS-V and the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG
are out of reach for many.
With that in mind, we set a maximum base price of $30,000 to see what
the state of the affordable performance car is today. From there we
selected seven of the latest entries —ranging from a couple of cute
turbocharged featherweights to a pair of potent rear-wheel-drive coupes
punching in at more than 300 hp.
After putting each car through instrument testing and tossing them
around the infield road course at Michigan International Speedway in
Brooklyn, Mich., we can confidently say that there's plenty of fun to be
had without having to remortgage the house.
The Fashionably Quick
With looks that most people will either love or hate, the Fiat 500 Abarth and the Mini Cooper S coupe lead the cutesy performance-car charge.
Both
Mini and Fiat strapped a turbocharger onto their four-cylinder engines
to boost output, to 181 hp for the S coupe and to 160 hp in the Abarth.
The Mini steps in at 177 lb-ft of torque (192 lb-ft with overboost),
while the Fiat makes 170 lb-ft. Both send the power to the front wheels
through a manual transmission, a six-speed for the Mini and a five-speed
on the Abarth.
Fiat improved the 500's handling by lowering the
chassis 0.6 inch, adding Koni FSD shocks and strapping on a rear
antiroll bar. Mini, on the other hand, didn't worry about improving
handling, instead lifting the S coupe's suspension and chassis from the
existing Mini Roadster on which it's based. It then replaced the
convertible roof with a hardtop, creating the stiffest, best-handling
Mini on the market.
On the track, the Mini's stiffness,
go-kart-like handling and additional 20 hp easily outclassed the Abarth
by the tune of five seconds per lap. Apexes were hit with ease, and the Autoweek-installed
bus-stop chicane was a breeze for the Mini. Whether in the curves or on
the straights, the S coupe pulled away from the Abarth.
However,
the Abarth closed the gap in the braking zones thanks to its big
Brembos. Behind the wheel of the Fiat, we were able to brake deeper into
turn one at MIS—the fastest part of the track— than in the Mini. But it
was not enough to stick with the S coupe.
The Abarth is still a
major improvement from the base Fiat 500, which only has 101 hp and 98
lb-ft of torque. The Abarth goes from 0 to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds,
handling is outstanding when up against the standard 500, and the dual
exhaust creates a loud, sporty sound.
The Abarth and the Mini held
up well during the brutal two-day test. Each car was put through
countless laps and slalom runs, skidpad trials and acceleration and
braking tests. Both the brakes and tires on each car were ready for
another couple days of heavy work by the time the test was over.
The
two cars were also calm to drive at speed, with tight steering, good
responsiveness and solid feel around the road course. The comfortable,
supportive seats and a driver-friendly interior layout add to the sporty
feel of each car.
Overall, both the Mini and the Fiat are solid,
cute, compact sports cars. Each is a blast to throw around a track, but
when it comes to overall performance, the S coupe takes the cake.
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