THIS Is The Italian Car I WISH Would Come To America More Than any Other

Well considering that the most recent Alfa Spyder was based on the Brera FWD/AWD Premium platform it looks like your going to wait a couple of yrs. I'm hoping the Abarth will help Fiat break out of the duldrums and ramp up sales of the 500 range. The Abarth looks to be reasonably competative with the Mini Cooper S but for less money with average equipment.I've been on the Fiat USA sight. Even with the leather seats and 17 inch wheels and Sunroof you can get these for a little more then 26 grand.Comparatively equipped the current Cooper S would be pushing 30 grand.

Leather seats, really? Are those a must for a perfomance driver? I think not. Without leather the MINI Cooper S you describe is just $25,550 and comes with seats that look like leather (add $1500 for leather and you are at $27,050 not $30,000). Plus MINIs have the free maintenance (including brake jobs.) MINI is hands down the better choice. I encourage the italians to bring their products to market and let the public decide which earns the ca$h.

I owned a Fiat 124 Spider back in my college days in the late '70s. Great little car. The engine was relatively low on power, but the car weighed nothing so that made up for a lot. These things were a joy to drive since they were quite agile and handled pretty well for the standards of the day.

I never had any major problems on mine. Just did basic maintenance and the car ran like a dream. But like all cars of the day it fell apart due to rust issues. I kept mine for five and half years before the rust issues became to much and I sold it to a junkyard for $ 500, which was a good deal!

Tell ya what: You take the car, and I'll have fun with the girl.

I own a 2006 Mini Cooper S. I've driven the 2008 Cooper S. Other then the seats I like my 2006 better. Unless you get the optional wood dash it looks kind of cheap. Cheaper in fact to my 06 CooperS. I also don't like how BMW BMWfied the Mini, especially in those obknoxious turn signals.The 2007 on is a slightly more refined then my 06. However it has lost the Britishness essence that the original new Mini from 02 to 06 had. It was also simplier car.To be blunt the 2002-2006 Mini Cooper S had more driving character then the 07 on. So what I like about this Abarth is that it appears to have that "Italian" character of the Fiat's and Alfa's of the 70's and 80's that I find appealing. The leather seats offer no more performance appeal to a performance car and are definately (Not)a must. However they add to the Abarth's "Italianess". This makes it a car that now has more character then a Mini. Also it appears to not have the same torque steer problems that even my 06 Mini has along with a better ride.Considering that it has a simpler rear suspension then the Mini that appears to be quite and achievment.Also having heard the exhaust on U-Tube I can also say that it sounds better then that of a Mini Cooper. So even if the Abarth performs even or very slightly less in straightline and handling it appears to offer a better driving character then the Mini Cooper.Finally from an asthetic point of view my 2006 looks better then the 07 on Mini Cooper and the Abarth looks better as well. I am seriously considering switching to an Abarth within the next couple of yrs.