Track Time in Fiat’s Abarth Performance Models, Part 2
Skip Barber Racing School taught me about understeer, oversteer, and weight management in the Fiat 500 Abarth and 124 Spider Abarth.
Fiat recently invited me out to the MotorSport Ranch in Cresson, Texas, to drive the 500 Abarth and 124 Spider Abarth under the expert guidance of the coaches at Skip Barber Racing School. In the first part of this story, I told you about the 2019 Fiat 500 Abarth and how it performed on an autocross course and one of the venue’s tracks. This second part is all about the 124 Spider Abarth.
The entire 124 Spider range gets a rear backup camera and seven-inch touchscreen for 2019. Fiat updated the available Technology Group, which now includes SiriusXM satellite radio and keyless entry. The Abarth model receives a new cosmetic option. The available Veleno Appearance Group is a nod to the Abarth scorpion logo (“veleno” translates to “poison” in English). It includes a red lower fascia lip, a red front tow hook, and red mirror caps. Inside, the package adds carpeted floor mats with the Abarth logo and a bright dead pedal.
The 124 Spider Abarth is also available with a $995 Record Monza Exhaust. It’s a tribute to Carlo Abarth breaking the speed record on the Monza racing circuit. The dual-mode system keeps the exhaust note low at idle and low throttle. Full throttle activates the system’s spring-loaded diversion valve, which allows the engine’s exhaust to bypass the muffler and exit the four rear finishers with a distinctive growl.
Aside from that, the 124 Spider Abarth is mechanically the same as it was last year. A 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo I4 with 164 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque works with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic to spin the rear wheels (the Abarth has 17-inch wheels wrapped in 205/45VR17 three-season rubber at all four corners). Unlike its more touring-focused siblings, the Abarth is equipped with a Bilstein sport-tuned suspension with a front strut tower bar and mechanical limited-slip differential.
Fun-sized Fiat
A car the size of the 124 Spider Abarth (it’s 15 inches longer than the 500 Abarth, but has virtually the same 91-inch wheelbase) is a natural for an autocross course. Unless you enjoy tapping orange cones, you need a small car that’s easy to keep track of and manage in tight turns. The layout Skip Barber designed for the event had some narrow curves and sharp turns, but the 124 Spider Abarth glided through them all without getting smudges on either of its bumpers.
Spider, Slider
After my group of colleagues and I had gone through the cones several times, it was time to head over to the skid pad. The exercise sounded simple enough: Drive counterclockwise around the four cones in the middle while keeping your eyes fixed on them and the steering wheel at a certain amount of lock. Sounded. It was much harder once I starting building speed in the 124 Spider Abarth. The faster I went, the further away I got from the middle of the ring. I began to feel as if I was in a centrifuge. Each revolution made the right side of my brain grow foggier.
I quickly experienced how backing off of the throttle cut understeer. It was as easy to fix as lead instructor Jean Sébastien Sauriol said it was. But they don’t call it a skid pad for nothing. I had to learn how to handle oversteer, too.
The layout Skip Barber designed for the event had some narrow curves and sharp turns, but the 124 Spider Abarth glided through them all without getting smudges on either of its bumpers.
Once I got up to a certain speed, my instructor told me to blip the throttle to break the back end loose. I didn’t have the wheel at full lock, so it took more gas to do that than I expected. I’d jab the throttle and feel the car lunge, but it wouldn’t start rotating. Even with the pavement wetted down, I had to keep my right foot down for a second or two before the back tires would lose their grip.
That’s also when I would lose my concentration. I would immediately look at where the car was going instead of keeping my eyes on the cones and fixing the steering wheel without looking. It was a high-stakes version of trying to pat your head and rub your stomach at the same time.
The wheel felt light in my hands, but never vague or lifeless. It told me what I needed to know by speaking softly.
With more practice, I was able to keep my vision focused on the inner cones. I was less consistent with moving my hands quickly enough to correct my steering. I wish I had done better, but I still walked away from the 124 Spider Abarth with a sense of accomplishment. I had managed not to panic and plow into a videographer who was filming on the periphery of the skid pad.
Keeping Cool on a Hot Track
By the time I got into a 124 Spider Abarth for the lead/follow sessions, it had done numerous autocross and track laps. Everything was up to temperature, particularly the tires. They were wonderfully soft out on the warm, sun-bathed track. As strange as it sounds, they almost felt greasy. I mean that in the best way. They made the car seem relaxed. Somehow, its calm confidence rubbed off on me.
Normally, I prefer a performance car to have heavy steering. The 124 Spider Abarth made me realize there’s a way to make lighter steering just as satisfying. The wheel felt light in my hands, but never vague or lifeless. It told me what I needed to know by speaking softly.
Exiting the Course
A part of me has always been drawn to muscle cars. They look badass, sound even better, and go like hell. But I also realize that not everyone is like me. One of the staff members at a track near me, Harris Hill Raceway, prefers his cars light, small, and nimble. After driving the Fiat 500 and 124 Spider Abarths, I know he’s not the only one. And I know why.
Photos for Team Speed by Derek Shiekhi
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