Fiat 500 by Novitec

The new Fiat 500 may be Car of the Year, but Novitec can always find a way to improve on things like performance and exclusivity when it comes to Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and of course Fiat.

Starting with the engines, Novitec has taken the 1.3 liter JTD turbo-diesel to 83 hp / 61 kW from its stock 70 hp / 51.5 kW, reducing its 0-100 km/h sprint time to 11.9 seconds and raising its top speed to 165 km/h. All this is possible through a plug-and-play control module available for just Euro 335.

The 1.4 liter 16-valve petrol engine receives a supercharger, boosting its output to 131 hp / 96.4 kW while torque increases from 131 Nm to 172 Nm. The nimble little engine can propel the Fiat 500 from 0 to 100 km/h in just 8.8 seconds while its top speed is 198 km/h.

Novitec also offers a stainless steel exhaust with either one or two exhaust tips, a front apron with spoiler and additional air dams and 16 or 17 inch multi-spoke wheels (up to 215/35 R 17 for front and rear) with matching suspension modifications. There are two option in regards to the suspension, either sport springs in combination with the production shock absorbers or a height-adjustable coil-over sport suspension set which can lower the car from 30 mm to 80mm.

Hamann Sportivo Based on Fiat 500

Coming somewhat as a surprise, renowned BMW tuning house Hamann have revealed a tuning package for the new Fiat 500. Labelled as the Sportivo the new tuning program took the Hamann engineers into unchartered territory which they duly responded with a lot of joy and enthusiasm. However, even though the end product may look good at first glance, the engineers have failed to put the same effort into this model as we have seen on many of their previous tuning programs.

The German tuner starts with a new set of 17 inch alloy rims and the chassis is lowered by 30mm leading to improved handling and drivability. Further peformance upgrades include a new sport exhaust system devised especially for the 1,4 litre petrol engine providing a thrilling soronous sound and a sports braking system for improved deceleration. The 1,3 Multijet 16V is treated to a power increase of 15hp taking the total up to 90hp by re-programming the integrated control unit.

Interior modifications are limited to an embroidered Hamann sportive logo and a set of aluminium pedals.

Press release:

Normally HAMANN-Motorsport is renowned as a tuning company for BMW and for refining sinfully expensive luxury cars. But sometimes the Laupheim-based technicians move off the beaten tracks and devote themselves to something completely unexpected – in this case the Fiat 500. The HAMANN-technicians started with a lot of joy and enthusiasm for the cool little retro sports car and developed the extensive HAMANN sportivo–tuning programme. Striking 17-inch rims and a lively flag pattern optically emphasize the racy character of this little Italian. The strong sound of the HAMANN-sport exhaust system for the 1,4 litre petrol car also underlines this acoustically. A performance optimization for the diesel model, progressive chassis springs and a newly-developed braking system round out the racy appearance and provide a speedy joyride.

The design wheel HM sportivo I stands for trendy mobile appearance and perfect handling. The matt black varnish rim in one piece has a diamond-polished outer edge and is offered in the size 7.0 x 17. HAMANN recommends matching tyres in the sizes 195/40 ZR17 or 215/34 ZR 17 by its technology partner Hankook. A complete wheel-set can be obtained from 1,420 €. The HAMANN-set for lowering chassis leads to a further improvement in handling the car and ensures that the vehicle centre which is made up from four progressively spun springs is lowered by 30mm.

The sport exhaust system which was especially devised for the 1,4 litre petrol car renders a thrilling sonorous sound. The system includes a muffler (from 390 € onwards) with two round end pipes made of high-grade steel (70 mm diameter), a pre-muffler with metal catalyst and a sport fan manifold. All components can also be obtained individually. Also for this model, HAMANN developed a stable sport braking system for improved deceleration values. The set consists of two perforated and ventilated brake discs (diameter 280 x 28mm) at the front axle in connection with red 4-piston fixed yokes and steal flex brake lines. The back axle can be upgraded with brake discs measuring 240 mm in diameter.

The increased performance by HAMANN costs 699 € for the 1,3 Multijet 16V Fiat 500 diesel model. After re-programming the integrated control unit, the motor renders up to 90 hp / 66 kW at 4,000 r.p.m. (series: 75 hp / 55 KW) and a maximum torque of 230 Nm at 1,750 r.p.m. (series: 145 Nm at 1,500 r.p.m.).

The aluminium pedal set including footrest and a car mat set with an embroidered HAMANN sportive logo accentuate the interior and perfect the Fiat 500 programme in a stylish way.