A supermini that’s faster than a BMW M4 and as quick from 0 to 62mph as a VW Golf R? Pogea Racing’s Racing Abarth 500 ticks those boxes and more – and the good news is you can buy one.
The Pogea Racing Abarth 500, also known as ‘The Blue Wonder’, is best distinguished by its utterly ridiculous power output. The 1.4-litre lump remains, but a huge intercooler, forged pistons, bigger turbo and many other tweaks help it develop 330hp and 303lb/ft of torque.
0 to 62mph takes 5.1 seconds, which seems unusually a tad slow until you remember the 500 has shopping trolley wheels by sports car standards and is front-wheel drive. The top speed is 162mph. Suffice to say, Pogea’s monster will make it up hills.
A new gearbox, clutch and reinforced pressure plate keeps all that power from ripping the car to shreds, while 313mm discs and six-piston calipers at the front and EsseEsse Abarth perforated discs at the back provide ample stopping power. The tyres, meanwhile, are Toyo Proxes T1-Rs.
The Pogea Racing 500 Abarth, painted in a Monterey Blue usually reserved for a Koenigsegg supercars, is 45mm lower and 71kg lighter than the standard car, owing to KW suspension, the removal of the back seats and various carbon fibre panels.
You can get yourself the 330hp Italian supermini in one of two ways. There’s the option of the full car, which costs €43,500 (£31,750) – a couple of grand cheaper than the much slower 695 Biposto (and the Maserati Edition). Or you can pay €12,500 (£9,100) for the conversion kit and supply a 500.
Either way, you will have a truly outrageous car capable of besting a number of far pricier alternatives. What’s not to like?
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