Is the Fiat 500 the New Volkswagen Bug? Let's Think Small for a Moment

Photo: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles media website.

Could an automotive writer lose his car-guy card for a headline like that?

Some enthusiasts might think so, but consider this: the Fiat 500 Abarth Edition, which, with the turbocharged and twin-intercooled 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo engine, provides 160 horsepower and 170 lb.-ft. of torque (manual transmission) and 157 horsepower and 183 lb.-ft. of torque (automatic transmission), earned a spot on the U.S. News & World Report 2018 "fastest small cars for the money" list this year.