Vehicle: 2014 Fiat 500 Abarth

Goal: Create a beast with all the trimmings

Summary: At Bark Brothers Tuning, we like a good project car. We recently worked with Robert Zecca, owner of DICorse, on our Project Abarth, and agree it’s the stupidest car we’ve ever owned… And, we absolutely adore it! With a list of mods longer than the average arm, and an excel spreadsheet to prove it, the car is transformed. It’s gone from a plucky little Associate, to a Made Man, omerta et al.

With a suitcase full of weapons; Prometeo LSD, DICorse turbo, ECU tuning by our Master Tuner Dotto Giotto, just to name a few, it’s ready to prove itself with a proper murder. The throttle response borders on telepathic, and the ergal guts in the turbo enable quicker spool, even with the large Orra FMIC.

The mechanical noises are intoxicating and signal the impending hit. Drop the clutch, stab the throttle, and cue Ave Maria. The spool of the turbo, the fluttering of the wastegate, followed by the whoosh of the dump valve, all working in harmony, cycling like a Thompson on Valentine’s day; A fiendish cycle of automotive brilliance.

Rowing through the gears, repeating the cycle with each notch of a gate, unleashes all of its linear 200whp. And when it’s over, a sly smile will emerge, or you’ll giggle like a fool (It was the latter for me). The little ‘Soldier’ having proved itself, adjusts his fedora, pulls his collar up, and disappears into the night.