Hot hatch that Jeremy Clarkson once described as a ‘mini Lamborghini’ can be bought for just £5,000
A HOT hatchback that Jeremy Clarkson once likened to Lamborghini can be bought for just £5,000.
The incredible Abarth 500 – which is, of course, based on the Fiat 500 – is a motor that shouldn’t get judged on by its looks as it can pack a serious bit of of grunt.
The Italian motor is sporty, tuned version of the Fiat model it resembles – with all models using a turbo-charged and intercooled version of the 1.4-litre L Fire I4 petrol engine.
Top Gear legend Clarkson is certainly a fan, famously gushing over it in a high speed test around the show’s test track.
It’s only this big but it’s a Lamborghini, really!
Jeremy Clarkson
Noting the 500’s awesome engine note, he said at the time: “Listen to the noise, it growls… it’s only this big but it’s a Lamborghini, really!”
He added: “It’s got a steering wheel trimmed in red and black, like a man’s wash bag.
“It’s got body-hugging leather seats and it’s got a button here that gives it more torque, and another button here that does something racy with it.”
And he even commented on the motor’s practical side: “Behind the movers and the big wheels on the lowered suspension, we find it has seating for four – just – and a boot which is big enough for things.”
He summaried the 500 perfectly by comparing it to the ultimate hot hatch: “In many ways, it reminds me of the original Golf GTI – it’s just a genuinely good small fast car.”
For petrolheads looking for a lot of bang for their buck, the Abarth 500 can be found for around £5,000 – with £6k seemingly enough to get you behind the wheel of a 2015 example with just 55,000 miles on the clock.
Another motor Clarkson waxed lyrical about is the Porsche 928 – a retro set of wheels he once shared a heartfelt story about in a special episode of Top Gear.
Elsewhere, a car expert urged drivers to seek out the cheapest nearly new EV with “biggest drop in value” – it’s a proper second-hand bargain.