Abarth Fastback Is A Poor Man’s BMW X4 M For South America

Performance-focused coupe-SUVs are usually not attainable by the average buyer but this is not the case for the new Abarth Fastback. The Scorpion-badged version of the South American Fiat Fastback looks like a cheap alternative to the BMW X4, featuring a 183-HP engine and a sportier chassis setup.

The Abarth Fastback arrives one and a half years after the mechanically-related Abarth Pulse, expanding the Brazilian lineup of the performance brand that doesn’t include the Abarth 500e yet. Predictably, the coupe-SUV comes with Abarth badging although a smaller Fiat’s flag emblem is still present on the grille.

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Exterior modifications compared to the Fiat equivalent are limited to body-colored plastic cladding (bumpers, fenders, and side sills), a piece of red trim above the splitter, a black spoiler, matching mirror caps, and chrome-finished dual exhaust pipes. There is also a new set of black BBS-style 18-inch alloy wheels with red accents, although they admittedly look small for the size of the vehicle.

Moving inside, there is red stitching all around the cabin, a faux carbon-fiber trim on the dashboard, and plenty of Abarth emblems. The 10.1-inch free-standing infotainment display comes standard and is combined with a digital instrument cluster and a wireless charging pad. Optional features include a subwoofer mounted on the cargo area, a K&N sports filter for the engine, Abarth puddle lights, and white Scorpion stickers.

Under the bonnet lies a Turbo 270 powertrain which is weirdly also available in the Fiat Fastback in the form of a “powered by Abarth” limited edition. The turbocharged 1.3-liter petrol engine produces 183 hp (136 kW / 185 PS) and 270 Nm (199 lb-ft) of torque. Power is transmitted to the front axle exclusively via a 6-speed automatic, accelerating the coupe-SUV from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 7.6 seconds.

The new “Poison” driving mode is said to improve the response of the gearbox and the powertrain while displaying special graphics on the digital instrument cluster. Furthermore, the version-specific dual exhaust pipes make the coupe-SUV sound sportier. More importantly, the Abarth Fastback benefits from a sportier suspension setup compared to the regular Fiat Fastback, including new springs and shock absorbers, a larger stabilizer at the front, and a more rigid rear axle.

The Abarth Fastback is already available to order in the Brazilian market priced from R$159,990 ($31,906). For comparison, the regular Fiat Fastback starts from R$121,900 ($24,310,) which sounds like a bargain compared to the R$485,950 ($96,914) of the cheapest BMW X4.