We mentioned earlier the efforts of Italian tuner Aznom in adding some nostalgia to the modern iteration of the Fiat 500 by shifting its engine to the rear, effectively making it a mid-rear mounted setup that is similar to the original 500.
Now, the tiny terror has been completed and has hit the streets during the Top Marques show. Dubbed the Motore Centrale, it's based on the 500 Abarth and now has its 1.4-liter mill sitting just aft of the front seats in a custom-fabricated subframe. A little tuning work has managed to extract a reasonable 227hp and 330Nm of torque from the little power plant.
Some of the work done to the engine includes a new Garrett turbocharger, a 200-cell catalyst and larger injectors for more fuel into the chambers. handling has been stiffened up courtesy of a Bilstein suspension kit.
The move to place the engine at the rear has also resulted in a weight loss, bringing the car's weight down to a scant 1,050kg, still a little on the porky side given its size but that is probably due to the additional subframe in the rear. Performance figures measure in at 4.7-seconds for the century sprint and it will hit a terminal velocity of 240km/h.
As mentioned in the previous article as well, Aznom will now be shifting its focus on to the track version of the Motore Centrale that will be called the R280 Pista. It promises even more power at 276hp and a reduced kerb weight of 950kg. All that should translate to an improved century sprint of 3.9-seconds and a top speed of 260km/h.
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Source: Aznom
