Fiat’s engineers probably never considered the 500 Abarth making 405 horsepower (320 kilowatts), but the extensive tuning program Germany’s Pogea Racing has proved that the outlandish idea could work with a vehicle the company calls the Ares. A carbon fiber widebody kit is a fitting aesthetic symbol that this hot hatch is now boiling over.
Pogea sticks with a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder for the Area, but the list of modifications for the engine to make 405 hp and 328 pound-feet (445 Newton-meters) mean that there aren’t many stock components left. The firm fits components like forged pistons, a bigger turbo, a new camshaft, reinforced valve springs, higher flow fuel injectors, and parts for improved cooling. A reinforced five-speed manual transmission housing, revised clutch, and aluminum flywheel make sure that the gearbox can take so much extra grunt.


“In order to realize this project, hardly a screw remained untouched over the 4 years of development,” company founder Eduard Pogea said in the Ares’ announcement.
According to Pogea, the Ares reaches 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in 4.1 seconds. Issues with the front wheels slipping prevent it from being even quicker. The firm estimates the hot hatch’s top speed at 179 miles per hour (288 kilometers per hour).
The 500 Abarth’s body receives a similar overhaul. Pogea has carbon fiber parts that replace the bumpers, fenders, hood, mirror caps, and roof spoiler. After the extensive modifications, the hot hatch is 1.9 inches (48 millimeters) wider than stock. For this show car, the company paints the vehicle in gray paint from the Lamborghini Reventon. The tuner also fits six-piston brake calipers and a KW Clubsport suspension.

Inside, Pogea matches the hardcore mechanicals with an equally aggressive cabin. Occupants sit in leather-upholstered sport seats with vibrant red trim. A Pioneer infotainment system with Apple CarPlay support replaces the stock unit.
Pogea is building only five examples of the Ares, and finished examples sell for 58,500 euros ($63,054). Just the engine upgrades without the bodykit costs 21,000 euros ($22,640). The revised exterior parts are also available separately, including in plastic instead of carbon fiber.
Source: Pogea Racing
Gallery: Fiat 500 Abarth by Pogea Racing
POGEA RACING GmbH | Ernst-Zimmermann-Str. 17 | D-88045 Friedrichshafen
www.pogea-racing.com | press@pogea-racing.com
PRESS RELEASE March 2017
POGEA RACING - ARES
ARES - The Boss
POGEA RACING is equipping the ABARTH 500 to be the ultimate asphalt warrior.
In the 20 years since its foundation, POGEA RACING has developed an excellent reputation. Not least thanks to its loving attention to detail in tuning measures and its worldwide distribution network, the company, headquartered in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance, has long been among the ranks of the so-called premium tuners. The innovative luxury carmaker also periodically documents this claim with the development of a strictly limited small series.
Their latest prestige project is the complete transformation of the ABARTH 500 into a striking wide-body-power-athlete with 404 hp and fully carbon suit of armor. “In order to realize this project, hardly a screw remained untouched over the 4 years of development,” explained company founder Eduard Pogea, continuing: “I only considered the most competent suppliers and developers. Without the support of Michelin, Glasurit, and in particular the Italian Abarth engineer Enrico Scaravelli from SCARA73, the ARES would not have been realized.”
Even upon first glance the ARES confirms the statements from Eduard Pogea regarding the expense put into it. Because the Abarth 500 is now only recognizable in its basic characteristics underneath the carbon fiber of the all-round transformation: POGEA completely replaced the front bumper, rear bumper, and hood with in-house developments and complemented the carbon-fiber body modifications with mirror caps as well as rear and roof spoilers made from the same lightweight material. The most striking feature of the visible changes are the 48 millimeters added to the width of the fenders on the front and rear axle. But that's not all: LED side markers, XENON headlights, face-lift taillights using DUO LED technology, as well as an F1 gas pump nozzle update the series components and draw attention to the REVENTON-gray paint to great effect.
The newly created space in the wheel houses give room for significantly wider wheel/tire combinations and hence larger braking components. From now on, huge 6-piston calipers take the perforated 322 mm brake discs between the racing-proven pads. 215/35-18” Michelin Pilot Sport high-performance tires mounted on POGEA RACING XCUT dimension 8x18 ET27 rims ensure the best possible slowdown of the strengthened Abarth as well.
A variety of suspension modifications also improve handling along with the negative acceleration: In addition to the KW Clubsport suspension with the possibility for individual height, hardness, compression, and compression adjustment, the tuner installed components from DNA, such as Uniball top mounts and strut braces on front/rear axle, and fitted additional stabilizers and camber adjusters on the rear axle.
Such extensive suspension optimization is also necessary in order to convert the overwhelming power of ARES into propulsion and to equip the power-athlete with sufficient reserves for fast cornering. Because the specialists POGEA have delivered your masterpiece when tuning the engine: Fully 404HP/302kW at 6,400 rpm and a boss torque of 445 Nm at 3,350 rpm catapult the lightweight vehicle from zero to one hundred in 4.7 seconds. Only the slip at the front axle prevents even better acceleration. To do this, the ARES pilot will be compensated with a GPS-measured top speed of 288 km/h once again—accompanied by a loud-voiced concert from the flap-controlled exhaust system.
This is only made possible through extensive mechanical and electronic modifications to the 1.4 L production unit: New forged pistons, H-shaft connecting rod, enlarged exhaust valves, enlarged turbocharger, facilitated crankshaft, racing camshaft, additional oil cooling, as well as a reinforced engine block are far from all the changes. Of course, POGEA in cooperation with Abarth specialist Enrico Scaravelli is also able to get a massive revision for the drive train: From the purpose-built dual-clutch with aluminum-mass flywheel, on to the enhanced and extended transitions, all the way to a reinforced transmission housing with separate oil cooling—again no stone was left unturned.
On the interior, POGEA created a control center which perfectly combines functionality and comfort. The half-shell seats, specially designed for the ARES, the instrument cluster with TFT screen as well as the comprehensive refinement of all the plastic parts with leather or alcantara guarantee full control of the vehicle and at the same time exude pure luxury on the interior. The integrated high-end multimedia system features a Pioneer double DIN head unit with Apple CarPlay, Ground Zero plug-in subwoofer on the driver and passenger sides, and an Alpine rear view camera with monitoring of surroundings.
With the ARES, the southern German car manufacturer is once again proving its performance in all areas of individualized automotive manufacturing and is promising the future owners a strict limitation to only five vehicles. This provides additional exclusivity and creates capacity for the next development of a spectacular POGEA small production run series.
In its basic configuration from the factory in Friedrichshafen, the POGEA RACING ARES starts at € 58,950.00 including assembly, painting, and Abarth 500-based vehicle.
Key facts:
SERIES Technical specifications:
ABARTH 500 EURO 5 (Euro 6 also possible)
1.4L Turbo 16-based engine
135HP/205 nm base engine
5-gear manual transmission
POGEA RACING ARES Performance:
404HP/302 kW at 6,400 rpm
445 nm of torque at 3,350 rpm * elec. limited
Road performance: 0-100 km/h 4.7 sec.
288km/h V/max
Engine upgrade:
· forged pistons
· H-shaft connecting rod
· Compression reduction to 8.9:1
· Enlarged exhaust valves
· CNC cylinder head machining
· Reinforced valve springs
· Pulse turbocharging manifold
· Increased Turbocharger
· Special cylinder head gasket
· Wheel studs instead of expansion bolts in the cylinder head
· Reinforced engine block
· Modified oil pan
· Additional oil cooling
· Larger oil and water channels for cooling the engine
· Racing camshaft intake and exhaust
· Facilitated crankshaft
· Racing spark plugs and ignition coils
· Modified air intake
· 70 mm charge air system with XXL center charge air cooler
· Modified aluminum CNC injection body with increased throttle (70 mm instead of 52 mm)
· Large injectors (deliver up to 500 HP)
· Adjustable fuel pressure regulator
· External additional fuel pump (not in the tank)
· 200CPI HJS catalyst with EEC approval
· 70 mm exhaust system with valve control
Changes to the gearbox and drivetrain/Chassis:
· Specially crafted dual-clutch with aluminum single mass flywheel
· reinforced 3rd and 4th gear as well as long 5th gear
· Limited slip differential
· Reinforced bell housing
· Auxiliary transmission oil cooling
· Gear shift travel shortening made from milled aluminum
· KW Clubsport suspension with height, hardness, compression, and compression adjustment
· Uniball top mounts for adjusting the inclination and the opening angle
· Reinforced front axle
· Front and rear strut braces
· Torque rods on front and rear axle
· Chassis strut on the front end
· Additional stabilizer on the rear axle
· Camber adjusters on the rear axle
· Reinforced bearings on axles and engine
· 6-piston braking system on aluminum monoblock with
· 322 mm floating, two-piece, and cross-drilled discs
· Stainless steel brake lines front and rear
· Racing brake pads
· POGEA RACING XCUT Deep Concave wheels 8x18 ET27
· 215/35 18 MICHELIN PILOT SPORT tires
· 20 mm front axle//30 mm rear axle wheel spacers
Aerodynamics/Body:
Complete pure carbon fiber Wide Body kit, 48 mm wider than the series
Consisting of:
· Hood with air intakes (TROFEO L&R), front bumper, fenders and rear bumper, mirror caps—in addition all extensions including the sidewall, F1 tank filler neck, and roof spoiler.
· Vehicle completely painted using Glasurit REVENTON GREY from Lamborghini.
· Side panel cut in the back, clearance for ET-3 is guaranteed
· 2017 Facelift rear lights with DUO LED technology
· LED side markers
· XENON headlights
· Weight 977 kg, with a full tank and no driver
Interior and electronics:
· Pogea Sportster CS (half-shell seats) with heated seats and side airbags
· All plastics parts upholstered with leather or alcantara
· Leather and colors come from Porsche, Audi, and Lamborghini
· Pioneer Double-DIN headunit with Apple CarPlay
· Ground Zero plug-in subwoofer on driver and front passenger side
· Alpine rear view camera with monitoring of surroundings
· Hands-free bluetooth kit
· 2017 instrument cluster with TFT screen
Costs:
Total cost of conversion approx. 62,000 euros
Cost of the base vehicle from 18,900 euros
Finished vehicle starts at 58,500 euros (basic configuration)
More information:
· Bodykit is also available in PEC (plastic)
· Bodykit is with TÜV, motor is also with TÜV up to 335 HP
· Wide Body design can also be delivered without engine
· Wide Body fits all Abarth models from 2008 – present
· Engine conversion can be offered without Wide Body design (starting at 21,000 euros)
· Pogea offers performance increases for the Abarth of 160-400 HP.
· Four years of development time for the complete design
· 7 turbochargers were tested
· 3 different injection systems were tested
· 12,000 km test are already reliably completed
· 1 year warranty on the engine and drivetrain from Pogea Racing (via third-party insurer).
The vehicle is limited to 5 units. Only 4 more will be built.
The car can only and exclusively be manufactured with a manual transmission, not with MTA/semiautomatic.
For high resolution images or for further information, please contact:
press@pogea-racing.com or call us directly.
March 2017 version
Changes and errors excepted
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