Europcar, one of the largest car hire services in Europe, is betting on keeping things sporty this summer with the addition of the Abarth 500 to its growing fleet.

Putting things into perspective, this is actually a great idea, since a small city car is an excellent solution for most European cities. The fact that the Abarth 500 is also pretty sporty, can only be seen as an added bonus – especially when you start hitting the back-roads.

Under its bonnet you’ll find a 1.4 liter petrol engine, good for 140 HP and 206 Nm (151 lb-ft) of torque, which generally wouldn’t sound like much, expect for the fact that this car only weighs 1,120 kg (2,469 lbs).

Sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) is also pretty fun in the Abarth 500, as it only takes it 8.1 seconds in order to complete the run.

Ken McCall, Managing Director, Europcar UK said that “The Abarth 500 is certain to prove a very popular choice amongst customers. With that little bit of added performance, it perfectly complements our existing hatchback range, giving customers yet another option for their journey.”

The 1.4 liter engine is also reasonably cost-effective, which is very important with rental car customers, according to McCall: “We know that when it comes to a sultry city-break or a spin down to the seaside, our customers want to drive the vehicle that best suits their needs.”

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