I’ll be curious to hear how it handles all the rain we’re supposed to get in Austin this weekend.

One point for my Abarth. No mufflers! ;)

Finally got to run out at Harris Hill last week. Damn, that is one bouncy course.

Been broken in to just so they could steal the ashtray and the $1.37 in change in it.

Not totally true. As long as it's in a bottle of 100ml or less you can go to town. Last several times I've flown I've packed a baggie full of airplane booze bottles and the TSA has never once said a thing.

I noticed those. Appears it'd be street legal in Texas. Race on Sunday, drive to work on Monday.

I'd be hard pressed to not trade in my current Abarth for one of these in Abarth trim.

Are you bringing it out to the RockNRides show in Leander next weekend? :D

It was sarcasm. I guess I failed. I've been in the industry 20+ years and have read a person's email, without them directly asking me to, exactly once. That was when I was instructed to by management for security reasons. I already know how boring people's email is and really don't care if the CFO has something on the…

You're right. She was on the schedule and changed plans. Ignore me. You know, I even looked at her and said to myself, "that's not Stef". No more beer and posting.

If the general public had any idea just how easy it was for us sysadmins to read their email without them having a clue about it they might be more concerned. Until then, we'll stay up to date on great recipe ideas, vacation plans, and the little slice on the side the CFO is getting.~

I wish more people used it.

P.S. Announcing that run is Jalopnik's own Stef Schrader.

I did say it was a bit of cheating. It'll do it in the dry, at higher speeds obviously. The Abarths are a bit harder to kick out with the super short wheelbase and all.

Took me long enough to finally make an autocross with y'all. Only been trying to match schedules for like 2 years. :) It was far easier to slide in the rain last week, obviously. It's cheating. :) I'm pretty sure I was hanging out the tail around the loop but that doesn't show on video.

I've done it autocrossing my Abarth. I don't have video of the bigger slides but in this video from last week you can easily see the kick of it straightening out at the 30 second mark. I don't have any better examples. Easier to do with two people on board I've found.

I love the 6.0l. It's what was in ours. The interior with its burl maple, soft leather, and airplane style drop down trays screamed 'classy'.

I also picked an XJS but in convertible trim. Used to have an XJ-12 and I miss that big quiet V-12.

1989 XJS Convertible V-12

The Rover V8 was aluminum headed. I know several folks that have warped theirs. I don't know about modern, non-Buick based, Rover engines.

Patrick, I've got a '13 Abarth in Austin you can borrow any time if you want that MT feeling back. :) I haven't gotten down to Harris Hill yet but I'll be out at CotA for autocross this Sunday. You are correct in your feelings on the MT Abarths, they are stupidly fun for the price. Are there better, faster cars? Yep.…