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I don't believe they carry the Twin Air in the US. The only engine available here is the 1.4 liter four-pot. They are supposed to be bringing the Abarth over (turbocharged 1.4 liter, not sure if it's the 137 HP version, or the 170+, or the 180 HP one) in another few months.
I drove a 500 "Sport" last weekend. Same drivetrain as the "Pop" with a manual transmission. (The "Lounge is the same engine, and is only available with the auto gearbox.) It was pretty decent.
I did not care for the seats and the seating position; it felt like I was sitting on top of the seat rather than in the seat, and it was not very supportive. The handling was fine but far from great, and the acceleration was pretty moderate. It ran about 2400 RPM in top gear (5th) at 60 MPH, but needed to drop two gears to get appreciable acceleration at that point. That was in part due to having three adults in the car; the salesman was kind of crammed in but did fit in the back seat.
The 500 somehow drove much heavier than its actual ~2300 lbs. The small size would make parking in a crowded urban environment easier, and the rather tight turning radius would make for excellent parking-lot maneuverability at very low speeds.
I also drove the MINI Cooper, and find it to be a better car all around--at least to my preferences. The MINI's base price is $20K, as opposed to $15K for the 500. The EPA rates them pretty close in fuel economy (29/37 for the MINI Cooper, 30/38 for the 500) and the 500 will tolerate regular-grade fuel while the MINI requires premium.
-soD
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