Abarth 595 Competizione: Image gallery
Abarth started life in 1949 as a race and tuning specialist and is currently Fiat's dedicated high performance arm (think AMG or M). Today Abarth will sell you brake, suspension and exhaust kits for your Fiat or you could simply buy a ready car like the Abarth 500 and its many iterations. The 595 though is the name that the higher output versions (160PS vs the standard 140) get while the range topping 190PS version is called 695 Biposto. To wit, there are two versions of the Abarth 595 - the Touring and the Competizione. We have the latter that gets sportier wheels and seats as well as a shoutier exhaust. Look out for a full review in our upcoming February issue. Scroll down to catch glimpses from the corresponding photo shoot.
Abarth has done a fantastic job with the exterior, the cheery facade remains but the low bumpers with the bigger air dams convey the sportier intention
Tiny car with oodles of power. The car feels like the automotive equivalent of a white mouse infected with rabies and then given a massive shot of cocaine
The interior feels very average in terms of design and quality and belongs more in a standard hatchback
Boost gauge adds some drama along with the buttons to select gear functions
Nobody does wheels quite as sexy as Fiat, or in this case, Abarth
Abarth scorpions replace Fiat badges on the front and rear and there's also a delicious 595 badge on the rear quarter panel
The Abarth's engine displaces the same 1368cc as the Linea T-Jet but it feels vastly different on the road
Sporty seats from Sabelt look great and are very supportive but have no height adjust
Fiat quotes a 7.6 second 0-100kmph run but the best we could muster was 8.8s
The 595 is an unashamedly single minded machine and we loved it for that - it wants to be driven hard and it will reward you immensely given the right conditions
The Competizione also gets what Abarth calls a Record Monza exhaust which essentially reduces back pressure and produces a sweeter note