Abarth 595 Competizione 180

[1598Craig]

5potTurbo said:

Lovely car. I like the light grey, too.

But.... 6'5" in a 500?! Do you look like Mr.Incredible squeezed in there?

That photo is misleading - I long to have that much room in my car

[1598Craig]

withoutabix said:

Looking good liking you assessment of the car very similar to what I feel about ours

Nice to see one in Campolvolo as we originally went to order one in that colour but ended up buying a Circuit Grey that they had in stock



Still loving it tho absolute riot of a car

Love the colour mates, especially the yellow brake calipers. Same thing happened to me - originally I wanted either black or "rally beige" but when I was quoted a proive they told me about my car having been ordered by a bloke who then cancelled the factory order and took one of their ex demonstrators - seems no one can keep patient enough to have one built

[1598Craig]

withoutabix said:

sounds about right haha

how you finding sport mode?

Personally I love the extra urgency it gives to the throttle peddle and exhaust seems to bark little bit more but feel they have made a hash of the steering weights, i think they've attempted to "add" feel by making it heavier but to me it feels to artificial and fake!

There's a massive difference in the accelerator, you can be pumping the pedal in "normal" mode and have no affect on the forward motion at all, press the sport button and suddenly its jumping forward. Same with the exhaust, it loses some bark and snarl (but volume not so much!) With the steering I find the self entering force very strong and the weight oddly inconsistent in weighting - in Normal its too light as well. Surprising really how with these pretty big flaws I find the car much more endearing to drive than my 208 GTi ever was.

[1598Craig]

Challo said:

Craikeybaby said:

Richyboy said:

Any deals available on these? (or is this the wrong place to ask lol)

There were a couple posted earlier in the thread...

I think there was a dealership up North doing 190 down, 190 a month for the basic model.

That seems like the ballpark for the basic model, good price too, and like I've said before has about 80 odd percent often character of the 180 but few downsides. Reckon for a few pounds a 180 comperizione is in reach though

[1598Craig]

The big reason people buy a hot hatch is that they're great fun to drive yet are also cheap, practical and designed to be used every day. With the 595 it seems its too small for most people to be able to use, and it's only a 4 seater car which will write it off for some. However, not everyone need write it off, as this photo proves;



That's a leather recliner and a footsteps in the car, and myself and my mate got in the front. I'm not going to rival Eddie stobart any time soon, but this car is a lot more practical than you'd think.

[1598Craig]

Mike1990 said:

Enjoyed reading that

Love the Abarth's, i had a good drive years ago of the normal one, even for 130 or so BHP it felt pretty brisk, jumped into my Renaultsport Clio 172 afterwards and didn't feel any faster, obviously being a rev hungry engine.

I'm toying with getting mine on a rolling road as it seems so much more than the 180hP advertised - makes my old 208 feel pretty flat. Feels quicker as all the power comes in one lump at 4000rpm

[1598Craig]

Today was a good test for my car - a proper long day of miserable driving. In the rain, mostly in traffic for 2 and a half hours doing dreary tasks - the perfect time to show up any car that's not particularly good to live with.

Apart from slightly cramped legs I have in the driving position (steering wheel doesn't adjust for reach) and a couple of "air through gritted teeth" bumps, the car was as good as ever.

If anything it's basis as a city car played dividends in a packed cardiff, where any space in a car park is fair game.

One thing I did notice is the fuel gauge - everyone I speak to and every car I've owned have all gone on the red light = 50 miles of fuel. (I know many people say they never have less than half a tank etc but I'm not that sort of person.) The 595 gave me about 5 miles on the light before everything mentioned impending doom. I was a bit miffed by the gauge until I filled the car to the brim for £35. At nearly 300 miles to the tank its doing a good job not financially ruining me too.

[1598Craig]

Craikeybaby said:

That's strange, the fuel light on my wofe's shopping spec 500 comes on at 70 miles range, then goes all impending doom with 35 miles range. I thought the Abarths used the same instruments etc.

Its probably me being overly cautious, but I was surprised how the red light went off 5 miles after been on. However, I am intending to keep this car at least half full as its so cheap to fill would be a missed opportunity not to. Although that means I have to stand slightly crouched to reach the fuel filler quite a lot

[1598Craig]

neilbauer said:

Saw this on Facebook not sure if link works.

https://www.facebook.com/AbarthUK/videos/808537429...

Good video, although if I watch much more about the 695 biposto I'll probably end up with one
when spring comes I'll have to get mine on track, to fully see its talent in a suitable place.

this weather is great for the car, getting wheelspin in 3rd gear at the moment at full throttle, the only downside from its tiny kerb weight

[1598Craig]

buymeabar said:

I wasn't expecting to want one, but I need one now! Thanks fro the writeup.

Funnily enough I'm in need to reducing my outgoings so getting rid of my own neg equity car for a much cheaper (but much more fun car) is pretty attractive right now.

I'm going to have a proper look for one tomorrow and see what turns up.

From my experience mate you won't regret it - I essentially downsized from my 208 GTi but this car feels if anything a much better prospect. Everyone I know asks about it/wants a go and although it's not perfect its a genuinely characterful car. Even the entry level 135hp version is a load of fun and there are some cracking bargains on autographed to be had

[1598Craig]

cat with a hat said:

They both look fantastic! So much so that I had a nosy in the classifieds

Id have to agree with you but i am biased

Ive been meaning to put a few extra pictures on some of the little details that make the car feel like it can justify its price - the biggest criticism of this car is that its against the likes of Fiesta ST's/ 208 GTis etc in terms of price. When it first came out it was against Panda 100HP's/C2 VTS and Twingo RS's and seeing as all these are no longer available the Abarth's job is much harder than it was 7 years ago.



Easily the most unexpected thing about this car is the reaction to the badge - no one has associated this as being "just a fiat" - not many people have heard about it but that gives it a sense of exclusivity it seems. Good choice by fiat to build the Abarth brand separate to themselves.



Brakes are good and fill the wheels well - Having brembo written on the side on the bright red paintwork doesn't do anything bad for the looks either.



The Engine - literally no room in there whatsoever (all the vents on the bumper are functional to keep it cool, even the Abarth badge on the front has vents to get as much air in as possible) but looks better than the usual plastic lid with Eco-turbo-boost badging most companies put on.



The picture doesn't really show this well - nearly half the bumper is dedicated to the exhaust/diffuser. No complaints here with the looks, and I'm glad when a journey involves a tunnel/multi story car park to hear it even better.



the fuel filler is mounted a bit too low for me to stand up when filling the car which looks a bit comical, but the metal badged cap feels solid and weighty. when i do fill up (for about 25 pound) i always notice how nice it is, not some plastic green lid.



Simple design for the gearstick but works very well - made of metal, weighty shift and a proper leather surround. My 208 had an odd shaped square stick with red detailing - it looked good and was nice to use but can't help feeling that the Abarth's simpler design is the one id choose.



Odd feature of the mats (one I've never seen anyhow) is that you don't clip the mats into the carpet but screw them into the floor. Not necessarily better but a bit more special i suppose. notice the abarth badging? probably guessed by now its everywhere, all the time and on every single component of the car.



The standard Xenons are fantastic, on full beam on a dark road they are easily the best lights I've ever had. the silver part of the light is a headlight washer - surprisingly useful I've found.



The seats are fanatic as I've mentioned, but the quality of them is top notch too. The materials, cloth, metal backing all make them feel great. Even the pull toggle to bring them forward is a quality trying to use. The seat adjuster shows how detailed they are, and again with an obligatory Abarth badge. The only problem is they're very close to the door, so you need to have incredibly small hands to adjust them with the door closed.







The wheel is a good effort too - having come from a Peugeot with their new small wheel/ raised dials (which i really liked) i thought this wouldn't be able to compete. If anything, it feels much more natural. especially as its has a fantastic texture to the leather. The buttons on there are for the stereo and aren't the best - bit flat and not easy to use unless your looking at them. But for actual driving, i can't complain.



Having done 1000 miles in the car now I'm getting to know it better by the day. still enjoy driving it, still go the long way to most places and still happy i didn't follow the crowd with a Fiesta/Golf etc.

HOWEVER, if you do motorway miles and your my height (or tall in anyway) runaway from this car. the ride is good at speed, its quick in gear for overtaking, its not bad on fuel and it sounds great accelerating but quietens down on a cruise. But a 4 hour journey in the cramped seating position was not a cheery experience. Its an obvious thing to say (I'm not a huge motorway user anymore) but i doubt Mercedes/Audi/BMW are having emergency meetings about Abarth nicking their customer base.

Keep your journeys on fun roads however, and this car is pretty much perfect

[1598Craig]

p4cks said:

OP - I've had mine (albeit just the 160bhp Esseesse) for about 6 months now and I absolutely love it. I'm 6'2" and I find the seats just about fit me, but I know what you mean about the driving position. A cm higher and it'd be a no go for me.

Another thing I've noticed is the Bluetooth connectivity and usability is terribly temperamental at times and with mine being an early ('09) the Blue+Me doesn't work.

I don't have the sports exhaust (Monza?) but I have seen them on eBay and the like. I'm not intending on modding it anyway as I have a weekend car that I'd prefer to spend my money on. For now.

https://youtu.be/yx5Ew8aY60U
That video is the set up I have in my Abarth, I love the sound of it on start up, in tunnels, multi story car parks - definitely recommended if you get the chance to upgrade.

I totally agree with the blue and me system, I have no idea how to use it correctly, so I just leave my phone in the glove box so I don't use it. The driving position as I've said is, for want of a better phrase, deeply flawed but at least the sabelt seats add something
It reminds me that I'm driving a properly small car, and one that's quicker than most "proper" hot hatches on sale too

[1598Craig]

JeS10 said:

Greatly enjoyed reading your write up. I love the 595s, and would definitely buy one when I'm done with my 2010 NP Abarth 500. I thought i'd leave some more encouraging stuff, from someone that has done a lot of miles, on a variety of roads and conditions in one of these little cars.

I bought mine with only 17,000 miles on the clock, in February 2013. Almost two years later it is on 62500 miles. Has it ever let me down? Nope. Has anything ever gone wrong with it? Well, it needed a wheel bearing. I've never had such reliability from a car, and it puts up with a lot. I live on terrible rural roads, to then commute to Glasgow on the M8 every day. It's about 80 mile round trip. It just does it. I'd even goes so far as to call it a 'hardy' car. I'm not bored of it. I still enjoy driving it every day, and I've mastered getting pops and bangs on command of my feet. I feel like I could rationalise buying it; i've reasoned that it is simply more important to drive something like the Abarth, than something that is 'better'.

The 595 loos much nicer than my old one... the lights and the black accents rather than chrome.

Great to hear others loving the car much like I am - totally agree that it feels a sturdy car - heavy steering, bulky brakes, solid gearchange - everything you use gives a good feeling about this car.

Make no mistake, my 208 GTi was better. Better equipped, bigger, more comfortable and not prone to explosive bursts of power that lead to shocking and alarming bouts of torque steer in the first 2 gears whilst over taking. Also, it used less fuel and costs less to insure, and on a country road it flowed much easier than my often twitchy Abarth. However, the more I drive the 595, the more I become enamoured with it.

Much like the maserati quatroporte or Alfa 4c, the car is deeply flawed and all the better for it.

[1598Craig]

p4cks said:

Aaaaaaaand a few hours after typing that I've just bought a Monza exhaust from eBay. fk sake.

Haha worse thing to do on here is talk about money or "maybe in the future" comments - although I promise you won't regret it. It is like adding a bottle of Tabasco to a small curry, you'll notice it I promise



While driving today got a few photos at sunset, not great quality only off my phone but think they show how the fiat 500 is actually a very nicely styled car - find it much better in shape than the slightly fat looking twingo/smart fortwo or the dull up/mii/citigo trio

[1598Craig]

sawman said:

MajorProblem said:

RE mentioning the engine having an 80s old school feel, I think it's still pretty much the same unit as what powered the Fiat Uno Turbo and Punto GT.

it has to be less laggy than those. I loved and hated my punto GT in equal measure - but mostly it worried me with its off... nearly... nearly... no wait a bit longer... finally ON power delivery and wayward torque steer

nearly 20 years of development has to have sorted it out

In terms of its engine, i drove a 595 turismo with 160 HP on the test drive. its quite a bit different in terms of the kit on the car (engine power, suspension and seats are the big ones i believe, could be wrong feel free to correct if so), but the biggest difference was in the engine. As the 180 HP Competizione was so new and there wasn't available i had to take the dealers word for the fact the extra 20 HP makes a huge amount of difference (and it does)

the 160 HP Turismo felt much like the yard stick i always use in this thread, my old 208 GTi. Quick, smooth and composed. My 180 HP on the other hand dopes feel overpowered, overwhelming and much closer to the limit of what the engine can do reliably (Being a Fiat FIRE until, its not that far removed from my old T-Reg 1.2 Punto I'm guessing). this time of year, 1st and 2nd are not full throttle gears, despite traction control and good condition tyres. it seems to rear up and take weight off the front wheels before unevenly regaining some traction and darting off whichever way the road camber is going. Just like a MK1 Focus RS from the sounds of it - you simply can't use all the power as its too twitchy on road.

On paper a fiesta ST would be beaten by the lighter Abarth (6.7 to 60 for the Abarth and 6.9 for the ST) but having driven this on many country roads now i do find myself saying "oh f..(insert appropriate word)" as it twitches or dives at often moderate speeds well within the limit, so wouldn't challenge an ST.

Nevertheless, like a broken record, I'm repeating on this thread that the character of the car really plays well, despite the unsubtle and occasionally very laggy turbo, scary handling, bouncy ride and a whole host of other stuff I've mentioned previously.

The best way i can describe the car is as being an old school 80's style hot hatch. you get the character, small size and uncomrpomised attitude, but you get all the negatives its rivals have eliminated.

[1598Craig]

sawman said:

1598Craig said:

you simply can't use all the power as its too twitchy on road.

and

Nevertheless, like a broken record, I'm repeating on this thread that the character of the car really plays well, despite the unsubtle and occasionally very laggy turbo, scary handling, bouncy ride and a whole host of other stuff I've mentioned previously.

yep, defo related to the punto then...


I dont think the punto had a FIRE engine though - I think it was a carry over from the previous series. My punto had been remapped to about 150 bhp and a couple of other tweaks, but couldnt really put all its power down on anything that wasn't smooth and dry. I came to it from a Mk1 MR2 which was a lot more surefooted on suffolk backroads

you have definitely whetted my appetite, maybe I'll have a day out at the local abarth shop.....

Not 100% sure punto engine spec, but it wouldn't surprise me to find some distant connection, it certainly feels like an old engine attached to an enormous turbo, and all the better for it.

My Punto wasn't a GT version, it was literally the lowest of the low, 60 bhp from a 1.2 litre engine. No power assistance in the steering, windows, doors, no air con, and music was provided by Cassette, but did feel italian to drive at least (the handbrake wasn't on the car hence the brick, but judging by the fact it split in half having been the result of a dodgy cut and shunt, that was the least of its problems)



Word of warning about visiting an Abarth Garage though - they got me in and started the car up in the showroom. Once you've heard that, you'll buy one i promise. The sound is so disjointed from the size of car its coming from, so proceed with caution

[1598Craig]

Ahh, fuel economy...

I swear I'd get twice the mpg out of mine if I just stopped bliping the throttle or changed up earlier rather than leaving the car to rev out.

But hey, if you buy a car with 4 exhausts, might as well let them sing!

[1598Craig]

--- 2500 MILES REPORT ---

In a month of ownership, my fiesty Fiat has gone from 8 to well over 2.5K miles. Partly, thats due to my rural location, where every trip to my nearest Lidl is another 20 miles, but mainly its due to the fact its been a busy old month (as December is for most of us).

I won't mess around either - This car is right up as my favourite car I've owned. Perhaps more surprisingly, I'd say it was the Best too, not in an "italian-passion-character-makes-up-for-it" sort of way that's put on most italian car produce - each drive I'm learning this car just that little bit better and I really appreciate this one in ways I hadn't with my previous cars.

Im starting to appreciate the car much more on country roads and the like now I've learnt how in most cases to get the best from it - I had originally felt it wasn't a patch on my old 208 or any other current hot hatch for the way it couldn't flow and adapt down a challenging road. My Peugeot felt great on a nasty piece of tarmac as you could feel it absorbing the crash and bangs from the road but not getting thrown around by them. The handling felt smooth and consistent and the engine always gave good shove - it was an easy and rapid way to cover ground comfortably.

I still stand by the fact it doesn't "flow" as well as my Pug, but it goes about it in a different way. with my Abarth Its much more twitchy, nervous, unsettling but if you don't fight it (or expect the car to show itself easily) id reckon this car would be as fast if not faster than my 208. when you drive it well, and accept the "bluntness" of its composure it is a terrific thing to drive. It responds quicker to steering inputs, the engine seems to have stacks more power and at above 40mph the ride really settles down and holds the car well. Driving it today down a semi flooded night covered lane was fantastic, i nearly hit 45 in parts (speed limit was 60) but the Abarth felt buzzy and alive.

where as my 208 GTi was an easy going fast "all the time" sort of car, the 595 doesn't have that usability. you have to moderate throttle in the first gears to avoid torque steer, avoid unsettled surfaces, have good gear discipline and so on. Do that correctly and this is a fantastic car to drive, not just for a 500 derived car but as a modern hot hatch. All the branded kit fitted to this car now makes a lot more sense.

The original post in this thread was asking whether or not id feel as if i had downgraded from my 208 or missed out by not going for a fiesta ST. Now, more than ever, i think i did the right decision (If anyone has a fiesta ST etc would love to hear your take on this thread )





|http://thumbsnap.com/NLSkjuOP[/url]

In other Abarth news, while cleaning it today i got a photo* from the footwell of the seats. an often used criticism of the car is the seating position. Theres no lateral wheel movement (just height) while the seat has precious little forward/back movement and no height adjustment. Looking at the picture, theres a good bit of height that could be taken out the seat to have it mounted lower. its not any higher than most superminis, but the smaller car feel makes the perspective height seem much higher. Unlike my other cars, i have a deep down feeling this one is a keeper for ever, so maybe in a few years ill look at getting the height issue resolved - if anyone knows how or if this is possible with the sabelt seats please let me know.[url]

• for a sense of perspective, my phone has a 4.7 inch screen, so the camera was around 5 inches off the ground, shows how much room there is to (possibly) play with lowering it

[1598Craig]

Campovolo73 said:

Hey...I'm writing this message to show my appreciation for your thorough review. I'm Italian and own exactly the same car in Campovolo colour. I think you hit the nail straight on the head. This car is addictive and its flaws are enticing. I drove 2800 miles so far and I'm still learning how to handle properly, but it's actually a little beast. As you said, it has all the pepper of the hot hatches from the '80s, A tiny engine with a huge, kicking turbo attached! Just...wooow!

Thanks very much! Glad too see you chose the best colour it's fantastic that a car like ours still gets made, a city car with massive power and one that you have to learn and treat well to get the best out off it. Hope to hear off you more!

[1598Craig]

Campovolo73 said:

This is my beloved little one. As you can see, it's exactly like yours, except for the white stripes and mirrors!

Did you spec yours yourself? Mine was a cancelled order but I'm more than happy with its colour, having a really intense car in a flat colour is a nice juxtaposition -if I'd had the choice I'd have gone for the "Rally Beige" colour (and probably regretted it lol) with brown interior in a very 1970's British Leyland way