Any male Abarth 595 owners here?

[Charliesum]

ashway said:

i wouldn't count on it

My wife's m135i uses no petrol.......cos she's always using the abarth!!!!!

[Daniel1]

My mum has a 595 anniversary that I get to drive regularly and I really enjoy it. It's fast (180bhp), nimble, great brakes and is very chuck able. Downsides are that the exhaust is far too noisy - it pops and bangs all the time - and I'm too tall to get a perfect driving position so have to open the sunroof and cock my head. Very good fun car though, lots of character.

Just a stock image I'm afraid.

[crazy about cars]

Daniel1 said:

My mum has a 595 anniversary that I get to drive regularly and I really enjoy it. It's fast (180bhp), nimble, great brakes and is very chuck able. Downsides are that the exhaust is far too noisy - it pops and bangs all the time - and I'm too tall to get a perfect driving position so have to open the sunroof and cock my head. Very good fun car though, lots of character.

Just a stock image I'm afraid.

Lovely car; would really love the sunroof. My exhaust doesn't pop and bang everytime unless I rev it to the max every gearchange though... Never been on long motorway journeys but the noise level is perfectly acceptable on a normal commute.

[juddy]

Well I picked mine up on Saturday and I am still laughing. Most Sundays I go for an early drive in my mates 360 Ferrari but this Sunday we took the Abarth on the same route. The route includes Zig Zag hill close to Shaftsbury I could not go faster up there in the Ferrari we both had a blast. The Monza is a giggle pops and goes all the time.
Spent two days detailing and protecting it ready for the crap weather coming it looks great.

[Daniel1]

Its nice to see a lot of love for the Abarth reading this thread. Although far from dynamically the best in the class they have one major important factor. Fun.

[Red Firecracker]

Very seriously considering trading in my 1.4 sport for a 595 at the moment. Good to hear all the positive comments.

[crazy about cars]

It is indeed buckets of fun. I have to say I'm impressed by overall build quality (especially the interior) and the gadgets available for such a small car.

The other option was a Clio RS200 but I just can't find one within budget and spec I like.

[jacklewisno1]

Ive had my Abarth 500 for about 18 months now. Its had a few tweaks in the form of a tuning box, Koni FSD and a stainless steel exhaust with an electronically controlled valve at the back. I like the fact on a Welsh B road its a bucket of fun and yet its perfectly civilised when driving normally. The driving position isnt the best, it places you too high. And for the money you could get more performance, but as a package it offers a lot of fun, a lot of smiles per miles. Even now it still feels special when i fire it up and hear the burble from the exhaust. Probably a keeper.

[Blu3R]

I bought a 500 for my wife a couple of weeks ago. It's the standard 135bhp 500 not a 595 but for 10k from a main dealer on an 11 plate I thought it gave an immense amount of fun for the money. There are some areas that aren't perfect such as the driving position, steering feel and harsh ride but they all come together to make it a fun car to be in. I've said fun twice so far, that's the key with these things. It puts me in mind of a Fiesta RS Turbo when I drive it, very much an old turbo'd hot hatch experience with a few modern tweaks to keep it feeling 21st century.
I chopped in a Range Rover Sport for this so it was a bit of a change in driving style but it's the first vaguely normal car I've wanted to actually go out for a drive in just for the hell of it for a long time. I think with another 50bhp and slightly better brakes it would be a real belter.

[FivePotTurbo]

Had a look in an Abarth showroom a couple of weeks back. Whats the 180bhp edition that costs 30 grand? Side by side next to a 135bhp model that costs half the price!
Anyway, test drove a 160bhp version with the missus.
I thought it was a fun car although I'd have a Mini JCW over one, and a GP2 over the ludicrous 30 grand model. In the end Missus decided it was just too small.

The Abarth Punto is much less cool (but bigger and less "cute") than the 500. If I was going to buy a Fiat I'd be tempted by one of them instead, the 180bhp Supersport/Esseesse version. Not driven one yet though.

[crazy about cars]

Think the 30k+ models are "Tributo" editions i.e Ferrari edition etc. Agreed it's way too expensive for a 500! Think Fiat were trying to copy what Aston did with the Smart car.

Never test drove the JCW but did test drive the 14 plate Cooper S. It's 5k+ more than I paid for my 595 and also less equipment and just doesn't feel as special. However the handling and ride is better than the 500 though. To me it doesn't matter much as I'm only using it strictly for <10 miles/day commute in urban areas.

Edited by crazy about cars on Thursday 25th September 19:05

[Charliesum]

30k haha
Wait til you see this....
Abarth695biposto.com...
anyone got a spare £55000

Edited by Charliesum on Friday 26th September 06:25

[crazy about cars]

Charliesum said:

30k haha
Wait til you see this....
Abarth695biposto.com...
anyone got a spare £55000

Edited by Charliesum on Friday 26th September 06:25

55k and it comes with plastic windows :P

I like the idea; it's practically the rood going version of the Abarth race cars. However 55k is mental price!!!

[Charliesum]

crazy about cars said:

55k and it comes with plastic windows :P

I like the idea; it's practically the rood going version of the Abarth race cars. However 55k is mental price!!!

You can have glass windows and they're cheaper!!!

[Exoticaholic]

Fully specced, 695 Biposto is £53k.

Extras are as follows:-

Front Polycarbonate Racing windows £1775

Track kit:
Data Logger
4 point harnesses
Carbon Shell Sabelt seats
Customised Racing Helmet
£3700

Dog Ring Kit:
Racing Clutch
Ergal Gear lever
Central Tunnel cover and Handbrake in Carbon
£8500

Special 124 Kit:
Aluminium bonnet with "124"design bonnet bulge
Front aluminium floor panels
Titanium alloy wheel centre boss
Titanium alloy wheels studs
Titanium oil, water and Fuel cap
£2990

Carbon Kit
Carbon fibre dashboard
Carbon fibre door panels
Carbon fibre racing rear panel
Carbon fibre side mirror caps
Carbon fibre window trims.
£3700


Don't think I will get a Biposto because it is unlikely to come as a convertible. Who knows?

[Exoticaholic]

sawman said:

Does anyone know if you can put a tow bar on these??

Watch this space!

[Martin_M]

Have had my 595 competizione for a week now. I'm 6 foot 4 and it's not as comfortable as I had hoped. If anyone is looking for one get in touch as I could be tempted to part with it.

Martin

[ashway]

Martin_M said:

Have had my 595 competizione for a week now. I'm 6 foot 4 and it's not as comfortable as I had hoped. If anyone is looking for one get in touch as I could be tempted to part with it.

Martin

3rd time lucky, suggest you go for extended test drive or a weekend loan for the next one.


http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Daniel1]

Martin_M said:

Have had my 595 competizione for a week now. I'm 6 foot 4 and it's not as comfortable as I had hoped. If anyone is looking for one get in touch as I could be tempted to part with it.

Martin

As stated in a previous post I'm 6-foot tall (long body, short legs) and I struggle with driving position in my mums car.

Even so, I like her car so much that I'm tempted to get myself one (albeit a less expensive non special edition) in the new year. If my enthusiasm endures over the winter months I'm going to look far more closely at the possibility of getting a seat lowering modification done - much akin to the lowered seat rails common to the Honda S2000 community. Luckily for me the Corbeau Seat factory is just down the road from me so may I suggest you think about doing what I was thinking of doing? Namely take it somewhere that has the technical expertise to possibly create a lowered seat mount?

I reckon with some modifications the seat could be lowered at least 4-6 inches from standard.

You never know - if you're successful you may even be able to patent it and sell your new modified seat rails to the taller abarth drivers world wide!

If you do, I expect a cheque in the post



In the meantime just try and enjoy your abarth, even if your head is cocked to one side and sticking out of the top of the sun roof

[Martin_M]

Thread resurrection but I've really fallen in love with my 595 now. I can drive it to the max on the right roads whilst not burning a hole in my pocket at the same time. I'm looking forward to taking the forthcoming 180bhp model out for a test drive when they arrive in dealers.