Fiat finally calls time on Abarth 595
Old 500 retired too as Fiat gears up for new 500 Ibrida
What excitement there was around the Fiat 500 at launch in 2007. A super stylish remake of an iconic small car, it was a smash hit from the word go. Same story for the Abarth that followed a year later: lower, louder and just a little bit lairy, the turbocharged 500 was a real hoot. After half a dozen years, the Mini wasn’t the only retro-themed, endlessly customisable city car option out there.
And now, 17 years after that introduction, the Fiat 500 has finally been withdrawn from sale. There will be enough stock to see through any lingering demand that exists for the rest of the year, but no more orders. The only models left on sale were the 500 Hybrid, plus the Abarth 595 and 695. The long-running Fiat will be replaced next year by the new 500 Ibrida (which takes the 500e and equips it with the current hybrid powertrain), with Abarth’s future, for now at least, set to be electric. The 500e is built at Mirafiori, as the Ibrida will be.
So the least we could do, given such momentous news, was see what a buyer keen on a 500 or a 595 (or whatever else the Abarths have been called over the years) might be able to get in 2024. Certainly they won’t want for choice. Search ‘Abarth 595’ in the classifieds and there are more than 200 results; the standard 500s total almost two thousand. Indeed it’s quite hard to imagine what Fiat would have done without the 500 since 2007. The earliest cars are now down at Shed money (some look better than others), although a few have survived nicely: this smart 2008 example has covered just 55,000 with a pair of owners. A cheap private plate and nobody would know it’s almost as old as an iPhone. There are deals around on new ones, too; Fiat’s website says a new mild-hybrid is from £16,800, but this 24-plated car is almost £3,000 less than that.
The Abarth is what PH has always been most interested in, of course. No Sunday Service would be complete without something 500-shaped angrily parping along like a shrunken speedboat. Those willing to accept a few miles can get a 140hp Abarth for a little more than £3k (with a clutch 5,000 miles ago), which feels like quite a lot of fun for the money. Up the budget to £5k and there are some really nice ones around, including low mileage examples in the trademark Abarth colour scheme and those loaded to the gunwales with pano roofs and stereo upgrades. 500C Convertibles are from about £6k, for those after some open-top entertainment.
That’s just the start, however; the Abarth 500/595/695 became (in)famous over the years for ever more powerful, ever more expensive, ever more numerous special editions. The Biposto Rosso Officina was the ultimate, with just 99 made and originally used as Ferrari courtesy cars before the decision was made to sell them. This one is number 11, one of very few right-hand drive cars, and costs… £50k. The mechanically identical (and almost as rare) two-seat 695 Biposto will still cost more than £30,000. Highly prized little cars.
Nevertheless, there’ll be almost as much fun to be had in ordinary 695s and 595s. This 70th Anniversary Competizione looks great in Adrenaline Green with the carbon-backed seats and sat on Eibach springs; it’s for sale at £17k. There are Rivales, Yamaha Editions, F595 Pistas, even one of the EsseEsse 500s used in the Silverstone Celebrity Challenge. Suffice it to say those who want any stripe of 500 are spoilt for choice. Fiat will do well to achieve the same level of popularity the second time around.
Brilliant car when launched but rather than try to build on its success, Fiat just milked it by launching some duff model extensions ( 500L ! ), poorly developed models ( 124, Tipo etc ) and endless "specials" which just left the company nowhere so that it was eventually taken over by Stellantis.
Might as well rename it to the 500 company, as expect that's all they'll be making going forward ( and maybe the odd Panda ).
Hopeless management. Very sad....
I found the basic 500 to be a shoddy, very cheap, very flimsy, very unpleasant to drive thing with weird floppy controls that feel like you're driving a knackered old Outrun cabinet. The first one I drove I assumed was broken, despite being very new, but every one I drove also felt like it was knackered and broken no matter how old or new it was; they all feel like they've done 180,000 miles before leaving the factory.
I found the Abarth models to be the same but with a stupid unpleasant flatulent sound accompanying me everywhere and the already crap ride pushed to the point of absurdity. I love driving little cars and the silly way they feel as you throw them about but the chassis on the 500 was just crap, fine for a comedy £1,500 shed but people were paying a lot of money for what seemed a very poor car to me and I can't see why anyone bought them over some sort of Mini, with it vastly more sophisticated engineering,
It's not just reviewers (easily ignored as always) who like the Abarth models though the owners seem to utterly adore them so I concede that I must be missing something.
ETA - only car model where I've actually had a door handle come off in my hand, despite owning Leyland cars. Twice.
I found the basic 500 to be a shoddy, very cheap, very flimsy, very unpleasant to drive thing with weird floppy controls that feel like you're driving a knackered old Outrun cabinet. The first one I drove I assumed was broken, despite being very new, but every one I drove also felt like it was knackered and broken no matter how old or new it was; they all feel like they've done 180,000 miles before leaving the factory.
I found the Abarth models to be the same but with a stupid unpleasant flatulent sound accompanying me everywhere and the already crap ride pushed to the point of absurdity. I love driving little cars and the silly way they feel as you throw them about but the chassis on the 500 was just crap, fine for a comedy £1,500 shed but people were paying a lot of money for what seemed a very poor car to me and I can't see why anyone bought them over some sort of Mini, with it vastly more sophisticated engineering,
It's not just reviewers (easily ignored as always) who like the Abarth models though the owners seem to utterly adore them so I concede that I must be missing something.
ETA - only car model where I've actually had a door handle come off in my hand, despite owning Leyland cars. Twice.
Last year I'd narrowed down my choice of next car to a 595 or an MX-5 RF.
I found a local garage with a low mileage 595 EsseEsse in it, black with white Abarth livery and matchig white wheels, it looked great and being an EsseEsse had the upgraded shocks, brakes and exhaust, bettered only by a 695 Biposto. Money in the bank ready to spend, just the formality of a test drive for confirmation bias as much as anything else.
I couldn't have been more disappointed. I was already prepared for the upright "Italian" driving position having previously owned several Integrales. I was ready for the lag of a small engine with a turbo, ready for torque steer out of corners at full boost. All would just add to the cheeky nature of the car.
In reality it really wasn't a fun car to drive. Carbon seats aside, it was clearly a very cheaply manufactured car. Fewer than 10k miles and it already felt and sounded loose with numerous rattles in the cabin. Other than the looks, the only thing I liked about it was the sound (for a 4 pot).
I contrast, the MX-5 was the polar opposite. Bland sounding when under 4000rpm but the feel, responsiveness, roadholding, driving position, balance and over all build quality was head and shoulders above the EsseEsse.
I absolutely love them, so much so I bought a new one in 2010 and then again in 2016 when the 180hp cars came out.
Although the chassis was already aging by the mid 2010’s and its compromises were becoming harder to justify I am a bit saddened by this.
Most new ‘interesting’ cars these days are very expensive. Does anyone make a hot hatch that’s ‘affordable’? When the Abarth 500 came out it was of a similar vein to say the Saxo or 106 GTI, they were genuinely attainable, cheap to run and fun. I don’t think anything like that exists anymore?
Fiat can’t keep Abarth an EV brand only surely? The EV variant has been a disaster for them from what I can tell from a sales perspective. Surely they can give us a ICE Abarth on the new platform? Please Fiat…
Not particularly rattly. The ride is bouncy like an old Mini. Some bits fell off but easy to fix.
I like it a lot.
I found the basic 500 to be a shoddy, very cheap, very flimsy, very unpleasant to drive thing with weird floppy controls that feel like you're driving a knackered old Outrun cabinet. The first one I drove I assumed was broken, despite being very new, but every one I drove also felt like it was knackered and broken no matter how old or new it was; they all feel like they've done 180,000 miles before leaving the factory.
I found the Abarth models to be the same but with a stupid unpleasant flatulent sound accompanying me everywhere and the already crap ride pushed to the point of absurdity. I love driving little cars and the silly way they feel as you throw them about but the chassis on the 500 was just crap, fine for a comedy £1,500 shed but people were paying a lot of money for what seemed a very poor car to me and I can't see why anyone bought them over some sort of Mini, with it vastly more sophisticated engineering,
It's not just reviewers (easily ignored as always) who like the Abarth models though the owners seem to utterly adore them so I concede that I must be missing something.
ETA - only car model where I've actually had a door handle come off in my hand, despite owning Leyland cars. Twice.
I like the way the Abarth 595 looks, I like the way it sounds and goes etc. But yeah the ride on anything but glass smooth roads is appalling. You need to doing some serious speed on bad roads so that you "skip" over the bumps rather than swan dive into them. And when I had mine, I found 20-30 minutes was all I could really bear sat behind the wheel. It was that uncomfortable. The steering wheel has no reach adjustment, only rake. And even the rake adjustment feels like you can only choose between "van" style angles. You could set the seat to give a comfortable arm reach but have your legs folded up round your neck, or you could set the seat for more comfortable leg position and have to round your shoulders heavily to reach the wheel. I guess if you had the legs of a chimp, you'd be fine.
Having said all that. I am itching to get a fun "weekend" car for me and my little girl to enjoy (now she's getting big enough to sit in the front) and one of these is on the list. Even though I know the severely uncomfortable pitfalls first hand. I still look at them. There is a lovely 695 CC Rivale for sale near me. Automatic as well which might ease the legs somewhat. For some reason its sorely tempting.
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