RE: Abarth expands with 595 Turismo and Competizione
Thursday 2nd August 2012
Standard...Fiat has revised its 500 Abarth range, bringing in two new models to sit above the current car - the 595 Turismo and the 595 Competizione - as part of the 500 range's expansion and to challenge Mini's faster models.
...Turismo...Both the new '595' cars will be available with the 160hp version of the Abarth's 1.4-litre turbocharged engine as standard, while the 'normal' 500 Abarth continues with the 135hp version of the engine (140hp with the MTA semi-auto).
...and CompetizioneMove up to the Competizione spec and for £18,725 you get upgraded suspension again, cross-drilled front and rear brake discs, Sabelt fabric sports seats and a tweaked exhaust.
Abarth expands with 595 Turismo and Competizione
More kit and performance bits available as Fiat pushes its sporty Abarth 500 range upwards
Standard...
...Turismo...
The 160hp Esseesse upgrade for the 500 continues as a dealer-fit option.
While the standard 500 costs from £13,975, the 595 Turismo pack costs £17,725 and includes (among other things) upgraded dampers, climate control, leather, 17-inch alloys (as opposed to the 500's 16s).
...and Competizione
All the iterations of the new Abarth 500 are available either as a hatchback or 500C convertible and are on sale at Fiat's 24 Abarth dealers
Discussion
Are the Abarth versions any better than the standard 500s to drive? I tried a 1.2 and a diesel at launch and was completely unimpressed with both. Nothing wrong with either, just nothing interesting either. Drove like a typical boring 21st century euro-bland hatch. IMO a Mini was MILES better to drive.
ZesPak said:
Greg 172 said:
Who the hell signed off that Turismo paint job?
What just going to say that I think it looks ace 
I reckon it looks like the guy doing the photoshop colourways for a brochure got bored and just decided to do a mix and match. Having said that I didn't mind one of the other 2-tone schemes they did - was it white and grey or something like that?
Nice upgrades, I might be wrong with the maths but I think both these models stack up well price wise when you consider what you had to do before was have a standard car and add the Essesse kit and optional sabelt seats. Actually you might want to check the maths with the standard price lists because it does seem close.
I'm a huge fan of these Abarths, was very excited about their release, was planning to order and had an early test drive. Then I drove one, standard car is fine but I wanted the 160bhp and for that you also had to have the damper 'upgrades' in the Essesse kit which made the car unsuable on a rutted British B-road IMHO. The thing bounced all over the shop. Shame, because everything else about the car was thoroughly respectable.
I can see why anyone would buy one of the new Abarths and these special ed's with good kit are a nice option. Still want one, but that rides got to be sorted.
I'm a huge fan of these Abarths, was very excited about their release, was planning to order and had an early test drive. Then I drove one, standard car is fine but I wanted the 160bhp and for that you also had to have the damper 'upgrades' in the Essesse kit which made the car unsuable on a rutted British B-road IMHO. The thing bounced all over the shop. Shame, because everything else about the car was thoroughly respectable.
I can see why anyone would buy one of the new Abarths and these special ed's with good kit are a nice option. Still want one, but that rides got to be sorted.
AndyWoodall said:
Nice upgrades, I might be wrong with the maths but I think both these models stack up well price wise when you consider what you had to do before was have a standard car and add the Essesse kit and optional sabelt seats. Actually you might want to check the maths with the standard price lists because it does seem close.
I'm a huge fan of these Abarths, was very excited about their release back in 2009, was planning to order and had an early test drive. Then I drove one, standard car is fine but I wanted the 160bhp and for that you also had to have the damper 'upgrades' in the Essesse kit which made the car unsuable on a rutted British B-road IMHO. The thing bounced all over the shop. Shame, because everything else about the car was thoroughly respectable.
I can see why anyone would buy one of the new Abarths and these special ed's with good kit are a nice option. Still want one, but that rides got to be sorted.
I'm a huge fan of these Abarths, was very excited about their release back in 2009, was planning to order and had an early test drive. Then I drove one, standard car is fine but I wanted the 160bhp and for that you also had to have the damper 'upgrades' in the Essesse kit which made the car unsuable on a rutted British B-road IMHO. The thing bounced all over the shop. Shame, because everything else about the car was thoroughly respectable.
I can see why anyone would buy one of the new Abarths and these special ed's with good kit are a nice option. Still want one, but that rides got to be sorted.
AndyWoodall said:
Nice upgrades, I might be wrong with the maths but I think both these models stack up well price wise when you consider what you had to do before was have a standard car and add the Essesse kit and optional sabelt seats. Actually you might want to check the maths with the standard price lists because it does seem close.
I'm a huge fan of these Abarths, was very excited about their release, was planning to order and had an early test drive. Then I drove one, standard car is fine but I wanted the 160bhp and for that you also had to have the damper 'upgrades' in the Essesse kit which made the car unsuable on a rutted British B-road IMHO. The thing bounced all over the shop. Shame, because everything else about the car was thoroughly respectable.
I can see why anyone would buy one of the new Abarths and these special ed's with good kit are a nice option. Still want one, but that rides got to be sorted.
Have they done anything different to the springs & dampers on the new competitzione version or are they the same as the essesse ones?I'm a huge fan of these Abarths, was very excited about their release, was planning to order and had an early test drive. Then I drove one, standard car is fine but I wanted the 160bhp and for that you also had to have the damper 'upgrades' in the Essesse kit which made the car unsuable on a rutted British B-road IMHO. The thing bounced all over the shop. Shame, because everything else about the car was thoroughly respectable.
I can see why anyone would buy one of the new Abarths and these special ed's with good kit are a nice option. Still want one, but that rides got to be sorted.
I drove a standard one, which was brisk and fun. I like the fact they are a bit different to other cars in that segment. Love the Sabelt seats, too.
I'd love to know why Ford hasn't tweaked the Ka with these engines as yet. I've driven the 500 and Ka in 1.2 trim and the Ka was a much more controlled affair, there was none of the harshness from the suspension that I experienced in the 500.
Dear Henry, please bring out a Ka RS. You know you want to.
Dear Henry, please bring out a Ka RS. You know you want to.
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