Abarth 595 Competizione as a daily?

[Squadrone Rosso]

Mine gets c32mpg on a 16 mile round trip (home - work - home). I don’t drive it for economy & it’s always in Sport mode

[V6todayEVmanana]

Good to read people are racking up the miles and using these cars as daily drivers.

Ignoring the exhaust sound is the car quite noisy at motorway speeds? Or well insulated.

Wondered if it leans towards light weight at the cost of sound deadening.

[Bungleaio]

It's not refined at all on the motorway. I've had to slow down a few times in order to have a phone conversation but after years of classic minis it's fine for me.

I've also had a few people ask what I'm driving when I've made an enthusiastic start from the lights whilst talking

[DELTAHPE]

I'm averaging about 34 mpg in everyday use, I don't find it too noisy at speed but then again I have the audio on loud most of the time so don't hear most background noise.

[DELTAHPE]

V6todayEVmanana said:

Good to read people are racking up the miles and using these cars as daily drivers.

Ignoring the exhaust sound is the car quite noisy at motorway speeds? Or well insulated.

Wondered if it leans towards light weight at the cost of sound deadening.

Really it's not very light for its size, donkeys years ago I had a Suzuki Swift GTi now that was light! ... And much fun too.

[BMWBen]

V6todayEVmanana said:

Good to read people are racking up the miles and using these cars as daily drivers.

Ignoring the exhaust sound is the car quite noisy at motorway speeds? Or well insulated.

Wondered if it leans towards light weight at the cost of sound deadening.

Noisy, bumpy, uncomfortable. And still great fun.

[geeks]

Bungleaio said:

It's not refined at all on the motorway. I've had to slow down a few times in order to have a phone conversation but after years of classic minis it's fine for me.

I've also had a few people ask what I'm driving when I've made an enthusiastic start from the lights whilst talking

Different when you have a proper roof I actually find it pretty well refined on the motorway and I stepped out of an Audi A4 (a car only really at home at 100 on a motorway) into this. Is it the last word in comfort? No. Is it good enough? Yeah I reckon.

Yestreday I did some 500 miles from MK to Sunderland and Back. Forgot to reset the OBC before setting off so only logged the return leg which was shorter as the outbound included a diversion when they shut the M1 yesterday morning.

Route back was A19/A1/M1/A508 I didn't hang about as I wanted to try and beat rush hour but still achieved a respectable economy all things considered...

[rob.kellock]

djgritt said:

Really like these - we were considering Comp or Rivale when we were looking recently, and it all stemmed down to the numbers for us.

Wife still would have one of these any day though!

Thanks. My wife is completely smitten with it! Some of the details on it are lovely.

[ClareD]

Hi guys,

First post here after lurking for years and finally registering yesterday!

I had a 160 Comp a few years ago that I sold as I needed a bigger car due to the arrival of child No2. I’m now desperate for another Comp (despite it still being completely impractical!) but I hear that factory orders are not being taken at the moment. Does anyone have any idea as to when or if they will be taking orders again? My local dealer has some coming into stock in the right colour, but I really want the performance pack and xenons as well, which the stock cars don’t have.

Many thanks

[ecsrobin]

ClareD said:

Hi guys,

First post here after lurking for years and finally registering yesterday!

I had a 160 Comp a few years ago that I sold as I needed a bigger car due to the arrival of child No2. I’m now desperate for another Comp (despite it still being completely impractical!) but I hear that factory orders are not being taken at the moment. Does anyone have any idea as to when or if they will be taking orders again? My local dealer has some coming into stock in the right colour, but I really want the performance pack and xenons as well, which the stock cars don’t have.

Many thanks

Hi Clare I think I saw your post on the owners club. Your dealer will best know when production will start again.

[ClareD]

ecsrobin said:

Hi Clare I think I saw your post on the owners club. Your dealer will best know when production will start again.

Thanks Robin. Yeah, I did post on there.

He's currently trying to flog me one of the stock ones, but I've told him I don't think he could do a good enough deal to tempt me enough with the lack of options they have. I have asked him to keep me informed of any news though when they hear of orders being taken again.

I guess I just have a fear of missing out, as I really want an Adrenaline Green one, and am worried I won't be able to get one if I wait.

[geeks]

There is one Adrenaline Green Comp on AT with Xenons and 7" Nav but no PP. I think they [u]might[/u] have stopped the PP now, according to the dealer when I ordered mine they were looking to take it off the options list but they might have now changed there minds on this. Myself and Bungle had issues when ordering ours in terms of the factory shut down and facelift on the S4 but it was worth the wait in the end.

[ClareD]

geeks said:

There is one Adrenaline Green Comp on AT with Xenons and 7" Nav but no PP. I think they [u]might[/u] have stopped the PP now, according to the dealer when I ordered mine they were looking to take it off the options list but they might have now changed there minds on this. Myself and Bungle had issues when ordering ours in terms of the factory shut down and facelift on the S4 but it was worth the wait in the end.

Agghh, this is what I was worried about. Although if production is definitely going to start back up again soon (I am presuming it's because of the new emissions rules?), I'll probably just wait and get the exact spec I want, just without the diff.

How do you find the diff? I'm driving a Fiesta ST at the moment and comparing to my previous Comp, I am thinking I would need to get the diff for it to live up to the ST handling wise. If it's not available, then so be it; I know how much fun these little cars are and miss my old one something rotten.

[geeks]

ClareD said:

geeks said:

There is one Adrenaline Green Comp on AT with Xenons and 7" Nav but no PP. I think they [u]might[/u] have stopped the PP now, according to the dealer when I ordered mine they were looking to take it off the options list but they might have now changed there minds on this. Myself and Bungle had issues when ordering ours in terms of the factory shut down and facelift on the S4 but it was worth the wait in the end.

Agghh, this is what I was worried about. Although if production is definitely going to start back up again soon (I am presuming it's because of the new emissions rules?), I'll probably just wait and get the exact spec I want, just without the diff.

How do you find the diff? I'm driving a Fiesta ST at the moment and comparing to my previous Comp, I am thinking I would need to get the diff for it to live up to the ST handling wise. If it's not available, then so be it; I know how much fun these little cars are and miss my old one something rotten.

They have already done the emissions change stuff (it's what caused the delay for us earlier in the thread), not sure what the current delay is but the Dealer should know.

Diff is good and does change the dynamics a bit also steering feedback is better with it from the two I have driven.

That said, its no Fiesta ST pace wise. My comparison has always been around Milton Keynes then you would happily play with an ST all day long with no outright winner, however show both a bumpy set of twisties and I don't think you would see which way the Fiesta went, BUT you would be having far more fun in the 595 than you would in the Fiesta, its like the M140 vs the Golf R, the BMW cant match the VW for ultimate pace cross country but given a choice between the two I would take the M140 every time!

[pidsy]

There are some crackers up on AT just under list. Lots don’t come with the proper Nav though which is my sticking point.

[Jester86]

The larger screen is a must.

My 2 years finance was nearly up and went and had a mosy around the stock at my local dealer. It would have to be a comp with PP again. There was nothing in stock that tickled my fancy with factory shut down till around March/April I was told.

Minimum spec for me would be (As this is what I already have): Comp , Performance Pack, 7" Infotainment, Auto Dimming Rear View and Xenons.

The mid S4 facelift didn't introduce anything extra really that makes me desperately want to change along with removing a few options which were standard in 2016/2017.

[ClareD]

Jester86 said:

... with factory shut down till around March/April I was told.

I went on chat with Abarth UK this afternoon and the lady said that the factory should be open by the end of the month. We shall see.

Jester86 said:

Minimum spec for me would be (As this is what I already have): Comp , Performance Pack, 7" Infotainment, Auto Dimming Rear View and Xenons.

The mid S4 facelift didn't introduce anything extra really that makes me desperately want to change along with removing a few options which were standard in 2016/2017.

This is the spec I'm looking for. But add the Adrenaline Green on to that. Like you say though, my old Comp had the mirror and xenons as standard back in 2014! The only thing is now they come with the Brembo's which they introduced just after I got mine, along with the Garret turbo, annoyingly.

[ClareD]

geeks said:

They have already done the emissions change stuff (it's what caused the delay for us earlier in the thread), not sure what the current delay is but the Dealer should know.

Diff is good and does change the dynamics a bit also steering feedback is better with it from the two I have driven.

That said, its no Fiesta ST pace wise. My comparison has always been around Milton Keynes then you would happily play with an ST all day long with no outright winner, however show both a bumpy set of twisties and I don't think you would see which way the Fiesta went, BUT you would be having far more fun in the 595 than you would in the Fiesta, its like the M140 vs the Golf R, the BMW cant match the VW for ultimate pace cross country but given a choice between the two I would take the M140 every time!

Would be interesting to know why they have stopped production at the moment then.

That's good to know about the diff; so definitely worth holding out for, especially with your comments against the ST. I know full well the ST is the better performance car, but the Abarth just gets under your skin. Something about these little cars that just make you permanently grin. As you say, its just so much more fun. I just get in and drive the ST, whereas the Abarth is a little smile making machine.

[ecsrobin]

geeks said:

They have already done the emissions change stuff (it's what caused the delay for us earlier in the thread), not sure what the current delay is but the Dealer should know.

Diff is good and does change the dynamics a bit also steering feedback is better with it from the two I have driven.

That said, its no Fiesta ST pace wise. My comparison has always been around Milton Keynes then you would happily play with an ST all day long with no outright winner, however show both a bumpy set of twisties and I don't think you would see which way the Fiesta went, BUT you would be having far more fun in the 595 than you would in the Fiesta, its like the M140 vs the Golf R, the BMW cant match the VW for ultimate pace cross country but given a choice between the two I would take the M140 every time!

See I would disagree with an ST disappearing. The only time I push on is on bumpy twisty roads and generally with more performance orientated cars than the ST (think supercharged golf, amg A45, R8, Clio sport and so on) obviously I’m never going to beat anything like that but I can stick to them pretty well and with the LSD I make it up in the bends.

Heres a comment from another thread which amused me:

doorman said:

ecsrobin said:

RedAMG45 said:

My car is bit quicker now
Just been to DMS now running 435 BHP and a increase of 60 lbs of Torque
it is fantastic

I’m going to have to map mine now just to keep within 5miles if you!

I don't think you'll have any problem Rob with that pocket rocket

[Ransoman]

ClareD said:

geeks said:

They have already done the emissions change stuff (it's what caused the delay for us earlier in the thread), not sure what the current delay is but the Dealer should know.

Diff is good and does change the dynamics a bit also steering feedback is better with it from the two I have driven.

That said, its no Fiesta ST pace wise. My comparison has always been around Milton Keynes then you would happily play with an ST all day long with no outright winner, however show both a bumpy set of twisties and I don't think you would see which way the Fiesta went, BUT you would be having far more fun in the 595 than you would in the Fiesta, its like the M140 vs the Golf R, the BMW cant match the VW for ultimate pace cross country but given a choice between the two I would take the M140 every time!

Would be interesting to know why they have stopped production at the moment then.

That's good to know about the diff; so definitely worth holding out for, especially with your comments against the ST. I know full well the ST is the better performance car, but the Abarth just gets under your skin. Something about these little cars that just make you permanently grin. As you say, its just so much more fun. I just get in and drive the ST, whereas the Abarth is a little smile making machine.

It really frustrates me that everyone compares the Abarth 595 to the fiesta ST when they are in 2 different size sectors. The Fiat 500 is a competitor to the KA, not the fiesta. An appropriate comparison for the Fiesta would be the Punto Abarth (I am aware they are out of production).

it's like comparing the Fiesta ST to the Golf GTi instead of the polo GTI or the Focus RS to the Audi RS5 instead of the RS3.

Italian cars always seem to be wrongly compared to something a size class higher.

I can't think of any direct rivals to the Abarth 595. The UP GTI, renaultsport twingos etc have much less power, it is in a class of its own.