2015 Fiat Abarth 595: Pricing and specifications
Fiat may have upped the price of its 500 city car, but the racy 2015 Fiat Abarth 595 spinoffs are now cheaper than ever, with a starting price of $33,500 plus on-road costs.
Now called the 595 Turismo and 595 Competizione, the new hot-shoe Italians replace the Esseesse models that were priced from $34,990 plus on-roads, meaning the new price of entry is $1490 cheaper than before.
The entry level $33,500 Turismo model is available only as a hatch, while the better-equipped Competizione comes as a hard-top ($36,500) and convertible ($39,000, compared to $38,990 for the old Esse Esse soft-top).
Despite the price cut at base level, the Abarth still costs more than key rivals the Ford Fiesta ST ($25,990), Peugeot 208 GTI ($29,990) and Renault Clio RS200 ($29,290).
Once again, power comes from a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine pushing out 118kW at 5500rpm and up to 230Nm of torque at 3000rpm, enough to hustle its from 0-100km/h in 7.4 seconds with the five-speed manual of 7.6s with the optional ($2000) five-speed Dualogic automatic.
Fuel use, though, is just 5.4L/100km for the manual and 5.3L/100km for the Dualogic, or so Fiat claims.
Underneath are components such as Koni front suspension (MacPherson struts, though the rear remains a torsion-beam albeit one joined by an anti-roll bar), revised automatically-adjustable dampers that help the car ride firmer and lower and a Sport mode to sharpen the throttle and load up the steering.
There are also 10-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels with 205/40 R17 hoops and cross-drilled ventilate brakes measuring 284mm/240mm.
The regular 500’s new 7.0-inch TFT instrument cluster has been added replete with a “race-spec” computer with a G-force meter and digital boost gauge. Abarth leather seats are standard on the base Turismo.
Over and above the Turismo, the $3000 pricier Competizione gets extras such as sports bucket seats (albeit ones swathed in fabric), five-spoke 17-inch wheels finished in the colour of anthracite and a dual-mode Record Monza exhaust that opens up at 4000rpm to add extra decibels.
2015 Abarth 595 Key Features: Model by Model
Abarth 595 Turismo
- 118kW/230Nm 1.4 turbo engine
- Five-speed manual gearbox ($2000 Dualogic optional)
- Leather seats/floor mats (latter with aluminium bits)
- 10-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels
- Blue&Me Bluetooth and USB system
- Koni suspension with auto adjusting dampers
- Perforated and ventilated front discs
- 7.0-inch TFT screen
- Electrochromatic rear-view mirror
Abarth 595 Competizione hardtop and convertible (over and above the Turismo)
- Automatic air-conditioning (not manual)
- Dark-finish five-spoke 17-inch alloys
- Carbon-fibre kickplate and aluminium pedals
- Sabelt racing seats in Titanium Grey
- Dual-mode Monza exhaust system
- Matt titanium grey stripes
Pricing (plus on-road costs):
Abarth Turismo hatch $33,500
Abarth Competizione hatch $36,500
Abarth Competizione convertible $39,000
(Dualogic auto adds an extra $2000)
Click the Photos tab above for more images of the updated 2015 Fiat Abarth 595 range.