2017 Abarth 595 Competizione

Every now and then, a car comes along that makes you question a manufacturers sanity. Have they been hitting the bottle? Were they dropped on their head as a child? Or are they just having a laugh? In the case of Abarth, we happen to think that this is just a manufacturer who enjoys making the kind of cars they want, rather than letting the public dictate what their next offering should be. As a result, the Abarth 595 Competizione is a bonkers, enthusiast offering that seems to be without a traditional purpose and no direct competitors for that matter.

By shoehorning in a 1.4-litre turbo T-Jet engine under the hood of what most would deem a Fiat 500, they have given the diminutive city hatch a whole lot of bite. There's a bark to match because the 595 Competizione is not the sort of car that your neighbours will appreciate. With it's quad-exit Monza exhaust system, this little firecracker makes sure that you hear it coming. Abarth specific bumpers, decals and wheels ensure that you don't forget that you saw it either. The yellow paint of our test model further cementing that fact.

The interior of the 595 is quintessential Abarth with reduced comfort and practicality. The front seats are carbon-fibre backed Sabelt pieces that , while body hugging and sporty, offer little in the way of comfort. The race-inspired suede trimmings are a wonderful touch though.

We certainly don't hate the Abarth 595, we fell in love with it. But we'd only be buying one if it was as a second car for the weekends.

[Champsterz]

I have this car. It's my favorite car right now. The seats are really stiff and the least comfortable, but its also the most fun. Got the Sabelt seats which is probably stiffer than the one in the video.

[peterowbottom]

I use mine as a daily, and it absolutely rocks.

[falln]

As soon as you start this car in the morning... Aaaah its amazing!!! Next video is gonna be an BMW!

[gunston]

You can’t use the term shoe horned when it’s only a 1.4 and designed to accommodate it.

[alexisamtosta]

Funny cuz these seats are the same that are used in Ferraris, etc. So if it was a Ferrari, the seat would be more confortable? Lol. Drive and Audi a5 and tell me if you can ajust the seat easily and with door shut. All issues with Fiat, Abarth etc are all inside peoples head. Just cuz its italian... People find defects all over the car.

[Talafarhat]

What is the name of the exhaust installed ?