Abarth 500, 595 Turismo & Competizione Arrive In UK

If you were thinking that a choice of just two Abarth 500 models isn’t enough then you should be pleasantly surprised to hear that the Italian marque are adding two completely new trim levels to the UK lineup. Not only that, the standard 500 gets a but of a revamp.

Abarth 500 drops in price for 2012

It might not look much different on the outside but the entry-level Abarth 500 gets a new wheel design and an additional paint colour. On the inside things are improved as the 500 gets more standard equipment but more importantly it’s cheaper than it was before, coming in at just under £14k.

Performance remains the same, with a 135bhp turbocharged 1.4-litre squeezed under the 500’s compact bonnet. If the standard 500 isn’t fast enough you can still ask for the dealer-fitted Esseesse upgrade kit to boost power to 160bhp and 230Nm of torque. It also adds perforated front and rear disc brakes, a special air filter powered by BMC, four tyre pressure sensors, grippier tyres and 17-inch alloy wheels in either white or titanium.

Abarth 595 Turismo

Lining up alongside the 500 are the new 595 Turismo and 595 Competizione. Both share the same 160bhp version of the 1.4-litre T-Jet as the esseesse-equipped 500, but take the baby hot hatch format in different directions. The 595 Turismo is the more luxurious of the pair, with leather upholstery and distinctive two-tone paint. The 595 Competizione has more of a street-racer feel, with cross-drilled brake discs, hip-hugging Sabelt seats and upgraded exhaust.

All three models are available as either a hard top 500 or soft-top 500C, and each can be specified with a manual gearbox or Abarth’s semi-automatic MTA (Manual Transmission Automated) transmission.

Abarth 595 Competizione