Introduction

A turbocharged petrol engine, paddle shifts, performance genes and a car built by the Italians - What more could I ask for my first outing on the Buddh International Circuit – India’s first and only Formula One spec race-track. I went out there, testing the Fiat Abarth 595 Competizione – the latest offering from the Fiat-Chrysler conglomerate – to find out if it manages to tingle the taste buds of the rich performance enthusiasts of the country.

Looks

The Abarth 595 carries the legacy of the Fiat 500 – with its signature twin headlamps and rounded lines but with loads of sporty style and aggression. The iconic Abarth scorpion badge dominates the snout-like nose that gets a thin slat for the radiator grille.

The wide matte black honeycomb grille wrapped around the air dam gives the car the aggression that the scorpion demands. The beefy 17” diamond cut alloys with the 205 section tyres give the 595 a beasty squatted stance. The car has the Abarth decal pasted across the sides along with the scorpion emblem and the 595 badge beside the door handle. The black door mounted wing mirrors are big and provide a good view. The ‘Competizione’ badge on the sloping tailgate reminds you that the car means business. Take a closer look and you may find uneven panel gaps, but then, the way this car looks, no one is ever going to find it out. Fiat takes absolutely no efforts to make the two-door hatch look big, because when you talk about performance, smaller means lighter and better.

Interior

You are welcomed by the all black interior of the Abarth. The black fabric Sabelt racing seats with 595 inscribed in red are exquisite and the side bolsters provide good support when you throw the car around corners. The seats though are manually adjustable for reach but there is no height adjustment even for the driver. The rear seats with the round headrests would look attractive to your 10-year-old and can be accessed by folding the front seats. It is a small car to be expecting good cabin space and if you are a big person, you would rather treat the rear seats as luggage space. The boot space is ample for the size of the car and ‘Competizione’ embroidered on the parcel tray is a nice touch.

The dashboard houses a circular TFT instrument console that carries forward the round looks of the car and is dated. It houses a digital speedometer, an analog tachometer and a trip log that reads out all the necessary bits of information that you may need when you are not racing. The console gets a tinge of red in Sport mode and tells you exactly how much more throttle you need to open to go all guns blazing. The turbo boost gauge stands out on the dash but couldn’t be read in the harsh Delhi sun. It has got Xenon projector headlamps, power windows and a 2-Din entertainment system with steering mounted audio controls and plays music via USB or Bluetooth. The leather wrapped three-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel is big and well sculpted for grip. The fit and finish of the car is nice but the plastic quality could have been better, especially the glossy finished parts on the dash.

Performance & Handling

An engine that sports a red head and comes stamped with Abarth means business. Your ears are in for a treat as you step on the gas in the Sport mode thanks to the throaty exhaust note. The turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol engine develops a whopping 160bhp power output at 5500rpm and 230Nm of torque from 2750rpm to 3000rpm. The power delivery from the engine is linear and you do not feel the typical turbo surge and makes you want more power. The five-speed AMT powers the front wheels and is sluggish. For a performance-focussed car, especially an Abarth, you expect to get out of the blocks in a jiffy, shifting through gears in no time. The AMT responds slightly better when you cut the throttle just before shifting but by the time you are on power in the next gear, you would feel you have already lost a second at least. We would certainly have preferred a manual option that is offered globally for the outright performance enthusiasts.

The handling, though, is befitting the Abarth badge. With little overhangs over the small 2,300mm wheelbase and 1,409mm front track width (7mm wider than the rear), the 595 is eager to change direction. The Copaf front suspension and Koni in the rear have Frequency Selective Damping (FSD) technology that allows differential damping to improve the ride on regular roads while not compromising on track performance. We tested this one only on the track and the suspension works fabulously to keep the car composed. As you throw the car in a corner, the suspension loads up gradually and as you hold it, it tips over towards oversteer – much to my liking. The Pirelli soft compound tyres provide enough grip to brake late and steer.

The electronic assisted power steering is precise but the feedback could have been slightly better. The lowered stance keeps it planted around corners but it is going to be a worry over the humongous speed humps. The all four perforated disc brakes are wonderful with just the right bite and are progressive. In spite of the brakes being tortured on a sunny Delhi afternoon for quite some time, they worked well to help us get the maximum out of the Abarth.

Verdict

The Abarth 595 Competizione is to be sold through five dealerships in India at a price tag of Rs 29.85 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi) with the Mumbai dealership yet to be announced. An on-road cost of about Rs 35 lakh is a lot of money but you do not have many options if you are looking for something small and fun to drive. The Cooper S is actually a good option – it has a much better gearbox, is slightly more spacious and feels premium on the inside. But, buying such cars is not always about practicality or value and when it looks like the Abarth we have here, it becomes tempting. Add the exhaust note and crisp handling I would certainly be convinced and if only it had a manual gearbox, I would be sold on it!