The MINI Cooper S is arguably one of the world’s most popular hot hatches. It looks good, has BMW engineering under the hood and is brilliant when used for track racing. But when it comes to buying a hot hatch, there is a plethora of choice out there.
Believe it or not, one particular version of the humble Fiat 500 supermini is making waves. The Abarth 595 Competizione is a track-inspired car that is more unique than the average 500. The only thing that’s familiar about the car is the general shape of it. Everything else has had the Abarth treatment.
So, is the Abarth 595 Competizione Fiat’s answer to the MINI Cooper S? Let me share its main selling points with you and I’ll let you decide!
1.4-litre T-Jet engine
Most gear-heads will want to know more what’s under the hood more than anything else! The Abarth 595 Competizione features an engine that boasts lots of power in a small form. As standard, the Abarth 595 Competizione comes with a 1.4-litre T-Jet engine. With a Garrett GT 1446 bolted onto it, the car boasts an impressive 180 brake horsepower! That works out around 132 bhp per liter.
It’ll get you from 0 to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds. The engine gets mated to a five-speed manual transmission as standard. One can upgrade to a five-speed Abarth MTA gearbox if they so wish.
Big wheels, big brakes
The Abarth 595 Competizione I looked at from the Thames Motor Group had 17-inch alloys. Wrapped in 205/40/17 rubber, the wheels hide a powerful brake setup from the factory.
When one buys the Abarth 595 Competizione, they get 305 mm drilled and vented discs with pads. Keeping it all together are a pair of aluminum Brembo calipers up front. The rear brakes have a 240mm disc setup.
Adaptive suspension
The Fiat 500 in its standard guise already had a good suspension setup, so what could Abarth do to improve it? Well, they replace it with a Koni setup! The Abarth 595 Competizione sports adaptive Koni shock absorbers with frequency selective damping. What the hell is that, I hear you ask?
FSD is a Koni innovation. In a nutshell, those special Koni shocks have two oil flows going to each piston, not one. The second one gets controlled by a valve, hence the “selective” part of the term. In layman’s terms, the second flow of oil gets delayed by the valve. The result is simple: improved handling.
Hatchback or convertible: the choice is yours
After reading this blog post, one might assume the Abarth 595 Competizione is only a hatch. But, did you know you can also order one as a convertible too? That gives motorists greater choice when deciding what style of Abarth to get.
Final thoughts
There is sure a lot of competition in the hot hatch market. From the iconic Golf GTi to superminis like the Abarth 595 Competizione, there’s a choice for all. But, should you consider getting the Abarth 595 Competizione? In a word – YES!
